The Dejected Souls Cure, Sermon 13
SERMON XIII.
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.
I Am on the ſecond part of David's trouble. In general I ſhewed you what are theſe cauſes, for which the ſouls of Gods people are troubled and diſquieted. 1. For the Proſperity of the wicked. 2. For the Calamities of the Church. 3. For the want of the Aſſurance of Gods love. 4. For the Perſonal afflictions of the body. I now come to the Fourth.
Fourthly, Godly men are diſquieted in their ſoules, becauſe of guilt of ſin on the conſcience; the guilt and the power of ſin on the conſcience, of all things in the World doth trouble the ſoul of a godly man. For the handling of this Particular, there are ſeveral Particulars to be conſidered.
Firſt, I ſhall ſhew you how it appears Gods people are diſquieted in conſcience for ſin.
Secondly, In what ſeaſons and caſes the People of God may be moſt troubled and caſt down for ſin.
Thirdly, The difference between that ſorrow and diſquietneſs of ſoul of thoſe that are godly, and the diſquietneſs of ſoul of thoſe that are ungodly and reprobate men.
Fourthly, How it comes to paſs they are ſo much diſquieted for ſins.
Fifthly, When may Gods people be ſaid to be too much diſquieted for ſin?
Sixthly, If the godly be diſquieted ſo much, What is the reaſon the wicked are not diſquieted at all?
Firſt, How it doth appear that the ſouls of Gods people are apt for to be diſquiet in their ſouls under the guilt of ſin. And firſt I ſhall inſtance it in David, Pſal. 38. 3. There is no peace in my bones by reaſon of my ſins; that is, I am exceeding Pſal. 38. 3.troubled. Pſal. 6. 2. Have mercy on me, for my bones are vexed. Now the Scripture by a trouble in his bones, means an exceeding great meaſure of trouble; that is, I am in ſo great and ſore troubles, that it doth even vex my ſoul and trouble my body. So likewiſe again, in Lament. 1. 13. From above he hath ſent fire into my bones, &c. Now when a man is in ſo great trouble of ſpirit, and ſo afflicted in body, by reaſon of ſin, that there is no quietneſs in his bones, when he is in ſo great affliction for ſin to diſturbe ſoul and body; this is immoderate ſorrow, and too much diſquietneſs. So the Pſalmiſt cries out, in Pſal. 51. 8. Make me to hear the voice Pſal. 51. 8.of joy and gladneſs, that ſo the bones which thou haſt broken may rejoice; that is as if he ſaid, I have loſt by reaſon of my ſin, the light of thy face, and I have broken my peace. Now let the light of thy countenance come into my ſoul, and let the peace of conſcience come to my ſoul which I have loſt, let this come to me again. So again, the Pſalmiſt ſaith, I go mourning all the day, by reaſon of my ſin; and I am ſorely troubled; for I roar, becauſe of the troubles of my heart, Pſal. 38. 6. 8. So again, in Pſal. 77, 3. When I remembred God, I was troubled: I complained, and my ſpirit was overwhelmed. Thou holdeſt mine eyes waking: I am ſo troubled that I cannot ſpeak. So in Pſal. 88. 3. It is ſpoken of Heman, My ſoul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto the grave. And in verſe 7 Pſal. 88. 3.Thy wrath lieth hard upon me: thou haſt afflicted me with all thy waves. And ſo in verſe 16. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me; thy terrors have cut me off. See how this man doth multiply his complaints, by reaſon of his ſore troubles, and his great afflictions that lay upon his body and ſpirit. So likewiſe you read of Job's troubles, how he was ſorely diſquieted by reaſon of his perſonal troubles. Job 23. Job was troubled, and affraid of God, and his preſence was terrible to him: And he complaineth, that the Almighty troubled him. All which doth make it to appear, that the people of God are apt to be diſquieted for their troubles and ſins.
