Lectures Upon Philippians, Lectures · Chapter 1 · Lecture 5
LECTƲRE V.
PHILIP. I. Verſe 6.
And I am perſwaded of this ſame thing that he that hath begun this good worke in you will performe it vntill the day of Ieſus Chriſt.
NOw giuegive mee leaue briefly to note one thing further from thoſe words, and that is, that both our thankſgiuing, and our praying are alwaies to bee vntounto God. Our thankſgiuing, becauſe all deliuerance in dangers, all comfort in troubles, all helpe in time of neede, all ſpirituall graces in heauenly things, and all corporall bleſſings whatſoeuer are from him, the father of all mercies, and giuer of all goodneſſe: for eueryevery good giuing and eueryevery perfit gift is from aboue, and commeth downe from the father of lights. Iam. 1.17.He vpholdeth all ſuch as fall, Pſal. 145.14, 15, 16.and lifteth vp all thoſe that be downe: the eyes of all waite vponupon him, and he giueth them their meat in due ſeaſon: he openeth his hand, and filleth all things liuing with plenteouſnes. He killeth and maketh aliue, bringeth downe to the graue and raiſeth vp, 1 Sam. 2.6.maketh poore and maketh rich, bringeth low and exalteth. He is our rocke and fortreſſe, our ſtrength and ſhield, 2 Sam. 22.1.and he that deliuereth vsus in all time of danger. He is the father of mercies, 2 Cor. 1.3,and the God of all comfort, which comforteth vsus in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any affliction by the comfort wherewith we our ſelues are comforted of him▪ 4.He ſuccoureth vsus when we are tempted, and ſuffereth vsus not to be tempted aboue that we be able, 1 Cor. 10.13.but giueth the iſſue with the tentation that we may be able to beare it. He created vsus, Eſay 43 7. Act. 17 28. Eph. 1.formed vsus, and made vsus for his owne glory. In him we liue, moue, and hauehave our being. Hee bleſſeth vsus with all ſpirituall bleſſings in heauenly things in Chriſt, hauing choſen vsus in him, predeſtinate vsus to be adopted through him, redeemed vsus through his blood, iuſtified vsus, and ſanctified vsus, waſhed and cleanſed vsus from our ſinnes in him, and begotten vsus by faith vntounto a liuely hope in him. In one word, he is all in all things vntounto vsus. VntoUnto whom then ſhould wee ſacrifice the calues of our lips, Col. 3.11.and offer the ſacrifice of praiſe and thankſgiuing, but vntounto him of whom, through whom, and for whom are all things, and by whom we hauehave all bleſſings in good things, and deliuerance from all euill, euen God bleſſed for euer?
And as for theſe reaſons we are alwaies in all things to giuegive thanks vntounto the Lord, ſo for the ſame reaſons we are alwaies to powre out praiers and ſupplications vntounto him, as we hauehave neede either of bleſſings in good things, or deliuerance from euill. And therefore wee read that euer the faithfull when they had need either of bleſſings in good things, or deliuerance from euill, they had their recourſe vntounto God by prayer, and as they were occaſioned by bleſſings in good things, and deliuerance from euill, ſo they powred out their ſoules in thankſgiuing vntounto the Lord. Moſes, and the children of Iſrael, when Pharaoh and the Egyptians purſued them, cried vntounto the Lord with ſtrong cries, inſomuch that the Lord ſaid vntounto Moſes, Exod. 14 15.wherefore crieſt thou vntounto me? And when they had ſeene the mighty power which the Lord ſhewed vponupon the Egyptians, Exod. 55.they ſung vntounto him the ſongs of praiſe and thankſgiuing. So Iehoſaphat, and Iudah, and Ieruſalem when the Moabites and Ammonites came againſt them to battell, praied in the courts of the Lords houſe and ſaid,2 Chr. 20.6. O Lord God of our fathers art not thou God in heauen? and reigneſt thou not on all the kingdomes of the heathen? &c. And when the Lord had giuen them a marueilous victory ouer their enemies, they aſſembled themſelues in the valley of Berachah or bleſſing,26. and there they bleſſed the Lord. So Ezekiah when he was ſicke turned his