The Life of Faith, Part 3 · Chapter 20
CHAP. XX. How to live by Faith, in troubles of Conſcience, and doubts or terrours about our ſpiritual and everlaſting ſtate.
HAving written a Treatiſe called, The Right Method for Spiritual Peace and Comfort, &c. upon this ſubject already, I muſt refer the Reader thither, and here only add theſe few Directions.
Direct. 1. Diſtinguiſh of the ſeveral Cauſes of theſe troubles; and take heed of thoſe unskilful Mountebanks, who have the ſame cure for every ſuch diſeaſe, and ſpeak preſent comfort to all that they hear complain; and that think every trouble of mind is ſome notable work of the Spirit of God; when it is often the fruit of the manifold weakneſs or wilfulneſs of the troubled complainers.
Direct. 2. When it is ſome heinous ſin committed, or great corruption indulged, which doth cauſe the trouble, be ſure that ſound Repentance be never omitted in the cure; and that a real reformation prove the truth of that Repentance. For Chriſt never died to juſtifie and ſave the impenitent ſinner: And a deceitful Repentance is the common ſelf-deceit and undoing of the world. And how can that be true Repentance, which changeth not the will and life? God will not give you peace and comfort, as long as you indulge your wilful ſin.
Note here the difference between 1. The groſly impenitent: 2. And the mock-repentance of the Hypocrite: 3. And the true Repentance of ſound Believers.
1. The groſly impenitent cannot bring his heart to a ſerious purpoſe to let go his ſin, nor to a conſent or willingneſs, that God ſhould cure him, and change his mind: but he had rather have his pride, and covetouſneſs, and ſenſuality, to be fully pleaſed, than to be mortified. Like a fool in a Feaver or a Dropſie, that had rather have drink, than have the cure of his thirſt.
2. The mock repentance of the Hypocrite hath ſome purpoſes under an extraordinary conviction, to leave his ſin; and for a time may ſeem to do it. But when the temptation is as ſtrong again, he is the ſame, and returneth to his vomit; or elſe exchangeth his ſin for a worſe. And if you ask him whether he had rather have the mortifying of all his luſts, or the pleaſing of them, his underſtanding and conviction may cauſe him truly to ſay at the preſent, that if God would preſently mortifie his ſin, or offer him this in choice, he would rather conſent to it, than take the pleaſing of them. But mark it, 1. That though he conſent that God ſhould do this himſelf; yet he will not conſent to uſe the means, and do his duty to attain it. If a cold wiſh, or bare conſent would change his ſoul, and take away all ſinful inclinations at once, that he might never more deſire the pleaſure of ſin, nor be put to any conflict to overcome it, nor any great difficulty to deny it, and all this might be done without any labour of his own, I doubt not but the Hypocrite would conſent to be ſo mortified. But to watch, and pray, and read, and meditate, and uſe the means which God appointeth him, both to get mortification, and to uſe it for the conquering of every temptation; this the Hypocrite will not conſent to.
2. And what he doth conſent to at the preſent, he conſenteth not to when his ſinful pleaſure is revived by the next temptation.
3. But the true penitent Chriſtian is both willing to be changed and had rather have his luſts to be killed, than pleaſed; and alſo willing to uſe Gods means both to mortifie the inward luſt, and to overcome the outward ſin: And this in ſincerity is his habitual ſtate.
Direct. 3. Never forget that 1. The gracious nature of God: 2. The ſufficiency of Chriſts Sacrifice and Merit: And 3. The truth of the univerſal …ffer or promiſe of pardon to all (if they will accept the offer) are the foundation of all our faith and comforts; and are that univerſal grace which is before our ſpecial grace or faith, and is preſuppoſed to it: On this foundation all our faith and peace is to be built.
Direct. 4. The particular application of this to our ſelves, is, 1. By Believing, and then by knowing that we do believe; and then by diſcerning our priviledges upon believing.
1. Our believing it ſelf is, 1. Our Aſcent to the truth of the Goſpel: 2. Our Acceptance of the good (even Chriſt and life) which is offered in it, and conſent to the Baptiſmal Covenant with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: And 3. Our Affiance in Chriſt and his Covenant.
