The Dejected Souls Cure, Sermon 11
SERMON XI.
Pſal. 42. 11.
Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul? and why art thou diſquieted within me? hope thou in God, for I ſhall yet praiſe him—The health of my Countenance, and my God.
IF it be ſo, that Godly men are diſquieted for the calamities of Gods Church; there are three Sorts of men that the Arrow of my reproof ſhall be faſtned into.
Sort. 1 Firſt, it reproves thoſe that are of a quite contrary temper, that lay nothing of the Churches calamities to heart, let Religion ſink or ſwim, the Goſpel ſtand or fall, the Church of God proſper or not, they care for none of theſe things; theſe are the infamy of a Church, the brands and blemiſhes of a Church, that do enjoy Church-priviledges, and yet cannot be troubled at the Churches calamities: It is worth your notice, when the holy Ghoſt doth reckon up the tribes of Iſrael for their renown, (you have the enumeration of the Tribes Revel. 7. from v. 4 to 9.of Iſrael, Revel. 7. from verſe 4. to 9. And I heard the number of them that were ſealed: and there were ſealed a hundred forty and four thouſand of all the tribes of the children of Iſrael. Of the tribe of Judah twelve thouſand. Of the tribe of Reuben twelve thouſand. Of the tribe of Gad twelve thouſand. Of the tribe of Afer twelve thouſand. Of the tribe of Nephthali twelve thouſand. Of the tribe of Manaſſes twelve thouſand. Of the tribe of Simeon twelve thouſand. Of the tribe of Levi twelve thouſand. Of the tribe of Iſſachar twelve thouſand. Of the tribe of Zabulun twelve thouſand. Of the tribe of Joſeph twelve thouſand. Of the tribe of Benjamin twelve thouſand. Such and ſuch tribes were ſealed twelve thouſand; mark the enumeration,) and you ſhall find one tribe left out, and that is the tribe of Dan. Divines made much ado about finding out the reaſon of the Spirit of Gods omiſſion of that tribe: the trueſt account of the omiſſion was in a way of diſgrace, firſt becauſe the tribe of Dan make a defection from the true worſhip of God and ran to Idolatry, Judges 18. 30. the children of Dan ſet up the graven Image, &c.Judges 18. 30.
Another reaſon is becauſe the tribe of Dan did not lay to heart the Calamities of Gods Church; when the other tribes were jeoparding their lives in the higheſt places of the field, the tribe of Dan it is ſaid remained in Ships, they would let the reſt of the tribes ſhift for themſelves, they would follow their trade, their merchandizing; now Divines give that to be the reaſon becauſe God would put a brand on that tribe; the ſpirit of God would not reckon that tribe among the other tribes. This is blame-worthy, when the calamities of Gods Church ſhall be haſtning towards, and thou leaveſt that Church and art no way tributary to its help; but like Dan remaineſt in thy ſhip at thy trade; God hates neuters.
Sort. 2 A Second ſort that deſerves reproofe are thoſe that are ſo far from being exceſſively troubled and diſquieted to ſee things go ill with the Church, that they do rather rejoice then are grieved and troubled at it. Thus we read of Haman that Monſter among men, Eſther 3. 15. Then went up the poſts being haſtned by the Kings commandment, and the decree was given, &c. There while Eſther and Mordecai, and her handmaids, and the poor Jews, were faſting, praying and mourning for their lives, in this extremity the poor Church of God was then in, the King and Haman muſt ſit down to drink; they would be merry and jovial when Gods Church was in great extremity. Now the Scripture puts this as a brand to Haman and Ahaſuerus, They ſate down to eat and drinke, but the City Shuſhan was perplexed. Thus you read of ſenſual Epicures, Amos. 6. 7. Therefore ſhall they go captive Amos 6. 7.with the firſt that go captive, and the banquet of them that ſtretched themſelves ſhall be removed.
Now by the afflictions of Joſeph, is meant here, not the man Joſeph; but by Joſeph here, is meant the Tribe of Manaſſeh, and the tribe is called Joſeph becauſe Manaſſeh was the ſon of Joſeph: Now the afflictions of Manaſſeh did not trouble the wicked men of the other tribes; the wicked among them were jovial and merry, they were not ſenſible of Gods hand.