Secondly, In what ſeaſons is it that the people of God are moſt apt for to be troubled and diſquieted for ſin. A man What are the times conſcience of ſin is moſt awakened.is not alwaies diſquieted and troubled for the guilt of ſin, but there are ſome ſpecial ſeaſons; wherein God doth let their conſciences to be more troubled and diſquieted for ſin then ordinary.
Now there are Seven ſpecial Seaſons wherein conſcience is moſt troubled and diſquieted for ſin.
Firſt Caſe is, Upon the conſideration of the threatning and denunciation of ſome great judgement. The apprehending of ſome great judgement doth bring the guilt of ſin to remembrance, and then conſcience is ſorely troubled. And thus we read of wicked men that they are troubled in conſcience, in 1 Kings 21. 27, 28 when it was told Ahab that he ſhould be deſtroyed, then guilt of ſin came to mind, and conſcience was troubled, and his mind perplext; and then be went and humbled himſelf. And it came to paſſe when Ahab heard thoſe words, that he rent his clothes, and put ſackcloth upon his fleſh, and lay in ſackcloth, and went ſoftly. When he heard of the denunciation of judgement threatned by the Prophet, then he went and humbled himſelf before the Lord. So likewiſe Jehoſhaphat and Hezekia's hearts and conſciences were troubled at ſuch a time as this was.
Secondly, a ſecond Caſe is, When the Lord doth lay them under ſome great affliction; when it is not nigh them, but when it is already upon them. An inſtance you have of Manaſſeh, 2 Chron. 33. 10, 11, 12. And the Lord ſpake to Manaſſeh and to his people: but they would not anſwer nor hearken. 2 Chron. 33. 10, 11, 12.Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the Captains of the Hoſt, which were the Kings of Aſſyria, and took Manaſſeh among the thornes, and bound him with chains, and carried him to Babylon. And when he was in affliction, then he beſought the Lord his God, and humbled him ſelf greatly before the Lord God of his fathers. When Manaſseh was in his proſperity, then God called to him, and he hearkned not: but when the Lord brought him into the thornes, into troubles and afflictions, when he was in captivity, then he beſought the Lord, and then he be thought himſelf and ſought God. So likewiſe you read of Joſeph's Brethren, they did endeavour for to deſtroy their Brother; and for this ſin all the time of their proſperity their conſciences did never trouble them, and did never check them for it; I, but when they went down into Egypt for Corn, and were put in Priſon, then they remembred their ſin concerning their brother, and then they did begin to ſay, (conſcience being in perplexity and trouble) That verily we are guilty of our brothers bloud, Gen. 42. 21. So likewiſe it may be ſome men may live ſeven, or ten, or twenty years under the guilt of ſin, and not repent of it: but when they come to lie under ſome great affliction, and under ſome ſore trouble, then conſcience is awakened, and they exceedingly troubled for ſin; and now this is the ſeaſon that God taketh for to trouble the ſoul and conſcience for ſin. So you read in Judges 1. 7. of Adoni-bezek, what cruelty he did uſe to threeſcore Judges 1. 7.and ten Kings in cutting off their thumbs; now this did not trouble his conſcience in his proſperity; I but when he was in trouble and taken captive, then he remembred his ſin, and then he could ſay, as I have done, ſo God hath requited me.
The third ſeaſon is in that time when a man is under are proving and ſin-ſearching Miniſtery, and hath his particular ſins reproved in the Miniſtery of the Word; that is a time when God doth trouble the conſcience for ſin againſt God. When a man ſhall come to a Sermon, and there let the Word take hold of him, and meet with his beloved ſin, this is a time when God doth ſtir up conſcience to trouble the ſoul; And thus you read of the unconverted Gentiles, in 1 Cor. 14. 1 Cor. 14. 25.25. of one that may come into the Church, and hear the Word, and after he is come in, he falling down on his face, will worſhip God, and the ſecrets of his heart ſhall be made known; that is, he ſhall confeſs his faults and acknowledge his guilt. So likewiſe you read in the Acts of the Apoſtles, of Paul when he was preaching of temperance, and righteouſneſs, and judgement to come, Felix trembled; it ſeems Felix his ſin was intemperance, and drunkenneſs, and unrighteouſneſs; now by the Miniſtery of the Word Paul he touched his ſin, that ſin he met withall which he was moſt guilty of, and made his heart to tremble. So likewiſe when Peter preached the Goſpel to the Jews, and told them that they were the men that did crucifie the Lord of life; you read what follows in Acts 2. 37. And when they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts, (or cut to their hearts) this was a fit ſeaſon for conſcience to work. Acts 2. 37.and tell them that they were guilty of ſuch a ſin.