2. To know that we do believe (ſomehow) is eaſie, when we do it: But to be ſure that this belief is ſincere and ſaving, is more difficult, becauſe of the deceitfulneſs of the heart of man, and the mixtures of unbelief, and other ſins, and the weakneſs of grace where it is true, and the counterfeits of it, and the inſufficient degrees which are in Hypocrites; ſo that it is not eaſie to diſcern whether the faith which we have be ſincere, and predominant above our ſenſe and our unbelief (as it muſt be.) But yet it may be known by ſuch means as theſe.
1. By labouring to ſtrengthen and increaſe our faith and grace, that it may not by the ſmalneſs be next to undiſcernable. 2. By ſubduing all contrary inward corruptions, which obſcure it. 3. By frequent exerciſing it; ſeeing habits are diſcerned only in their acts. 4. By reſiſting and conquering temptations, and doing all the good we can in the world, and living as wholly devoted to God, above all worldly fleſhly intereſt; that ſo 1 Faith may be evidenced by its fruits: 2. And God may reward the faithful ſoul with his aſſuring ſeal, and light and comfort. 5. By eſcaping all thoſe lapſes into heinous and wilful ſin, which cauſe wounds, and ſears, and hinder aſſurance, peace and joy. 6. By a wiſe and conſtant examination of the heart, and obſervation of it, in the time of tryal, and finding the habits and ſtrength of faith, and of unbelief, in their ſeveral actings, and prevalencies in their conflicts. 7. And withall, eſcaping thoſe ignorances and errours, about the nature, means, cauſes and ſigns of grace and aſſurance, which keep many from it, who have juſtifying faith. Theſe ſeven are the true and neceſſary means to get aſſurance of your own ſincerity, and that indeed you have the true ſeal, and earneſt, and witneſs of the Spirit of Chriſt.
3. When you have firſt truly believed (or conſented to the Baptiſmal Covenant of Grace) and next got aſſurance that you do this in ſincerity, the laſt part is the eaſieſt, which is to gather up the priviledges, or comfortable concluſions which follow hereupon: Which are your pardon and juſtification, your adoption and right to life eternal, and to all the benefits promiſed by God, in that Covenant to which you do conſent; which are all comprehended in the three great Relations eſtabliſhed by, the Covenant, viz. that God is your Reconciled God and Father Chriſt in your Head and Saviour, and the Holy Spirit is your Life and Sanctifier.
Theſe three works which make up aſſurance, are contained in the three parts of this ſyllogiſm. 1. He that truly believeth, is juſtified, and adopted, and an heir of life. But I do truly believe: Therefore I am juſtified, adopted, and am an heir of life.
Or thus to the ſame ſenſe.
Every one who truly conſenteth to the Baptiſmal Covenant, hath right to the bleſſings of the Covenant; God is his Father, Chriſt is his Saviour, and the holy Spirit is his Sanctifier. But I do truly conſent to the Baptiſmal Covenant: Therefore I have right to all the benefits of it: God is my Father, &c.
Direct. 5. Remember that when you have got aſſurance, and have truly gathered this concluſion, the continual and lively exerciſe of faith, is ſtill neceſſary to your actual joy.
For it is poſſible for a man to have no notable doubtings of his own ſincerity or ſalvation, and yet to have ſuch dulneſs of ſoul, and ſuch diverſions of his thoughts, as that he ſhall enjoy but little of the comforts of his own aſſurance. Therefore true joy requireth much more, than bare ſelf examination, and diſcerning of our evidences, and right to life.
Direct. 6. When doubts and troubles are cauſed by ignorance or errour, about the true nature and ſigns of grace, and the way of aſſurance (which is very common) nothing then is more neceſſary than a ſound and skilful Teacher; to work out thoſe miſtakes, and to help the ignorant Chriſtian to a clearer underſtanding of the terms of the Covenant, and the ſenſe of the Promiſe, and the true methods of Chriſt in his gifts and operations. Otherwiſe the erring ſoul will be diſtracted and loſt in a wilderneſs of doubts, and either ſit down at laſt preſumptuouſly on falſe grounds, or turn to one errour to cure the troubles of another; or languiſh in deſpair; ſo lamentable a thing is it to be poſſeſſed with falſe principles, and to attempt ſo great a work in the dark.