Sort. 3 Thirdly, A third ſort that are ſo far from being diſquieted at the Churches calamities, that they are grieved and diſquieted that the Church is in no worſe a condition, that are troubled that it is no worſe with Religion, and no worſe with the Church of God; there are many ſuch men now a days, Pſal. 37. 12. The wicked plots againſt the juſt, and gnaſheth upon him with his teeth. Gnaſhing the teeth it is a geſture of revenge, becauſe they cannot have their will in their plots, they gnaſh their teeth and fume and fret at good Miniſters; diſquieted they are that it is no worſe with good men, and no worſe with Religion: this is vexation of heart to them. A notable text, Nehemiah 2. 10. When Sanballet the Horonite, and Tobiah the ſervant the Ammorite heard of it, Nehe. 2. 10.it grieved them exceedingly, that there was come a man to ſeek the welfare of the children of Iſrael. See what venome and rage is in theſe mens hearts that were but mungrel Jews; they were exceedingly grieved that there was a man come that ſhould ſeek the welfare of the children of Iſrael. Many men gnaſh their teeth, and grieve exceedingly to think that there ſhould be any intereſt riſing up for Religion, and for the Church of God; nothing in the World doth more grieve them.
I now come to the third thing for which Gods people are often diſquiered, and that is for outward afflictions: Outward afflictions are oftentimes a great cauſe of diſquiet and diſcontent in the people of God, and that is the third grand cauſe of diſquiet.
Now herein when I ſay afflictions are the great cauſes of diſquiet, I ſhall diſtinguiſh of the outward ſufferings of Gods people into two ſorts. Firſt, there are privative ſufferings, that is, ſome outward good things that the people of God do want, and this greatly troubles them. It may be they are poor and want eſtates, it may be want friends, it may be ſick and want help, and more pincht then other men are, and this greatly diſquiets them: Or elſe Secondly, there are ſome poſitive evils of ſufferings they lie under. I ſhall ſpeak to the firſt, that Gods people ſhould not be diſquieted though they do want outward good things to keep them that they might not be diſquieted for outward wants. I will leave Six conſiderations with you.
Firſt, Conſider, thou maieſt be ſure thou ſhalt want no outward thing the having of which God doth ſee good for thee: Conſiderations.If God ſaw that thing thou wanteſt ſhould be good for thee to have, thou maieſt be ſure thou ſhouldſt not want it; art thou poor and wanteſt a livelihood? thou maieſt be certain God doth ſee the want of wealth beſt for thee, Pſal. 84. 11. No good thing will he withhold from, &c. If it be good for thee; he will withhold nothing from thee; for that God that doth not grudge to give thee his Son, he will not grudge to give thee a little pelf of the World, if he ſaw it good for thee.
Secondly, Conſider, that God doth let his own people want ſome outward good things, that he might give them better things in the room of them. I will give you but a few inſtances, in ſeeing Job when he was ſcraping himſelf on the dunghil, and condoling the great loſs he ſuſtained or wants he was in, you would have thought Job to have been a very wretched man: read the Catalogue in the firſt Chapter of Job, how God ſtripped him naked of all his ſubſtance, which was Seven thouſand Sheep, three thouſand Camels, five hundred yoke of Oxen, and five hundred ſhee-Aſſes, and a very great houſhold, and his ſons and his daughters ſlain, and he himſelf ſorely afflicted and troubled in the want of all outward comforts and accomodations that might make his life comfortable in this world; now this was an exceeding great loſs to him: And yet for all that Job wanted and loſt, it was made up double to him; Job loſt a thouſand ſheep, and God gave him fourteen thouſand ſheep; he loſt of his camels three thouſand, and God gave him ſix thouſand camels; he loſt five hundred yoke of oxen, and God gave him a thouſand yoke of oxen; God gave him double of his ſubſtance, but not children double, but for outward things God gave him double for what he loſt: If God doth take away a mercy from a man, take away an eſtate, God may make it double to that man before he dies. Thus Beloved, doth God do us wrong? ſurely no. Thus we ſee it in David, when likely to loſe his ſon begotten of Bathſheba, he was a ſad man for the loſs of his ſon; but God gave him a better mercy in the room of that Baſtard, God gave him a Solomon, that was a greater mercy to give him Solomon in the room of an Illegitimate child. Pſal. 171. v. 21. Thou haſt ſhewed me great and ſore troubles, but thou ſhalt bring me again, &c. As David telleth you here, thou wilt encreaſe my greatneſs; he means, the troubles under Saul. David that was to be a King on the Throne, was to lie like a Hermite in a Cave; I but though thou haſt brought me to great and ſore troubles, it is but to encreaſe my greatneſs in a way of mercy. O then if God doth let thee come to great wants of any outward mercies thou ſtandeſt in need of, think that God doth let it be thus that ſo thou mighteſt have greater mercies in the room of them; this Conſideration did greatly quiet the heart of Iſaac: You read of the death of Sarah that was his mother, you read that God gave to him to wife Rebecca, and he loved Rebecca and was comforted after his mothers death: Iſaac had his mother taken from him, but he had a wife of Gods giving to him in the room of his mother. If God doth let thee want a mother, want thy children, want thy eſtate, why God will bring in ſome other mercy to comfort thee in the want and abſence of them; let this allay all diſquiet and diſcontent of heart in thee.