face to the wall, and praied to the Lord, and ſaid,Eſay 38.2, 3. I beſeech thee Lord remember now how I hauehave walked before thee in truth, and with a perfit heart &c. And when the Lord had reſtored him vntounto health, he ſang the ſong of thankſgiuing vntounto him, and ſaid, the Lord was ready to ſaue me, 10.20.therefore will we ſing my ſong all the daies of our life in the houſe of the Lord. So Hannah being barren praied for a childe vntounto the Lord,1 Sam. 1.10. and wept ſore: and when the Lord had granted her requeſt ſhe thanked God and ſaid,2.1. Mine heart reioyceth in the Lord, my horne is exalted in the Lord, my mouth is inlarged ouer mine enemies &c. And what ſhould I more ſay? The time would be too ſhort for me to tell you of Dauid, Daniel, Samuel, and the reſt, which as they ſtood in neede either of bleſſings in good things, or of deliuerance from euill, made their praiers and ſupplications euer vntounto the Lord; and againe, as they were occaſioned either by bleſſings or deliuerances offered their ſacrifice of praiſe euer vntounto the Lord. Thus they were taught, and thus by the word, and by their example wee are taught for all things to pray vntounto the Lord, and in all things to giuegive thanks vntounto the Lord.
Beware then, beloued, of them that with fained words teach you to giuegive thanks, or to pray vntounto Saints …erally, or ioyntly, as to God and our Lady, to God and S. George, or the like. for wherefore ſhould we either pray, or giuegive thanks vntounto them? Doe they heare vsus, or know what we ſay or thinke? Eſay ſaith,Eſay 63.16. that Abraham knoweth vsus not, and that Iſrael is ignorant of vsus; where the ordinarie gloſſe citeth Auguſtine ſaying, that the dead, euen Saints, know not what the liuing doe. And Salomon ſaith,2 Chr. 6.30. that the Lord onelyonly knoweth the hearts of the children of men. Doe they helpe vsus, or giuegive any thing vntounto vsus? The Pſalmiſt ſaith,Pſal. 84.11. that the Lord giueth both grace and glory; neither dare it bee auouched that the Saints giuegive grace or glory, or are the authors of any bleſſing. Or doth any commandment or example in the holy ſcripture warrant vsus to pray, or to giuegive thanks vntounto them? Themſelues grant that there is no warrant in the ſcripture from commandement or example to pray or giuegive thanks vntounto them, as vntounto the authors of any grace, or glory, but onelyonly as vntounto interceſſors before God for vsus. And yet in their practiſe it is moſt plaine that they doe not onelyonly pray vntounto them, to pray for them, but to preſeure them, to hauehave mercy vponupon them, to bring them to the kingdome of heauen &c. But admit that they pray vntounto them onelyonly as vntounto mediators and interceſſors betwixt God and them. Saith not the Apoſtle, that there is one mediator betweene God and man, 1 Tim. ….5.which is the man Chriſt Ieſus. How then do they make moe mediators? Chriſt Ieſus, ſay they, is …our only immediat mediator before God, but the Saints are mediators vntounto Chriſt, & therfore we conclude our praiers alwaies ſaying, by Ieſus Christ our Lord. Wherein alſo they deceiue the world: for by their owne portice it appeareth that they hauehave many praiers both vntounto Marie, and to other Saints, in the concluſion whereof they vſe not to ſay, by Chriſt our Lord. But to let that goe, are the Saints our mediators vntounto Chriſt to conuey our prayers vntounto him, and Chriſt our Mediator vntounto God to convey our praiers from the ſaints vntounto God? By this ſhift then it commeth about that Chriſt is not the mediator betweene God and vsus, as the Apoſtle affirmeth, but betweene God and the ſaints, and the Saints mediators betwixt Chriſt and vsus. And this is the hand that they make by praying vntounto Saints as vntounto mediators of interceſſion; they thruſt Chriſt Ieſus out from being mediator betwixt God and vsus, and they doe in truth pray vntounto the ſaints as vntounto the authors of grace.