A Fourth Seaſon is, when God doth awaken conſcience to rebuke and to check them for ſome great and indulged and boſome ſin, which it may be he hath indulged and let lie in his heart for many years together unrepented of: now when ever God comes to awaken this mans conſcience, this is the nick of time when he will be moſt apt to be diſquieted for ſin. You read in Judges 16. 10. Dalilah told Sampſon the Philiſtins are upon him; he lay aſleep in Dalilah's lap, Iudges 16. 10.and he loſt his ſtrength, God was departed from him. So when thou art lulled aſleep, and enticed to yield to a ſin, and allow thy ſelf in ſome known luſt; when thou art ſecure and aſleep in this pleaſant ſin, Time will come, as Dalilah told Sampſon, the Philiſtins are upon thee; ſo conſcience will tell thee, Ariſe O man, for the Divel is upon thee, and Hell is near thee, and deſtruction approacheth thee; and thus conſcience will terrifie thee, and diſquiet thee for the ſin thou haſt committed. As Eliphaz ſaid to Job, chap. 22. 9, 10. Thou haſt ſent widows away empty, &c. Therefore ſnares are round about Job. 12. 9, 10.thee, and ſudden fear troubleth thee. It was true in the Doctrine, though falſe in the application to Job.
A Fifth Seaſon is, when a man for fear of loſſe, and in hopes of any gain ſhall be drawn to doe any thing againſt the dictates of his own conſcience: now if men do belong to God, he will diſquiet them for this great evil; We have many inſtances for this. It is obſervable of Bilney in King Henry the eight's days, being condemned to die, to ſave his life, he did ſubſcribe to Popiſh Articles: but the ſtory relateth, that for that ſin he was troubled in conſcience two years together, and never did enjoy one comfortable merry day in peace and quietneſs, until he renounced his ſubſcription, and preached the truth, and was burnt. So likewiſe Dr. Cranmer, he through fear to ſave his life, ſubſcribed to a recantation; but he did ſoon break his promiſe, and recanted of what he had formerly done, and could never be quiet in his conſcience, until he had made a recantation for his recantation; and when he came to ſuffer, he did firſt burn that hand which did for fear ſubſcribe to ſave his life againſt his conſcience. So Baynham a Lawyer, ſubſcribed to Popiſh Articles, but had no peace in his conſcience, til he owned the truth. (O Beloved) take heed that you do not do any thing to engage to any thing, to ſubſcribe in any caſe againſt thy conſcience to ſave thy life or eſtate.
Sixthly, A ſixth Seaſon, when a man ſhall fall from the true Principles of Religion to Apoſtatize to any evil way, and conſcience ſhall trouble and rebuke him for his back-ſliding, Pro. 14. 14. The back-ſlider in heart ſhall be filled with his own ways: but a good man ſhall be ſatisfied from himſelf. Pro. 14. 14.As a good man ſhall be ſatisfied within, with peace of conſcience and quietneſs of mind by his upright-walking; ſo on the contrary, the back-ſlider ſhall be filled with trouble of conſcience and diſquietneſs of ſoul for the evil of his waies. Likewiſe in Jeremiah 2. 19. Thy own wickedneſs ſhall correct thee, and thy back-ſlidings ſhall reprove thee; know therefore Jer. 2. 19.and conſider, that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou haſt departed from the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts.