Thirdly, Conſider, that though thou doſt want outward mercies that are deſirable, yet thou doſt not want better mercies, to wit, ſpiritual mercies; thou wanteſt crumbs, yet thou doſt not want a Chriſt; thou wanteſt food it may be for thy belly, thou doſt not feed on ſuch dainties and delicates as many Epicures of the world doe, yet thou maieſt feed by faith on Jeſus Chriſt the bread of life; it may be thou haſt not ſuch ſumptuous apparel as ſome men have, yet thou doſt not want the long robe of Chriſts righteouſneſs; thou wanteſt an inheritance in this World, but thou doſt not want an inheritance among them that are ſanctified in the World to come; it may be thou wanteſt health, but thou haſt a healthy ſoul, thy ſoul proſpers as John ſaid to G…us, Epiſt. 3 3. You read in Pro. 14. 14. The back-ſliders in heart ſhall be … with their own waies: and a good man ſhall be ſat…fied from Pro. 14. 14.himſelf. It may be from without, nothing can content thee; thou doſt take pains in the World, thou doſt riſe early, eat the bread of carefulneſs, yet canſt not get enough to feed thy belly and cloath thy back yet if thou beeſt a gracious man, reflect thus on thy ſelf, Though I want theſe outward things, yet bleſſed be God he is my portion; though I have no portion in this life, I am heir to the Kingdome of Heaven though I am not heir to one foot of Land; this would allay thes diſquiets that might ariſe in your minds.
Fourthly, Conſider, that if God ſhould give thee theſe outward goodthings thou wanteſt, the giving of them would be a greate ſnare and a curſe to thee then the want of them would be: it may be thou wanteſt wealth, it may be thou haſt a barren w…mb and wanteſt iſſue; if God ſhould give thee the mercy thou wanteſt, the giving of it would be a greater ſnare to thee then the want of it. Tho or three plain inſtances … is of a woman, Rachel, Geneſis 30 5. who was exceeding impatient for the want of children, Give me children or elſe I die. This paſſionate deſire of hers, God Gen. 30. 5.did gratifie; but …ark how God did puniſh her for it, ſhe muſt die in childbed: her ſoul departed from her when ſhe was in labour, Geneſis 35. 18. And … came to paſs that as her ſoul was departing that ſhe called his name Benoni: but his father Gen. 35. 18.called him Benjamin. He children were the inſtruments of death to kill her; her child was Benoni, was the ſon of her ſorrows. Beloved, it ſhould teach you to take heed of being paſſionately diſcontented and diſquieted when you want a mercy. Another inſtance you read in David, he was paſſionately ea…er for the life of the child begotten by Bathſheba, and he wept, mourned and taſted that the child might not die: now if the child had lived, the life of that child had been a greater ſnare to Davia then the death of it could be; for it would have been a laſting monument of David's ſhame, for every one could have pointed and ſaid, yonder goeth David's baſtard: we ſee even harlots account uncleanneſſe a reproach, and commit a greater wickedneſs to murder their children becauſe they would not have their wickedneſſe known. Thus in the caſe of Abſalom, he roſe in Rebellion againſt his father, and drew away by his courteous carriage, and crying up the peoples liberty; by which means he had almoſt took the Kingdome from his father: they roſe in Armes one againſt another; but ſaith David, Deal gently with my ſon Abſalom. But if David had had his requeſt that Abſalom ſhould not have been killed, why Abſalom would have been a continual enemy to his father, for he had almoſt thrown him out of his Throne; it was a greater mercy to David that Abſalom was killed, then if he had lived. Herein ſee the wiſdome of God that the having of a mercy might not become a ſnare to us; therefore God doth deny us it.