But admitting that they pray onelyonly vntounto them as vntounto interceſſors betwixt Chriſt and vsus, I demand what commandement or example there is in the ſcripture to warrant vsus to pray at all, or to giuegive thanks at all vntounto them.Gen. 48.16. Iacob, ſay they, praied vntounto an Angell. If he had praied vntounto a created Angell, this had not proued ought for invocation of Saints. But it was vntounto that vncreated Angell of the couenant, euen Chriſt Ieſus, with whom he had wreſtled, and preuailed, that he praied vntounto, as both the circumſtances of that place, and conference of it with other places proue. Well, ſay they, Moſes praying,Exod. 32.13. and ſaying thus, remember Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob thy ſeruants, hoped to hauehave his praiers heard by the merits of thoſe holy men. But it is moſt plaine by that place that Moſes pleadeth not the merits of Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob, but only preſſeth the couenant and promiſe made with them, as the words immediatly following ſhew, where it is ſaid, to whom thou ſwareſt by thine owne ſelfe, and ſaideſt &c. Yea but, ſay they, the place in the Apocalyps proueth moſt plainely that the Saints in heauen doe offer vp the praiers of the ſaints on earth, where it is ſaid,Apoc. 5.8. that the 24 elders fell downe before the Lambe hauing golden violls full of odours, which are the praiers of the ſaints. But this place maketh no more to this purpoſe then the reſt: for 1. it is a viſion, and no thing ſo done as here is ſet downe; and therefore no cleare argument will hence be drawne. Againe, here is nothing ſpoken of the ſaints in heauen: for it is generally agreed vponupon that the 24 elders repreſent the Church militant here on earth, whoſe converſation is in heauen, whoſe golden violls full of ſweet odours were their own praiers powred out of faithfull hearts vntounto the Lord. Laſtly, they ſay that praying one vntounto another here on earth to be aſſiſted by their praiers is lawfull, therefore praier vntounto Saints in heauen is lawfull. But to this wee anſwer, 1. that to deſire one anothers praiers is warranted by the word, which they grant: but to requeſt the praiers of the Saints departed hath no warrant in the word, howſoeuer they contend the contrary. 2. There is no ſuch reaſon of deſiring the praiers of the Saints in heauen, as of deſiring one anothers praiers: for wee know one anothers neceſſities, but they know not our neceſſities, as hath beene proued. 3. Our praying one for another to be holpen by their praiers is a godly requeſt to our brethren, but no religious invocation of them, as by their merits or worthineſſe to bee brought into Gods fauour, ſuch as is praier vntounto Saints. And as we are in a Chriſtian ſort to giuegive thanks one vntounto another for benefits receiued, ſo are we in a Chriſtian ſort to requeſt one anothers praiers. But that religious thankſgiuing, and that religious invocation whereof we now ſpeake are in no ſort due to any but to God. So that the Saints departed not knowing what wee ſay or thinke, nor giuing either grace or glory to vsus, nor any way warranted by the ſcripturs to hauehave ſuch honor giuen vntounto them, we conclude that we are not to pray, or to giuegive thanks to them.