The back-ſlider, and the ſin of back-ſliding of all ſins ſhall rebuke the ſinner, and trouble his conſcience, and break his peace, and diſquiet his ſoul; and if God ever bring thee back, he will make conſcience for to be like a maſtiff Dog for to fly in thy face for thy back-ſliding from God; and conſcience ſhall tell thee what thou haſt done in thy wicked departure from God, and then thy own conſcience will be worſe then the ſnarling of a dog to thee; then ſhall conſcience uſe this ſeaſon for to tel thee of thy ſins againſt God.
Seventhly, A ſeventh Seaſon is this, when a man comes for to lie on a ſick bed or on his death bed, that is the laſt ſeaſon that God taketh to rouze the ſleepy ſinner, and to let conſcience awake, and diſquiet him for the ſin he hath done. It may be you can be living drunkards and living adulterers, and not be troubled; I but can you when you lie upon a ſick bed or your death-bed, when conſcience ſhall be awakened, canſt thou then be a dying drunkard, and a dying adulterer and not be troubled? Take heed of theſe ſins. There is a caution in Pro. 5. 8. Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her houſe. Here is a caution for Pro. 5. 8.young men laid down by Solomon to take heed of a whoriſh woman, leaſt you become mourners at laſt; this is the ſeaſon for conſcience to diſquiet thee for ſin; and if you belong to God, he will make thee to mourn at laſt for the evils thou haſt done. In Job 21. 25. Another dyeth in the bitterneſs of his ſoul, and never eateth with pleaſure. O the bitter pangs that are in many a mans ſoul when he dyeth, and another may think he goeth away in peace: and thus you have the ſecond Queſtion, what thoſe ſeaſons are that God doth take to trouble mens conſciences, and diſquiet them for ſin.
I now come to the third Queſtion to ſhew you what difference is between the diſquiet for ſin that is in the godly, and the diſquiet 3 Queſtion.that is in the wicked and reprobate men; for 'tis poſſible that wicked and ungodly men may have trouble in conſcience for the ſins they have done, becauſe God hath put natural conſcience in wicked men for to rebuke and check, and trouble and diſquiet them for ſome ſins ſometimes.
Now in the reſolving of this Queſtion, there are thirteen or fourteen differences between the one and the other.
Firſt, Wicked and ungodly men are troubled for ſins; I, but their trouble and their diſquietneſs, it is onelyonly for great and groſs ſins, and not for ſmall and ſecret ſins. Before converſion, Paul was never troubled and diſquieted for concupiſcence, for ſecret corruption and heart luſts; therefore ſaith Paul, I had not known luſt if the law had not ſaid, Thou ſhalt not covet, Rom. 7. 7. That is, he had not known the Rom. 7. 7.inward part of luſt, that the inward and ſecret deſires of the heart were ſin, he was alive then without the law, and he thought himſelf to be in a very good condition, and kept himſelf from great and groſs enormities, but never made any reckoning and account of ſmaller and leſſe enormities and leſſer evils. Unconverted men ſee ſins as we ſee ſtars in the night; we may ſee the ſtars of the firſt magnitude onelyonly, but we cannot ſee the leſſer ſtars. So wicked men by the light of natural conſcience they can ſee ſins of the firſt magnitude, groſs ſins, and infamous ſins, but they never take notice of leſſer crimes, ſmaller ſins, ſecret ſinful luſtings and deſires, for to check their hearts for them; theſe the light of nature (as it was with Paul) never takes notice of. But now look upon a godly man, and there you find a great difference; their diſquietneſs of conſcience doth much differ; for their conſcience doth diſquiet them not onelyonly for ſins as big as Camels, but for ſins as ſmall as Gnats; not for mountains of ſins, but for Mole-hills of corruption; ſmall and little ſins are the trouble and diſquieting of good mens ſpirits. Hezekiah he did greatly humble himſelf though it was but for an inward ſore, For the lifting up of his heart in pride. This is an Argument of true grace when the ſoul ſhall be humbled for inward ſecret and heart ſins. So David his heart ſmote him after he had numbred the people: It is queſtionable what was the particular ſin; becauſe for a King to number his people, it is in it ſelf lawful; I, but it was ſome ſecret evil, heart-ſin, heart-pride, ſome other ſin; for this his heart ſmote him. Thoſe ſins that will not trouble wicked mens ſleep, will break a godly mans heart; that which may be to a wicked man as duſt in the finger of his glove, not any trouble to him, to a godly man is as gravel in his kidneys greatly to trouble and diſturbe him.