The children of Iſrael could not be contented with Manna that was called Angels food for commendation, they loathed the Manna, and they muſt have Quails from Heaven; but it had been a thouſand times better for them to have wanted it; For whilſt the meat was in their mouths the wrath of God went down with it; that which they thought the want of to be their miſery, God made the having of to be their miſery.
Fifthly, Lay in thy ſcales thy mercies, and thy afflictions, and thy wants, and ſee whether thy receits be not more then thy wants. Suppoſe thou wanteſt a thouſand things, yet thou haſt one thing that is of more worth then all the things thou wanteſt; and that is thy life: if thou ſhouldeſt want thy skin and be flead, and have thy life, it is a greater mercy to thee though God ſhould ſtrip thee of thy skin; yet thou haſt poſſeſt more mercies then thou haſt afflictions that thou art on this ſide hell and the grave. O Beloved, doſt thou want any mercy? why think thy receits are more then thy wants, and that will in ſome meaſure quiet thy diſcontents.
Laſtly, If thou wouldſt allay diſquiet of mind for thy wants, then labour to make up all thy wants and loſſes in God: conſider that the having of one God is enough to make up all thy wants that thou haſt in the World. Thus the Church of God did, Pſal. 73. 26. My fleſh and my heart faileth; but God is the ſtrength of my heart. He was likely to want a Kingdome, but he did not want God; God was his Pſal. 73. 26.portion, and that comforted him. O look on this, the intereſt in one God makes a compenſation for a hundred wants; you have a notable paſſage in Pſalme 142. ver. 6. 7. Attend unto my cry, for I am brought very low, deliver me from my perſecutors: Pſal 142. 6, 7for they are ſtronger then I. Bring my ſoul out of trouble, that I may praiſe thy Name: the righteous ſhall compaſs me about; for thou ſhalt deal bountifully with me. As if he ſhould have ſaid, I have no friends, I have no ſtrength, but am full of troubles, I cried unto God and ſaid, thou art my portion; his ſhould allay a thouſand diſcontents in thee, if thy ſoul can plead an intereſt in God, though thou wanteſt all: It was no wonder for Eſau to ſay when Jacob would have given him an offering, ſaith Eſau I have enough; but Jacob could ſay I have all; for he made all things up in his God: he hath all things that hath God that hath all things; Doſt thou want health? there is health in God; doſt thou want wealth? there is riches in God; doſt thou want ſatisfaction? there is abundance of contentation in God; there is all things in God.
And thus I have done with the firſt part to allay diſquietings of ſoul for all privative afflictions; that is, for the want of outward good things in the World.
I now come to give you ſome conſiderations to allay all poſitive diſcontent and diſquiet; which are five.
Firſt of all to allay diſquiet for worldly croſſes in the world, Conſider, there is no thing befalls thee, no croſs nor diſaſter in all thy life time but it is the will of a good and wiſe gracious God that that croſs ſhould befall thee; if this were thought on and laid to heart, it would allay all bublings of diſcontent. Pſal. 39. 9. I was dumb and opened not my mouth becauſe thou didſt it. 1 Sam. 3. 18. And Samuel told 1 Sam 3, 18.him every whit, and hid nothing. And he ſaid, It is the Lord: Let him doe what ſeemeth good unto him. Inſtead of all reaſons it is the Lord. Beloved, it will exaſperate and provoke to paſſion to look only on Inſtruments; but if thou ſeeſt it is the will of God, it will allay diſcontents: Obſerve one thing; you ſhall find a ſtrange and different carriage in David; one while you ſhall find him a quiet-ſpirited man, he could bear any injury without any diſquiet at all, another time you ſee him in a marvellous ſury that he could not bear a ſmall injury. What was the reaſon that David was ſo paſsionate for Nabals injury, and ſo patient for Shimei's curſing? In Shimei's curſing he called to mind Gods hand in it; therefore that allayed and quieted him. And this did allay diſcontents in Job, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, bleſſed be the Name of the Lord. In all this Job ſinned not. The Meſſenger told Job, The Sabeans have ſtolen thy Oxen, and the Chaldeans have taken thy Camels, and the Divel hath conſumed thy Children; I but Job ſaith, the Lord hath taken them away, the Lord gave me them, and the Lord took them away; therefore bleſſed be the Name of the Lord. Gen. 45. 5. Now therefore be not grieved, nor Gen. 45. 5.angry with your ſelves, that you ſold me hither: for God did ſend me before you to preſerve life. When Joſeph did diſcover himſelf to his brethren that had done him wrong, I am Joſeph that you ſold to the Iſhmalites, I am he; and when his brethren heard this, they were all troubled and amazed; I but ſaith Joſeph, be not troubled, for it was not you but it was God brought me here: he ſaw Gods hand in it, therefore was not angry with them. O beloved, if you ſaw all afflictions as ſtones in Gods hand, you would never ſnarle, nor never be diſquieted, nor never be troubled: but you ſee the ſtone in a mans hand, therefore you are troubled.