Nay abſolutely we ſay that it is vtterly vnlawfull to pray, or giuegive thanks to them. For 1. praier and thankſgiuing are honors onelyonly due vntounto the Lord, and therefore he ſaith, Call vponupon me in the day of trouble, Pſal. 50.and I will deliuer thee, and thou ſhalt glorifie me, praiſe me, giuegive thanks vntounto me. Where albeit the word (onelyonly) be not expreſſed, but it be ſaid, Call vponupon me as neither it is expreſſed in Deuteronomie, but ſaid, thou ſhalt feare the Lord thy God, Deut. 10.20.and thou ſhalt ſerue him; yet as our Sauiour Chriſt ſheweth, that it is there to be vnderſtood by his adding of it,Matth. 4.10. and ſaying, him onelyonly ſhalt thou ſerue; ſo is it plaine that in this place where the Prophet ſpeaketh of the ſame thing it is vnderſtood, as if he had ſaid, Call vponupon me onelyonly, and I will deliuer thee, and thou ſhalt glorifie mee onelyonly. Therefore it is vtterly vnlawfull either to pray, or to giuegive thanks vntounto the Saints, vnleſſe we will communicate that to others which belongeth vntounto him, and ſo make other Gods beſide him, Exod. 20.3.23.and with him, contrary to the commandement. 2. It is vnlawfull to beleeue in them, which they will grant, therefore vnlawfull to pray, or to giuegive thanks vntounto them: for ſo it is written, How ſhall they call on him in whom they hauehave not beleeued. Rom. 10.143. To pray vntounto Saints is iniurious vntounto Chriſt, who is ordeined the only mediator betweene God and vsus,1 Tim. 2.5. Rom. 8.34. who ſitteth at the right hand of God and maketh continuall requeſt for vsus, Heb. 4.16. Ioh. 16.23.vntounto whom we may goe boldly, and for whoſe ſake, whatſoeuer we aske the Father in his name he giueth it vsus. Many other arguments of like weight might here bee brought to the ſame purpoſe. But theſe for this time may ſuffice.
Neither let any man thinke that becauſe wee thus teach, we make not that reckoning of the Saints departed which we ought. Yes, beloued, of the bleſſed Virgin Mary we ſay, that ſhee was bleſſed aboue other women, that ſhee was dearely beloued of God, that ſhee was adorned with excellent gifts and graces of Gods holy ſpirit, and that her memory is to be reuerenced for euer: and of all the Saints departed we ſay, that their memory is bleſſed, and that they are to be commended vntounto the Church, that by their doctrine and examples others may be ſtrengthned in true faith, and inflamed to follow true godlineſſe: yea and that in a generall deſire both for vsus, and for themſelues, and for all the elect of God, they pray that the day of our refreſhing were come, and that all the people of God were ioyned in one, and that their enemies were vanquiſhed and deſtroyed: and farther, that it may bee that God ſometimes may reueale ſome things in particular vntounto them at his pleaſure, and as it ſeemeth good vntounto him. OnelyOnly as the Holy Ghoſt hath taught vsus, ſo wee teach you, that in the word is nothing written whereby to proue that they know our affaires in particular, that they pray for vsus in particular, or that they doe any thing for vsus in particular, and therefore that we are not to pray vntounto them, or to giuegive thanks vntounto them, but onelyonly to the Lord, to whom alone that honor is due. GiueGive thanks therefore ô Iſrael, vntounto God the Lord in the congregations from the ground of thine heart. Pſal. 68.26. 55.17.Pray vntounto the Lord, as Dauid did, euening and morning, and at mid-day, and that inſtantly. As your occaſions are for bleſſings in good things, or deliuerance from euill, ſo let your requeſts be ſhewed vntounto God in praier and ſupplication with giuing of thanks. Yea in the middeſt of troubles giuegive thanks vntounto the Lord, that ye are not ouercome of them, and pray vntounto the Lord that he will giuegive you patience in them. And amongſt all things, giuegive thanks vntounto the Lord for that fellowſhip which ye hauehave with other Churches in the goſpell, and pray vntounto the Lord that yee may continue in that grace wherein yee ſtand, through the goſpell of your ſaluation vntounto your liues end.