The ſecond Difference, Wicked men may be diſquieted for ſin, and for ſome outward acts of ſin, but they are never troubled for the inward habit of ſin; for the ſinful nature, that depraved diſpoſition of heart to ſin. We read, many times wicked men have been troubled for the raigning acts of ſin, but never troubled at all for the ſin of their nature. Cain he was troubled for the murdering his brother, and Balaam for Witchcraft, and Ahab was troubled for the ſinful acts of Idolatrie, Judas for his treachery, and Saul for his cruelty; but neither theſe nor any wicked man in the World was troubled for original ſin, for the depravity of their natures. But now godly men their diſquietneſs for ſin, doth not only reach to the acts, but alſo to the habits of ſin, to the natural depravity which is the foundation and fountain from whence all theſe corrupt actions flow; this is that which doth greatly trouble them. You read of Paul, in Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death? (or this body of death;) alluding to thoſe ſins Rom. 7. 24.wherein men were wont in a way of puniſhment to tie a dead body to a living body; he ſpeaks here of his body of ſinful and depraved nature, that was to him as a dead man tyed to a living man, whereas before converſion, he never did complain of any inward corruption, nor once make mention of corrupt nature. Art thou troubled for ſin? but can thy conſcience bear thee witneſs thy diſquietneſs of ſoul is for the ſin and depravity of thy nature as well as for the ſins of thy life? Art thou troubled as well for the nature of ſin as well as for the acts of ſin? Art thou troubled as well for the corrupt fountain as well as for the corrupt ſtreams that flow from thence? If thou art thus troubled and diſquieted for ſin, all thy conflicts with ſin ſhall end in conqueſt over ſin another day.
The third difference, Wicked men may be troubled for ſin, but their diſquietneſſe for ſin is more for the evil of puniſhment that is the effect of ſin, then it is for the evil that is in the nature of ſin; they are diſquieted for ſin, but it is becauſe ſin doth deſtroy the ſoul, and not becauſe ſin doth defile the ſoul; becauſe God purſueth ſin, not becauſe he hates ſin; more becauſe it is againſt Gods juſtice that is provoked, then becauſe it is againſt the holineſs of God which is diſhonoured: wicked men are troubled and diſquieted, becauſe God threatens ſin, not becauſe God doth forbid ſin; becauſe of the Hell for ſin, not becauſe of the Hell in ſin.
But now godly men do hate ſin, and loath ſin more becauſe it is againſt the nature of God, and becauſe God loathes it and hateth it, more becauſe it is againſt Gods commands, then becauſe God doth puniſh ſin; as it is with a child that forbears to touch a coal becauſe it will black his hand; now the child will not touch the coal becauſe it is a fire-coal, becauſe it will burn his fingers; So it is with godly men, they will not touch ſin, becauſe it is of a ſmutting and defiling nature; but wicked men are like the child that will not touch ſin, but it is onelyonly becauſe it will burn. Now if you can ſay, that you hate ſin, becauſe God hateth it, and you do hate ſin not becauſe of the puniſhment of ſin, but becauſe of the evil of ſin; not becauſe of the damning power of ſin, but becauſe of the defiling power of ſin; in this caſe thy diſquietneſs for ſin ſhall never hurt thee.
The fourth Difference, Although wicked men may be troubled and diſquieted for ſin; yet that diſquietneſſe doth not make them for to leave ſin, but when their pangs of ſorrow is over them, they will run to their ſin again; they may be diſquieted for ſin ſometimes, but it is onelyonly for the time that the trouble doth laſt and no longer. You read Jer. 18. 12. They ſaid there is no hope, but we will walk after the imaginations of our own hearts. Their conſciences did a little ſmite Jer. 18. 12.them for ſin, but they would follow ſin for all that.