Direct. 7. And here there are theſe two extreams to be carefully avoided: 1. That of the Infidel and Juſticiary, who truſteth and teacheth others to truſt to his own vertues and works without a Saviour, or aſcribeth the part of a Saviour to them. 2. The Antinomian and Libertine, who teach men not to look at any thing in themſelves at all, no not as an evidence, or condition, or means, much leſs as any cauſe of life; but to truſt to Chriſts blood, to be to you inſtead of Faith, and Repentance, and Obedience, and all your uſe of means; and do aſcribe the part of theſe duties of man, to the blood of Chriſt; as if it did belong only to Chriſt to do that ſame thing which belongeth unto them.
Therefore here you muſt be ſure to be well acquainted what is truly the office and part of Chriſt; and what is truly the office and part of Faith, of Repentance, of Confeſſion, of Prayer, &c. And to be ſure that you wholly truſt Chriſt for his part, and joyn not Faith, nor any of your own works or duties in the leaſt degree of that truſt or honour which belongeth to Chriſt, and his office and work: And that you faithfully uſe (yea I will ſay, Truſt too, though ignorance ſnarl at it) your Faith, Repentance, Prayer, &c. in and for its own office and part; and do not fooliſhly blaſpheme Chriſt, by aſcribing the part and office of your duty unto him and his office, under pretence of giving him the honour of them. It is Chriſts office and honour to be a ſacrifice for ſin, and a propitiation for us, and a perfect Saviour and Interceſſor, and to give us the Spirit, by which we believe, repent, pray, obey, hope, love, &c. But not to be a penitent believing ſinner, nor to accept of an offered Saviour, nor to be a conſenting Covenanter with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, nor to be waſhed from ſin in his blood, reconciled, adopted, nor to pray for pardon in the name of another, nor to truſt upon a Saviour, nor to be a Diſciple, a Subject, a Member of a Saviour, &c. Nor yet that his blood, or merits, or righteouſneſs, ſhould be to you inſtead of theſe. No, theſe are to be done by you.
Direct. 8. In this caſe alſo take heed of thoſe ignorant guides, who know not the errours of fancy, melancholy, or diſturbed paſſions, from the proper works of the Spirit of God: For they wrong the Spirit, when they aſcribe mens ſinful weakneſſes to him: And they greatly wrong the troubled ſinner many waies: 1. They puff up men with conceits that they are under ſome great and excellent workings of the Spirit, when they are the works of Satan, and their own infirmity or ſin. 2. They teach them hereby to magnifie and cheriſh thoſe diſtempers, and paſſions, and thoughts, which they ſhould reſiſt, and lament, and caſt away. 3. And they ſet them in an Enthuſiaſtick, or truly Fanatical way of Religion, to look for Revelations, or live ſtill upon their own fancies, and paſſions, and diſtempers, and Satans temptations, conceiting that they live upon the incomes of God, and are actuated in all this by the Holy Ghoſt. And of what miſchievous importance and conſequence all this is, and how much hurt ſuch zealous ignorance doth, both in the Teachers and the people, the thing it ſelf doth plainly ſhew; and the ſad experience of this age doth ſhew it more plainly, in Ranters, Quakers, and other true Fanaticks, and in many women, and other weak perſons, of better principles than theirs.