And I am perſwaded] As before the Apoſtle teſtified his louelove toward the Philippians, by his reioycing on their behalfe for the grace of God already beſtowed on them, ſo now likewiſe he teſtifieth his louelove towards them, by ſignification of his aſſured hope of Gods farther mercy towards them, in their perſeuerance in the ſame grace vntounto the end. Where 1. he ſignifieth his aſſured hope of their perſeuerance, verſ. 6. 2. Hee ſetteth downe the reaſon which cauſed him ſo aſſuredly to hope thereof, namely their piety, and his louelove of them, v. 7. 3. He maketh earneſt proteſtation of his louelove towards them, verſ. 8. For the firſt, the Apoſtle ſheweth his great confidence and aſſured hope of their perſeuerance, when he ſaith, I am perſwaded of this ſame thing &c. And cloſely he implieth a reaſon of his confidence, drawne from the conſtant immutabilitie of God in his doings, when hee ſaith, that he which hath begun &c. for it is as if hee had thus reaſoned: God is conſtant in his doings, ſo that looke what he beginneth that he finiſheth, therefore I am perſwaded that hee which hath begun this good worke &c. Now it is to be noted that the Apoſtle ſaith not, I am perſwaded that God which hath &c. but that he which hath begun, wherby he implieth that the beginning of that, as alſo indeed of eueryevery good worke, was alone from God. for if it had been from any other, then they ſhould not hauehave vnderſtood him to hauehave ſpoken of God, when he ſaid, that he. Againe, it is to be noted, that the Apoſtle ſaith not, I am perſwaded that you which hauehave begun well, ſhall alſo end well, but that he which hath begun &c. grounding his perſwaſion not on their vertue and conſtancie, but on the conſtant immutabilitie of God which had begun a good worke in them. Now the good worke which he had begun in them was their embracing of the goſpell, whereby they had fellowſhip in the goſpell with other Churches, which was indeed a ſpeciall good work, and ſuch as they that perſecute them in whom God hath begun this good worke, make but vaine braggs of their good works. I am then, ſaith the Apoſtle, perſwaded that he that hath begun this good worke in you of embracing the goſpell, will performe it, .i. will confirme and ſtabliſh you in it, or will finiſh and perfit it vntill the day of Ieſus Chriſt, when he ſhall come and change your vile bodies, that they may bee faſhioned like vntounto his glorious body: for albeit by the day of Chriſt, might be ment the day wherein the faithfull die in Chriſt, yet by the day of Chriſt I rather vnderſtand here the day of Chriſt his ſecond comming in the fleſh in the laſt day, as alſo it is vnderſtood in the next chapter verſ. 16. becauſe the Apoſtle ſpeaketh not onelyonly of them that then were at Philippi, …ut of the Church alſo which afterward ſhould bee there vntill the ſecond comming of Chriſt. Thus much of the ſenſe of the words.
The firſt thing then which here I note, is the ground of the Apoſtles confidence of the Philippians perſeuerance. His ground is, not the Philippians vertue and conſtancie, as if now they were ſo well grounded & ſtabliſhed in the faith that they could not but hold out, & keep faſt their good profeſſion vntounto the end, but his ground is the conſtant immutabilitie of God, who where he beginneth to worke a good worke, there he maketh an end of it. Whence I obſerue a notable ground of the perſeuerance of all Gods faithfull children in that grace wherein they ſtand: and that is this, he that hath begun a good worke in them will performe it, and confirme them vntounto the end. To which purpoſe alſo there are many other places in the holy ſcripture; as where it is ſaid of Chriſt Ieſus,Ioh. 13.1. that foraſmuch as he loued his owne which were in the world, vntounto the end he loued them. Whence we take that commonly receiued, ſaying, that whom God loueth once he loueth vntounto the end. And againe, where Chriſt himſelfe ſaith,Ioh. 4.14. Whoſoeuer drinketh of the water that I ſhall giuegive him ſhall neuer be more a thirſt, but the water that I ſhall giuegive him ſhall be in him a well of water ſpringing vp into euerlaſting life. Here is, but once drinke, and neuer thirſt, once ſanctified by the ſpirit, and neuer vtterly forſaken of the ſpirit. And againe where Iohn ſaith,1 Ioh. 3.9. whoſoeuer is borne of God ſinneth not, namely vntounto death: and why? becauſe the ſeede of God remaineth in him, the ſpirit of God hauing once ſeazed vponupon him, alwaies abideth in him. And againe, where