But godly men doth reaſon with themſelves thus: Doe ſuch ſins trouble my ſoul, and diſturbe my conſcience, and hinder my Communion with God, and break my peace, and ſhall I yet touch them? No, I will caſt them away as a menſtruous cloth, and break off from them; and I will ſay to them, Get you hence: this is another difference godly men do break off from ſin; but wicked men though they may be diſquieted, yet they continue ſtill in the ſame ſin aſſoon as the troule is over.
Fifthly, Wicked men may be troubled for ſin at the preſent; yet this doth but lay a bare ceſſation on the act of ſin, but not to put the ſoul in a way of deteſtation of ſin: it is poſſible that there may (by reaſon of natural conſcience) be ſuch a ceſſation of ſin, that for a long time he may not commit the ſame ſin again; but yet this doth not breed in the ſoul a deteſtation of ſin; but when the trouble is over, the ceſſation is ended, and then he goeth to the ſame way of inning again. You have an inſtance of this in Pharaoh, Exodus 8. 15. When Pharaoh ſaw that there was reſpit, he bardened his bears, and hearkned not unto them, as the Lord had ſaid. When he had a pang upon him, and in great trouble, Exodus 8. 15.then his ſin was abated and a ceſſation of it; I but when the trouble was gone, then his heart hardned again. So when conſcience ſhall fly into the face of ungodly men and wicked livers, and ſhall tell them that thus and thus they have done: O then they will labour to ſtifle conſcience, and ſay they will break off from their wicked ways, and will do ſo no more; and when trouble of conſcience is over, then they will to their old ſinful ways again: and this is the condition of wicked and ungodly men. In 2 Pet. 2. 22. It is ſaid there, It is happened to them according to the true Proverb: The dog is turned to his own vomit again, and the ſow that is 2 Pet. 2. 22.waſhed, to the wallowing in the mire. Wicked men are like dogs, while they have a pang over their ſtomach they are troubled and vomit it up; but when the pang is over, they return to the vomit again; ſo doe wicked men when conſcience ſhall gripe them, and trouble them, and puniſh them, then they will vomit up their ſins, and will ſay, they will do ſo no more; but when pain and trouble is gone, they go to their ſin again. Trouble of ſoul to a wicked man, is like a Priſon to a thief; a Priſon to a thief doth reſtrain his practiſe to keep him from doing thoſe parts of Robbery which he would be apt to doe, were he at liberty; but it doth not change his thieviſh diſpoſition and inclination from that ſin. Juſt ſo it is with a wicked mans conſcience, it may check and controul, and reſtrain him from thoſe exorbitant practiſes, and keep him from groſs acts of ſin; but it cannot change his ſinful inclination, and take away that wicked habit of ſin that is within him, and to ſtir up indignation againſt ſin. It is obſervable of Balaam, You read in a Pet. 2. 15. Which have forſaken the right way, and are gone aſtray, following the 2 Pet. 2. 15.way of Balaam the ſon of Boſor, who loved the wages of unrighteouſneſs. He loved profit, and the pangs of natural conſcience were ſo great upon him that it did reſtrain him from the receiving of this ſinful gain and profit; but when Peter came to take cognizance of the ſin of Balaam, you find that he ſaith, that he loved the wages of unrighteouſneſs, though he did not receive them; his love and deſire went out after it, though he did not (by reaſon of his trouble of his natural conſcience) receive it; he would ſain have had it. It is no thanks to thee O wicked man, if thou doſt not commit ſin; (thou it may be canſt not doe it, becauſe of the checks of conſcience,) but haſt not thou a love to it, and a deſire to commit it? it is charged upon thee as if thou hadſt done it. Haſt thou a deſire to commit adultery? and though thou haſt not opportunity, yet if thou loveſt it, and delighteſt to contemplate upon it, this is looked upon by God, as thy ſin. And ſo if thou haſt a deſire to be drunk, and loveſt ſtrong drink, and haſt not opportunity to doe it, no thanks to thee; yet thy love to the ſin, renders thee guilty: and God will judge thee according to that.