And it is an unſafe courſe which many ſuch weak perſons uſe, to think in their troubles that every text of Scripture which cometh into their mind, or every conceit of their own is a ſpecial ſuggeſtion of the Spirit of God: You ſhall ordinarily hear them ſay, [Such a text was brought to me, or was ſet upon my heart, and ſuch a thing was ſet upon my mind] when two to one, it was no otherwiſe brought unto them, nor ſet upon them, than any other ordinary thoughts are; and had no ſpecial or extraordinary operation of God in it at all. Though it is certain that every good thought which cometh into our minds, is ſome effect of the working of Gods Spirit, as every good word, and every good work is; and it is certain that ſometimes Gods Spirit doth guide and comfort Chriſtians as a remembrancer, by bringing informing and comforting texts and doctrines to their remembrance; yet it is a dangerous thing to think that all ſuch ſuggeſtions or thoughts are from ſome ſpecial or extraordinary work of the Spirit, or that every text that cometh into our minds, is brought thither by the Spirit of God at all.
The reaſons are theſe,
1. Satan can bring a text or truth to our remembrance for his own ends, as he did to Chriſt, Matth. 4. in his temptations.
2. Our own paſſions or running thoughts, may light upon ſome text or truth accidentally, as they do on other things which ſo come in.
3. When the Spirit doth in an ordinary way help us in remembring or meditating on any text or holy doctrine, he doth it according to our capacity and diſpoſition, and not in the way of infallible inſpiration, and therefore there is much of our weakneſs and errour uſually mixt with the Spirits help, in the product: As when you hold the hand of a child in writing, you write not ſo well by his hand, as by your own alone, but your skill, and his weakneſs and unskilfulneſs do both appear in the letters which are made; ſo is it in the ordinary aſſiſtance of the Spirit in our ſtudies, meditations, prayers, &c. otherwiſe all that we do would be perfect, in which we have the Spirits help; which Scripture, and all Chriſtians experience do contradict.
4. And to aſcribe that to the Spirit which is not at all his work, or that which is partly our own work, ſo far as it is our own, and ſavoureth of our weakneſſes and errour, is a heinous injury to the Spirit.
5. And it toſſeth ſuch miſtaken Chriſtians up and down in uncertainties; while they think all ſuch thoughts are the ſuggeſtions of the Spirit, they meet with many contrary thoughts, and ſo are carryed like the waves of the Sea, ſometimes up, and ſometimes down; and they have ſometimes a humbling terrible text, and the next day perhaps a comforting text cometh into their minds, and ſo are between terrours and comforts, diſtracted by their own fantaſies, and think it is all done by the Spirit of God.
6. And it is a perverſe abuſing of the holy Scripture, to make ſuch remembrances the Rule of your application of it to your ſelves: that text which you remember had the ſame ſenſe before you remembred it; and your ſpiritual ſtate was the ſame before: If that text agree with your ſtate, and either, the terrour or the comfort of it belong to you, this muſt be proved by ſolid reaſon, drawn from the true meaning of the text, and the true ſtate of your ſouls; and not ſuppoſed meerly becauſe it cometh into your thoughts, or becauſe it is ſet upon your hearts: Do you think that your remembring it will prove that it ſpecially belongs to you? Do not many comfortable texts come into the minds of Hypocrites, who are unfit for comfort? And many terrible texts come into the minds of humble ſouls, that have right to comfort, and ſhould not be more terrified? You may as well think that your money or eſtate is another mans, becauſe he thinketh on it: Or that another mans dangers and miſeries are yours, becauſe you think of them: Or that you are either Kings, or Lords, or beggars, or thieves, or whatever cometh into your minds: Or that another mans Leaſes or Deeds by which he holdeth his Lands, are all yours, becauſe they are put into your hands to read.
7. And if you go this way to work, you are in danger to be carryed into many other errours and ſins, and think that all is of the Spirit of God, becauſe you feel it ſet upon your hearts. And ſo you will feign the ſanctifying Spirit to be the author of ſin, and the lying Spirit ſhall be honoured and called by his name.
Mark well theſe following texts of Scripture, 2 Theſ. 2.1, 2, 3. We beſeech you brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt— that ye be not ſoon ſhaken in mind, or troubled, neither by Spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Chriſt is at hand: Let no man deceive you—You ſee here that Spirit, Word and Scripture may be pretended for an untruth.
Matth. 4. Satan often ſaith, It is written,
2 Cor. 11.12, 13, 14, 15. Falſe Apoſtles, and deceitful workers may transform themſelves into the Apoſtles of Chriſt, and Miniſters of Righteouſneſs; and no marvel, for Satan himſelf is transformed into an Angel of light.