our Sauiour ſaith, him that commeth to mee I caſt not away, once come by faith,Ioh. 6.37. no feare of forſaking afterward. And the reaſon is plaine: for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. Rom. 11.29.He calleth vsus by his goſpell, and giueth vsus gifts and graces of his holy ſpirit, not for our owne ſakes, or for any thing that he ſeeth or foreſeeth in vsus: for then we might well feare a fall and a change; but his gifts are giuen freely by grace according to his good pleaſure. So that he neuer repenteth of any grace which hee beſtoweth vponupon vsus, nor ſuffereth his mercies to faile from vsus for euer, but holdeth our ſoules in life, and keepeth vsus from the pit of deſtruction. Wherevpon, we read that as Dauid hauing had experience of Gods helpe, in his deliuerance out of the paw of the Lyon, and out of the paw of the Beare, afterwards feared not to encounter Goliah, but aſſured himſelfe that the Lord that had deliuered him out of the paw of the Lyon, 1 Sam. 17.37.and out of the paw of the Beare, would alſo deliuer him out of the hand of that Philiſtim: ſo the children of God hauing once felt the louelove of God in Chriſt Ieſus in their ſoules, and the teſtimonie of the ſpirit witneſſing vntounto their ſpirits that they were the ſonnes of God, afterwards feared not the encounters of ſinne or Satan, but aſſured themſelues, that nothing ſhould be able to ſeparate them from the louelove of God in Chriſt Ieſus. So wee ſee that our Apoſtle breaketh out and ſaith, Who ſhall ſeparate vsus from the louelove of Chriſt? Rom. 6.35.ſhall tribulation, or anguiſh, or perſecution, or famine, or nakednes, or perill, or ſword? Nay I am perſwaded that neither death, 38.nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come, 39.nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature ſhall bee able to ſeparate vsus from the louelove of God which is in Chriſt Ieſus our Lord And againe, I know whom I hauehave beleeued, and I am perſwaded that he is able to keepe that which I hauehave committed vntounto him, 2 Tim. 1.12.which is my ſelfe againſt that day. And thus many others of Gods children as vponupon other grounds, ſo in aſſurance of Gods vnchangeable reſolution in his doings, hauehave builded a full and aſſured perſwaſion of their perſeuerance.
Now we muſt vnderſtand, that in perſeuerance there be two things, which ye may call the parts of it: the one is a holy will and deſire to perſeuere in that grace wherein we ſtand: the other is a reall continuance, and continuall perſiſting in that grace wherein wee ſtand. This reall continuance and continuall perſiſting in the grace wherein we ſtand, is often in the beſt of Gods children ſo abated and diminiſhed, that it ſeemeth vtterly to bee extinguiſhed: but that holy will and deſire to perſeuere, the Lord doth neuer ſuffer vtterly to faile from his children. Take for example the holy prophet Dauid, and the bleſſed Apoſtle Paul: did not Dauid in the bitternes of his ſoule cry, Will the Lord abſent himſelfe for euer, Pſal. 77.7.8.9. 88.14.15.16.and will he be no more intreated? Is his mercy cleane gone for euer, and is his promiſe come vtterly to an end for euermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious, and will he ſhut vp his louing kindneſſe in diſpleaſure? And againe, Lord, why abhorreſt thou my ſoule, and hideſt thy face frome mee? Lord, where are thy old louing kindneſſes? thy terrors doe I ſuffer with a troubled minde thy wrathfull diſpleaſure goeth ouer me, and the feare of thee hath vndone mee. His reall continuance, ye ſee, ſeemeth to be cut off, and himſelfe to be ſeparated from the Lord; but by his gronings and cries it appeareth that his holy deſire ſtill remained. Pauls care likewiſe was interrupted, and his reall continuance remitted, when hee was ſo exalted through the abundance of reuelations,2 Cor. 12.7. that there was giuen vntounto him a pricke in the fleſh, euen the meſſenger of Satan to buffet him: yet in that he then beſought the Lord thriſe that that meſſenger of Satan might depart from him, 8.it appeareth that this his holy deſire ſtill remained. And this holy deſire of perſeuering is it which the Lord accepteth, and then is he ſaid to giuegive vsus this grace of perſeuerance, when hee giueth vsus a perpetuall will and deſire, of perſeuering in that grace wherein wee ſtand, howſoeuer the very act of perſeuering by ſinne, tentation, or other trouble ſeeme to be cut off and quite failed ſometimes euen in the deareſt of Gods children.
