The Dejected Souls Cure, Sermon 4
SERMON IV.
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.
NOw before I come to the Second branch of the words, I ſhall conſider the Text in the Dialect, or form of ſpeech which the Pſalmiſt here uſeth; and then draw out ſome Doctrine that the words will afford. You ſee that the form of ſpeech here is by way of a Soliloquie, which is a form of ſpeech to himſelf as between two friends; Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul? From which expreſſion or form of ſpeech, take this Obſervation.
Obſervation. That ſuch ſelf-conferences, or Soliloquies that the Pſalmiſt here uſeth, are duties that believers ought to be much converſant about, and ought to buſie themſelves much in. The Pſalms are full fraught with theſe divine Soliloquies, as you may read, Pſal. 103. verſe 1 and the laſt, Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul, and all that is within me bleſs his holy Name; And verſe 22. Bleſs the Pſal. 103. 1. & 22.Lord, O my ſoul; And Pſal. 104. 1. Bleſs the Lord, O my ſoul; So Pſal. 34. v. 1. I will bleſs the Lord at all times; So likewiſe Pſal. 146. v. 6. Praiſe the Lord, O my ſoul; and many places Pſal. 34. 1.in the Pſalms of his praiſing God. All thoſe do intimate to us, thoſe divine Soliloquies that the people, and Saints, and Pſal. 146. 1.ſervants of God have had in themſelves to bleſs God; See not only the divine Soliloquies here mentioned, but alſo the works of Auguſtin, and Bernard, Gerrard, Dr. Hall and others that have had divine Soliloquies between God and their own ſouls, in ſecret; therefore let this be your care; yea, make conſcience of to be much in theſe divine Soliloquies, to have much conference between God and your own ſouls in ſecret: it is a duty that Chriſtians are bound to, to confer with others; and this God takes notice of. So alſo it is a duty to confer with your own ſouls, between God and your own ſouls: David ſometimes bleſſeth God, and ſometime he checketh himſelf; ſometimes he calls to his ſoul to bleſs God, and raiſeth up his ſoul to praiſe God; and ſometimes he chideth his ſoul for being caſt down, Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul? Are you at any time troubled in mind? then uſe this holy reaſoning of this holy man, Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul? Are you at any time ſluggiſh in duty? then ſay to thy ſelf, it is better to be the ſervant of God then to be the Divels drudge, & ſo draw up thy ſoul again to a frame ſutable to the duty thou goeſt about, and the God thou ſerveſt; it is better to live in peace with God, and a good conſcience, then to live in the ſervice of the Divel, which will bring trouble of mind and horror of conſcience to thee; and ſay by conferring with thy ſelf with thy ſoul, What am I? what is my condition? am I an elected perſon? or am I a reprobate? am I an heir of glory? or an heir of hell? am I a child of God? or a child of wrath? am I in the ſtate of grace, or in the bonds of iniquity? Such conferences as theſe with thy own heart, will be a means to awaken thy heart from the ſleep of ſecuritie, to conſider of its own eſtate, this is thy duty; let this be your practice to enter into a diſcourſe with your own hearts as David did; But I ſhall not follow this particular.
There is ſomething more in the words to be conſidered, and that is the manner how David doth ſpeak to his own ſoul, and how he reaſoneth with his own heart and ſaith, Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul? from this manner of ſpeech conſider this doctrine.
Doctrine 2 That a child of God ſhould check his ſoul for, and uſe holy reaſonings againſt exceſſive caſtings down for ſin; and this I draw from the manner of the Pſalmiſts ſpeech; he checks his own heart, and reaſons with his own ſoul concerning this particular, Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul?
In the handling of this doctrine there are two particulars to be conſidered.
Firſt, A child of God ſhould check his heart for, and uſe holy reaſonings againſt exceſſive ſorrow and caſting down for ſin.
Secondly, To ſhew you in what manner you are to uſe theſe holy reaſonings againſt your exceſſive caſting down for ſin.