1 John 4.1. Beloved, believe not every Spirit, but try the Spirits, whether they be of God.
Gal. 1.7, 8. If we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Goſpel to you, let him be accurſed.
Queſt. But how then ſhall I know when it is the Spirit which putteth any thing into my mind?
Anſw. 1. The matter it ſelf muſt be tryed, whether it agree with the ſacred Scripture, and muſt be proved true by the Word of God. 2. The end to which that truth is brought, muſt be proved to be juſt and good: For Satan pleadeth truth… to ſinful ends. 3. The application of them to your own caſe muſt be ſuch as will hold tryal, and it muſt be proved by ſound argument, that indeed they do thus and thus belong to you: For Gods Spirit will not belye you, nor make you better or worſe than you are; no more than he will belye the Scriptures.
Object. But is it not the ſame Spirit which ſpake to the Apoſtles, which ſpeaketh to us? If they were to believe him immediately, ſo muſt we; and ſeeing the Spirit is above the Scripture, we muſt try the Scriptures by the Spirit, and not the Spirit by the Scriptures.
Anſw. Alas, how pittifully ignorance beweildreth men! 1. It is the ſame Spirit which was in the Apoſtles, and is in the weakeſt Chriſtian: But he worketh not in the ſame degree: He inſpired them to infallibility; being promiſed to lead them into all truth, and to bring all things which Chriſt had ſpoken to their remembrance; and he enabled them to prove this by manifold miracles: Doth he do all this by you? or had you the ſame promiſes? 2. The ſame Spirit in them was given to one end, and to you for another. To them it was given to cauſe them by his inſpiration to deliver all that Chriſt had taught them, and to leave it on record to all generations, as his infallible Word and Law, to be the Rule of doctrine and practice to the end of the world. But to you the ſame Spirit is given, to cauſe you to underſtand, and love, and obey this Law which is already written, and not to write or know another.
3. The Spirit indited the Scriptures before you were born: and we are ſure that that is the Word of God; and we are ſure that Gods Spirit contradicteth not it ſelf: Therefore your after-pretended revelations, muſt be tryed by the certain ancient Rule, which had the ſeal of miracles which yours hath not.
Obj. But how ſhall I know what application to make of Scripture to my ſelf, but by the teaching of the Spirit of God?
Anſw. But you muſt not take every thought and ſuggeſtion or remembrance, to be the Spirits application. Gods Spirit teacheth men by the light of ſound evidence, which may be proved, and wil hold good in tryal: He teacheth you by exciteing you to rational ſtudies and argumentation, and by bleſſing you in ſuch ſober uſe of Gods means: But he doth not teach you to know your ſtate, by the bare remembring of a text.
Direct. 9. Take heed alſo of miſunderſtanding what is the witneſs of the Spirit, that we are Gods children.
Many think it is like ſome voice, or ſuggeſtion, or inſpiration within them, ſaying, Thou art the Child of God. And ſo many Chriſtians languiſh in terrours, that feel no ſuch perſwading Spirit in them. And many Hypocrites are deluded by the perſwaſions of their own imaginations. But in Scripture, the word witneſs is oft taken for [evidence] or an objective teſtimony: And the Spirits being a witneſs, and being a ſeal, an earneſt, a pledge, a white ſtone, a new name, &c. are all of the like ſignification: And the meaning is, By this we know that we are the children of God, or that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us, 1 John 3.10.24. & 4.13. And if any one have not the Spirit of Chriſt, the ſame is none of his, Rom. 8.9. As if he ſhould ſay, have you the Spirit of Chriſt, or have you not? if you have, that is a ſeal, an earneſt, a pledge of Gods Love, and of your heavenly inheritance, and a certain evidence or witneſs that you are his children, Gal. 4.6. He that loveth God as his Father in Chriſt, and is ſanctified to God, hath the Spirit. Shew this Love, and this Sanctification, and you produce the true witneſs that you are the heirs of life. Holineſs, and Heavenlineſs, and Love, is the witneſs, ſeal and earneſt; and not chiefly an inward perſwaſion that we are Gods children.