But godly men, they are diſquieted for ſin, and they do deſire not onelyonly to take away the act, but the habit of ſin. Pſal. 119. 104. Through thy precepts I get underſtanding; therefore I hate every falſe way. The Pſalmiſt, he by conſidering the ſweet precepts of God, came to undeſtand the nature of ſin, and the evill of ſin; and therefore he hated ſin, and every falſe way; not onelyonly falſe ways in the outward acts of ſin, but falſe ways in regard of the ſecret actings of ſin in his own heart, and ſin in the habit and nature of it.
Sixthly, When a wicked man is diſquieted for ſin, he doth not go to God's Word for comfort and conſolation, and to allay the ſorrow and trouble of mind he lieth under; but he hath recourſe to ſinful, and ſenſual paſtimes and delights in the world, to allay the troubles of his ſoul and conſcience. So you read in Geneſis 4. from v. 15 to 18. There you read that Cain he lay under ſore troubles of mind for Gen. 4. from 15. to 18.his ſin; even to deſpair: inſomuch that he ſaid, his ſins were greater then can be forgiven; I, but under this diſquieted condition, What did he doe? what courſe did he take? Did he take to God for ſatisfaction, and to allay his troubles? No, he took a wrong courſe, for 'tis ſaid, And Cain went out from the preſence of Jehovah; and then after he was gone from God, then be went to build Cities. His going out from the preſence of the Lord, is meant, he went out from the Ordinances of God, and from the Church of God, to ſenſual delights in the World: not as though Cain could go out from the eſſential preſence of God, that no man can: So Ainſworth intimateth on this Verſe, that it is meant, his going from the Ainſworth's Note on v. 15.place of God's Word, and publique Worſhip. And ſo to come into God's preſence, it is the greateſt joy for a godly man in this life; to come into God's preſence in his Ordinances in his Church, which joy Cain now was deprived off, whereas he ſhould have had recourſe to theſe, to allay his trouble of mind; and not to have gone to build Cities in the World to ſtifle his conſcience.
But godly men know when they are diſquieted for ſin; for them to have recourſe to pleaſures, and profits, and paſtimes, and ſenſual delights in the World, it cannot adminiſter no true comfort, no true joy, no true peace of conſcience, no more then a ſilken Stocking will adminiſter comfort to a broken Leg: and what can this do? it may cover the broken Leg, but it cannot cure it; ſo delights may cover the wound of conſcience for a time, but it cannot give any real comfort. But they know they muſt hear, and pray, and ſeek God publique and private in his own way, according to his own will, in ways which he hath ſanctified, to that end to eaſe troubled conſciences. You read of Jonah, he was troubled for ſin in going from Gods preſence in not obeying his voice; but under his trouble for ſin, his ſoul fainted within him: but did Jonah go to worldly, and ſinful, and ſenſual delights, to allay his troubled ſoul? No, the Text ſaith, I remembred the Lord, and my prayer came in unto thee, in thine Jonah 2. 7.holy Temple. He ſaw no other way was available to eaſe his ſpirit and pacifie conſcience, but onelyonly in Gods ways which he hath ſanctified for that very end. Godly men will preſent their ſupplications to God, and addreſſe themſelves to him, in the way of his Worſhip to cure their diſtempered ſoules, and to labour to find God's love in Chriſt in his promiſe. Godly men may ſee that ſin in their hearts, and guilt upon their ſpirits may make them ſad; but they labour to find a ſmile from the face of God to make their ſouls glad, and to ſpeak their ſins dead, and to ſpeak peace to their conſciences, and joy to their heart, and ſatisfaction to the ſoul, and delight in the ſpirit, which makes the ſoul to rejoice and be glad in Gods preſence.