Here then is a notable comfort for the broken and contrite heart, for the humbled and afflicted ſoule. For tell me, ô thou diſtreſſed ſoule, hath the ſpirit ſometimes witneſſed vntounto thy ſpirit that thou waſt the childe of God? Hath the louelove of God ſometimes beene ſo ſhed abroad in thine heart, that thou haſt verily perſwaded thy ſelfe of the louelove of God towards thee? Haſt thou ſometimes beene delighted in the law of thy God, and felt the ſweet comforts of God in Chriſt Ieſus in thy ſoule? Why then is now thy ſoule ſo heauy, and why is it ſo diſquieted within thee? Why doe thoughts ariſe in thy heart, and why doth the ſleepe depart from thine eyes? O waite vponupon the Lord, and put thy truſt in him; for hee that hath begun a good worke in thee, will performe it vntill the day of Chriſt Ieſus. He hath ſaid it by his holy Apoſtle, and ſhall he not doe it? The ſtrength of Iſrael will not lie,1 Sam. 15.29. nor repent; for he is not a man that he ſhould repent. He hath begun a good worke in thee, euen of his louelove and his mercy towards thee, and as himſelfe, ſo his louelove is vnchangeable, ſo that whom hee loueth once, he loueth vntounto the end. O but therefore thou art troubled, becauſe he doth not ſeem to continue his louing kindnes towards thee. Thou feeleſt not that ioy in the Holy Ghoſt, that comfort in Gods louelove which thou waſt wont to finde, thou art euen dead vntounto the life of God. Well, did not Dauid cry out, Lord where are thy old louing kindneſſes, where are thy former mercies? Did he not pray, reſtore me to the ioy of thy ſaluation, and renue a right ſpirit within me. And againe, O quicken mee according to thy word, quicken me according to thy louing kindneſſe. So that thou ſeeſt there hath no tentation taken thee, but ſuch as appertaineth to man, euen ſuch as hauehave ouertaken men after Gods owne heart. But tell me, doth it not greeue thee that thou doeſt not feele that aſſurance, that comfort, that ioy that thou waſt wont to finde in thy God through Ieſus Chriſt? Doeſt thou not deſire and long to feele that aſſurance, & comfort, & ioy that thou waſt wont to finde in thy ſoule? O yes, it is thy doubtings that trouble thee, and comfort which thou longeſt for. Well then good enough. It is a broken and contrite heart that greeueth at his ſinnes,Pſal. 51.17. that greeueth at his wants, that the Lord loueth, and a troubled ſpirit, troubled at the cogitation of his ſlips and imperfections, is a ſacrifice acceptable vntounto him. And againe, this holy deſire of any grace is the grace it ſelfe. A deſire of comfort is a great part of comfort, and a deſire of perſeuering is a chiefe part of perſeuerance, and hee that deſireth any grace of God, tending to ſaluation ſhall ſurely hauehave it. For ſo Chriſt hath promiſed, ſaying, I will giuegive to him that is a thirſt of the well of the water of life freely: Apoc. 21.6.which is the ſame with that in the Prophet, where it is ſaid, Ho, eueryevery one that thirſteth, come yee to the waters, Eſay 55.1.and yee that hauehave no ſiluer come, buy, and eat, come I ſay, buy wine and milke without ſiluer and without money.
Comfort then your ſelues, be of good comfort in the Lord, all yee that thirſt after and deſire the things that belong vntounto your peace. Let not your ſinnes, or your wants and imperfections too much caſt you downe or diſmay you. What if he will hauehave you to ſaile by hell to heauen? He that continueth this holy deſire in you, will not ſuffer his mercies vtterly to faile from you for euer. Heauineſſe may endure for a night, for a ſhort ſeaſon, but ioy commeth in the morning, after a while heauineſſe is turned into ioy, and ſackcloth into the garment of gladnes. Where he hath begun he will make an end, and ſcattering this cloud he will ſhew vntounto thee the light of his holy countenance. In the meane time, let that holy deſire which is in thee, be a pledge of his louelove vntounto thee, and aſſure thy ſelfe, he ſhall fulfill all thy hearts deſire, and reſtore thee to thy wonted ioyes againe.