2. Yet this much more the Spirit doth; when it hath ſanctified us, and given us the witneſs or evidence in our ſelves, (1 John 5.10, 11.) He alſo helpeth us to ſee and know that grace which he giveth and actuateth in us.
3. And alſo to conclude from that evidence, that we are Gods children: And alſo to feel the inward comfort of that concluſion. But all this he doth by theſe means in a diſcurſive or rational way, and by bleſſing ſuch reaſoning to our comfort.
4. Alſo he comforteth the ſoul in another way, diſtinct from the way of concluding from evidence; and that is by exciting the Love of God and his praiſes in us, which are of themſelves delighting acts: But of this anon.
Direct. 10. Take heed of Heretical Seducers, who uſe to fiſh in troubled waters, and to fall in with ſuch perplexed conſciences, to perſwade them that all the cauſe of their trouble is their opinions, and unſound Religion, and not in them; and that the only way to comfort, is to change their Religion, and to come over unto them.
No perſon fitter for a Quaker, a Papiſt, or any Sectary, to work upon, than a troubled mind. For ſuch are like the ignorant Country people in their ſickneſs, who will hearken to any one who putteth them in hope, and promiſeth them eaſe, and moſt confidently tells them, that he can cure them, and ſaith, I was juſt in your caſe, and ſuch or ſuch a thing cured me: ſo will the Formaliſt, and the Fanatick, the Papiſt, and the Quaker ſay, I was juſt in your condition, [I was troubled, and could get no peace of conſcience, no joy in the Holy Ghoſt, but was alwaies held in fears and doubting, till I changed my Religion; and ever ſince that I have been well, and O what joyes I have to boaſt of!] And if it be an unſound Hypocrite that is thus tempted, perhaps God may give them over to find abundance of Bedlam joy, in the ſudden change of their opinion: And falſhood may comfort that man, whom the truth which he was falſe to, would not comfort. But if it be a weak ſincere Believer; if God ſhew him not ſo much mercy as to reſcue him from the temptation, he will do as the foreſaid Country patient; he will try one mans medicine, and another womans medicines, and hearken to every one that can ſpeak confidently, and promiſe him a cure, till he hath tryed, that their caſe and his were not the ſame, and that they were all but ignorant deceived deceivers; and when all fail him, he will come back again, to the faithful experienced directors of his ſoul.
Direct. 11. If weakneſs of grace be the cauſe of doubting (which is of all other, the commoneſt cauſe in the world) the way to comfort is that ſame which is the way to ſtrengthen grace.
Such a one, if ever he will have joy, muſt be taught how to live the Life of Faith, and to walk with God, and to mortifie the fleſh, and get looſe from the world, and to live as entirely devoted to God; and eſpecially how to keep every grace in exerciſe; and then grace will ſhew it ſelf, as the air doth in a windy ſeaſon, or as the fire when it is blown up and flameth. There is no ſurer or readier way to comfort, than to get Faith, Repentance, Love, Hope and Obedience, in a vigorous activity, and great degree, and then to keep them much in action. Mountebanks and Sectaries have other waies; but this is the conſtant certain way.
Direct. 12. If you perceive that trouble is cauſed by miſunderſtanding the Covenant of Grace, and looking at Legal Works of merit, as the ground of peace, and over-looking the ſufficiency of the Sacrifice, Merits, or Interc…ſſion of Chriſt, the principal thing to be done with ſuch a ſoul, is, to convince them of the impoſſibility of being juſtified by works, on legal terms; and to ſhew them the neceſſity of a Saviour, and the deſign of God in mans redemption, and that there is but one Mediatour between God and man, and one Name by which we can be ſaved; and that Chriſt is the way, the truth, and the life, and no man cometh to the Father, but by the Son; and that he was made ſin for us who knew no ſin, that we might be made the righteouſneſs of God in him; and that of God he is made unto us, wiſdom, and righteouſneſs, and ſanctification, and redemption; and that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son; and that he that hath the Son, hath life, and he that hath not the Son, hath not life; and that there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, who walk not after the fleſh, but after the Spirit; but he that believeth not is condemned already. Thus muſt Chriſt crucified, the propitiation for the ſins of all the world, be preached to them, who are troubled as for want of a Saviour, or an attonement, a ſacrifice, or ranſome, or propitiation for ſin; or becauſe they are not inſtead of a Saviour to themſelves.