Secondly, to allay diſquietings in thee, Conſider, that through the courſe of thy life thou haſt had as many if not more mercies from God then thou haſt had afflictions from God; let that quiet thee: This did quiet Job, chap. 2. v. 10. Job 2. 10.But he ſaid unto her, Thou ſpeakeſt as one of the fooliſh women: ſhall we receive good at the hand of God, and ſhall we not receive evil? Eccleſ. 7. 14. In the day of proſperity be joyful, but in the day of adverſity conſider: for God hath ſet one againſt the other. Suppoſe thou beeſt in adverſity, Hath not God ſet proſperity over againſt it? cannot I call to mind mercies as well as afflictions? It may be I have many croſſes in the World, why I have many mercies in the World too; this would allay diſquiet, but here is the miſery of it, we look upon our afflctions, but never look on our mercies; we remember the Wormwood and the Gall, but never remember the Milk and the Honey. Conſider, thy mercies they will over-balance, and weigh down thy afflictions.
Thirdly, Conſider, that afflictions that befall thee in this World, they are never without cauſe, and never above cauſe, never without a cauſe; God might afflict any of us as an act of his Soveraignty. But beloved, God doth not afflict any man in the World but there is a provocation, a cauſe in man why he afflicts him, Lament. 3. 39. Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the puniſhment of his ſins? Beloved, couldſt thou ſtand on terms with God, and ſay I am juſt before thee, I have not ſinned againſt thee, it were ſomething: but thou art a ſinner before God, and God never afflicts thee but there is cauſe for it, it ſhould ſtop all complaints and repinings againſt God. Again, it is never above cauſe neither, not ſo much as the cauſes which thy ſins deſerves here; we may juſtifie God as Ezra doth, chap. 9. 13. And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great treſpaſſes, ſeeing that thou art our God, thou haſt puniſhed us leſſe then our ſins deſerve: And in Pſal. 103. v. 10. He hath not dealt with us after our ſins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.Pſal 103. 10.
Fourthly, Conſider, that impatiency and diſquiet of ſoul under ſufferings and afflictions provokes God to afflict us more; when a child is corrected by the father, if the child kiſſeth the rod, accepts the puniſhment, acknowledgeth the fault, he hath the leſs blows becauſe the father ſeeth the end of his correction; but it is the ſtout and ſtuborn-hearted child which hath moſt blows from the fathers hands: but if God ſhall hear and ſee men fret and fume under a croſs, this doth not lighten your burdens, but rather makes them heavier, and lengthens them out longer in time, and makes them heavier in weight, and our bands ſtronger.
Fifthly, Conſider, that diſcontent and diſquiet of ſoul under outward croſſes and afflictions, it doth imbitter to thee the enjoyment of your preſent mercies: an impatient man that is apt to be impatient for one croſs, he loſeth the enjoyment of a hundred comforts: an impatient man may have a good wife, amiable children, a rich eſtate; but if this man be apt to be impatient under one croſs, it makes him he can take no comfort in any thing in the World he hath; What a miſchievous temper is this, the impatiency of one croſſe ſhall eat out the comforts of a hundred mercies. An impatient and diſquieted ſpirited man he may fitly be compared to a Hedg-hog, and ſome writers make the Hedg-hog an Embleme of an impatient man: now the Hedg-hog, they ſay, it is of this properity, that the way ſhe hath to bring proviſion into her hole, is to go after a windy day into an Orchard when the fruit is fallen, and turns it ſelf round like a Ball, and on its briſtles and prickles fills it ſelf full of Apples, and carries them to her hole: but if in the carrying of them to the hole one doth but fall off, ſhe throws all the reſt down. So an impatient man God may load him with many mercies, heavy laden with mercies; yet if God doth but take away one bleſſing from him, he throws down the comfort of all the reſt of the mercies the Lord beſtows on him: this is the miſchievous effect of thoſe diſquiets of ſoul under outward croſſes.