But to tell a man only of the ſacrifice and merits of Chriſt, who doubteth only of his intereſt in him, and of the truth of his own Faith, Repentance and Sanctification, is to prate impertinently, and to delude the ſinner, and to deal injuriouſly with Chriſt.
Direct. 12. If Melancholy be the cauſe of the trouble (which is very ordinary) it will be neceſſary, 1. Well to underſtand it: And 2. To know the cure: Of which, having ſpoken more largely elſewhere, I ſhall now give you only this brief information.
1. The ſigns of this Melancholy are, overſtretched, confuſed, ungovernable thoughts; continual fear, and inclination to deſpair, and to cry out, undone, undone; I am forſaken of God; the day of grace is paſt; I have ſinned againſt the Holy Ghoſt; never mans caſe was like mine! And uſually their ſleep is gone or broken, and they are enclined to be alone, and to be alwaies muſing, with their confounded thoughts; and at laſt are tempted to blaſphemous thoughts, againſt the Scriptures, and the life to come, and perhaps urged to utter ſome blaſphemous words againſt God; and if it go to the higheſt, they are tempted to famiſh or make away themſelves.
2. The cure of it lyeth 1. In ſetting thoſe truths before them, which tend moſt to quiet and ſatisfie their minds. 2. In engaging them in the conſtant labours of a calling, in which both mind and body may be employed. 3. In keeping them in fit and chearful company which they love, and ſuffering them to be very little alone. 4. In keeping them from muſing, and that meditation or thoughtfulneſs which to others is moſt profitable, and a duty. 5. Keeping them from over-long ſecret prayer (becauſe they are unable for it, and it doth but confound them, and diſable them for other duties;) and let them be the more in other duties which they can bear. 6. And if the ſtate of their bodies require it, Phyſick is neceſſary, and hath done good to many (if rightly choſen.)
Direct. 13. Take heed of fooliſh, carnal, haſty expectations of comfort from the bare words of any man; but uſe mens advice only to direct you in that way, where, by patience and faithfulneſs, you may meet with it in due ſeaſon.
Nothing is more uſual with ſilly ſouls, than to go to this or that excellent Miniſter, whom they deſervedly admire, and to look that with an hour or twos diſcourſe, he ſhould comfort them, and ſet all their bones in joynt▪ And when they find that it is not done, they either deſpair, or turn to the next deceivers, and ſay, [I tryed the beſt of them: And if ſuch a man cannot do it, none of them can do it.] But, ſilly ſoul, do Phyſicians uſe to charm men into health? Wilt thou go and talk an hour with the ableſt Phyſician, and ſay, that becauſe his talk doth not cure thee, thou wilt never go to a Phyſician more, but go to ignorant people that will kill thee? Thou haſt then thy own deſerving; even take the death which thou haſt choſen, and drink as thou haſt brewed. The work of a Miniſter is not to cure thee alwaies immediately, by comfortable words. (What words can cure an ignorant, melancholy, or uncapable ſoul!) But to direct thee in thy duty, and in the uſe of thoſe means, which if thou wilt faithfully and patiently practiſe, thou ſhalt certainly be cured in due time: If thou wilt uſe the Phyſick, dyet and exerciſe, which thy Phyſician doth preſcribe thee, it is that which muſt reſtore thy health and comfort, and not the ſaying over a few words to thee. If thou lazily look that other mens words or prayers ſhould cure and comfort thee without thy own endeavours, thou mayeſt thank thy ſelf when thou art deceived.
Direct. 14. The principal means of comfort is to live in the exerciſe of comfortable duties.
Faith, Hope, and eſpecially the Love of God, are duties which are alſo mans felicity: And the exerciſe of theſe in Praiſes and Thanksgiving, are the proper pleaſure of the ſoul. Give up thy ſelf wholly to ſtudy the Goodneſs and Love of God in Jeſus Chriſt, till thou feel thy heart enflamed with his Love, and ſpend half thy godly conference in Gods praiſes, and half thy daily prayers in that, and in thankſgiving; and this will comfort thee not only by the reaſoning way of evidence; but as a feaſt pleaſeth thy taſte, and as the fire warmeth thee, or as the loving of thy friend delighteth thee, or as health it ſelf is the pleaſure of thy fleſh.
As the ſins themſelves of not knowing God, not loving him, nor delighting in him, are the greateſt part of the penalty, or rather miſery of the ſinner (which hath its peculiar way of remiſſion) ſo the knowledge, and love, and praiſe of God, and delighting in him, is inſtead of a reward unto it ſelf, and a beginning of Heaven to the heavenly Believer.
Direct. 15. Dwell much in Heaven, if you would dwell in comfort. Comfort your ſelves and one another with theſe words, that we ſhall for ever be with the Lord. Heaven is the place or ſtate of our everlaſting comfort; and all that we have here muſt come from thence: And Faith, and Hope, and Love muſt fetch it: He that will have carn…l joy, muſt go for it to paſtime, or luſts and pleaſure, to an Ale-houſe, or a Whore, or to a Gameing-houſe, or a Play-houſe, or to his weal…h and worldly honours: But he that will have heavenly joy, muſt go for it by Faith to Heaven; and dwell there every day by Faith, where he hopes to dwell for ever. Heaven will nor comfort either them that believe it not, or them that remember it not; but them whoſe converſation and hearts are there, Phil. 3.20, 21.
Direct. 16. Set your ſelves wholly to do good. Reſolve that you will be faithful to Chriſt, and do all the good that you can in the world, and let him do with you what he will: And in this way you ſhall quickly find, that the ſoundeſt conſolation will come in to your ſouls, before you could expect it. Though no works of our own can add any thing to God, nor muſt be truſted to at all, in a legal ſenſe; and though blind Libertines tell you, that all comfort is legal and unſound, which came by the thoughts of any thing in your ſelves, or any of your own doings; yet God is no ſuch enemy to godlineſs, but he that will hereafter judge you to Heaven or Hell according to your works, will now judge you to joy or ſorrow of heart, uſually according to your works: Well doing ſhall afford you peace, and ill doing ſhall diſquiet you, when all …s ſaid.
Direct. 17. Laſtly, Be ſure, while you want the comforts of aſſurance, to hold faſt thoſe comforts which rationally belong to common grace, and to them that have the Goſpel offers of ſalvation. When the Goſpel came to Samaria, Acts 8. there was great joy in that City. It is glad tidings in it ſelf, for guilty ſouls to have Chriſt and pardon freely offered to them. Can you not ſay, I am ſure that I am regenerate, juſtified and adopted? For all that, if you be not Infidels, you can ſay, I am ſure that Chriſt, and Pardon, and Heaven, are freely offered me, and Miniſters are commiſſioned to intreat me to accept it; and nothing but my wilful and final refuſal can deprive me of it, and ſhut me out. This is certain; take but ſo much comfort as this much ſhould rationally inferr.
To which I might add, the comforts of your probability, when you are in ſome degree of hope, that your faith and repentance are ſincere, though you are not certain: But this I have more largely ſpoken of (and the reſt which is needful to be ſpoken on this ſubject) in the fore-named Treatiſe long ago.
The ordinary and long troubles and unſettledneſs of honeſt Chriſtians, are cauſed moſt 1. By unskilful Guides, who are moſt confident, where they are moſt ignorant, and revile thoſe Truths and Methods which God hath appointed for the ſettling of mens peace: 2. And by their own lazy and unskilful courſe; who take up moſt with examining and complaining, inſtead of learning more underſtanding in Gods Methods, and diligent …nding what is amiſs, that the cauſe of their trouble might be taken away.