Firſt, Why a child of God ſhould check his heart for, and uſe holy reaſonings againſt inordinate and exceſſive caſting down for ſin. Becauſe Firſt he is the chief actor, and principal agent of his own dejections; and he being the chief agent of his ſorrow, he is to lay the fault and blame on his own ſelf. I told you though the words lie to be read paſſively, Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul? yet they are to be read actively according to the *foreignoriginal text. Arias Montanus, cur humiliaſti te? Lormus, cur deprimes te anima mea? Why or what doſt thou caſt down thy ſelf, O my ſoul? Therefore if thou art caſt down, thou art the actor and agent of thy own dejection, thou doſt caſt down thy ſelf; therefore check thy own heart for, and uſe holy reaſonings againſt immoderate and exceſſive dejections for ſin. God enjoynes his people to believe in him, to keep up their ſouls, to lift up their ſouls to God: and yet ſometimes they are ſubject to caſt down themſelves, and caſt down their ſouls by immoderate and exceſſive caſting down for ſin. When the Divel by his temptations doth not caſt them down, yet will they caſt down themſelves; Why doſt thou caſt down thy ſelf, O my ſoul?
Secondly, This is the ready and moſt effectual way to recover himſelf out of that dejected condition by checking his own heart for being exceſſively caſt down; holy and religious arguments with a mans own ſoul, are prevalent arguments to work the ſoul out from his dejected eſtate; which if he ſhould let himſelf alone in this dejected eſtate, he would ſoon plunge himſelf into ſuch a condition, and exceſſive, and immoderate caſting down for ſin, into ſuch a gulf of miſery as that he would not be able to get out again. As it is good for a man to reaſon with his heart when he is aſſured of ſalvation; ſo why he doubts of it. There is a Why am I caſt down in ſorrow, as well as Why am I raiſed up in comfort?
Then Secondly, After what manner are the people of God to uſe theſe holy reaſonings againſt immoderate and exceſſive caſting down of their ſouls for ſin?
Anſwer. There are ſeven waies how the children of God are to check their hearts for, and to uſe holy reaſonings againſt exceſſive ſorrow, and caſting down for ſin.
Firſt, The children of God ſhould reaſon thus with themſelves How chriſtians ſhould reaſon againſt their ſinful dejections.after this manner; O my ſoul, I am not caſt off by God everlaſtingly by lying low before God; therefore why ſhould I be caſt down exceſſively for ſin? In Pſal. 94. 14. For the Lord will not caſt off his people, neither will he forſake his inheritance. Although God doth not ſay I will not caſt down my people; yet he doth ſay I will not caſt them off. So Romans 11. 1. the Apoſtle he repeats the words again, God hath not caſt off his people, and he puts a God forbid upon it in the 1 verſe, Hath God caſt off his people? God forbid. The Apoſtle brings it in as a ſtrong negation, God hath not caſt off his people whom he foreknew. Therefore ſeeing that God doth not caſt off his people, Why ſhould I be too much caſt down? let wicked men, let reprobates that ſhall be eternally caſt off, let them be exceſſively caſt down; but let not me be caſt exceſſively down for ſin, ſeeing I ſhall never be caſt off, though I may be caſt down for a little moment, according to that expreſſion in Iſa. 54. 7, 8. For a ſmall moment have I forſaken thee, but in great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath have I hid my face from thee, in a moment; but with everlaſting kindneſs will I have mercy upon thee, ſaith the Lord thy Redeemer. This caſting down for ſin, is but momentary, a ſmall time, a little ſeaſon; but he will not caſt off for ever.
Secondly, Reaſon thus with thy own ſoul againſt thy dejections, and ſay, Jeſus Chriſt he laid down his life for me voluntarily and meritoriouſly, and laid himſelf down very low to be my Saviour; therefore why, O my ſoul, ſhouldſt thou be caſt down exceſſively for ſin? It is true, O my ſoul, if thou hadſt been to die, and to have purchaſed thy own redemption, to have been thy own Saviour, and if the waight and the extreme burden of thy ſins had been to be laid upon thy own ſhoulders, and if thou hadſt been to have made perfect ſatisfaction to divine juſtice in thy own perſon, if thou hadſt been obliged to have kept the whole Law perfectly and if thou hadſt been for to make a full recompence for the wrong and evil that thou haſt done, and thou waſt to offer the fruit of thy body for the ſin of thy ſoul; yet this would not doe, nor procure the leaſt ſatifaction, nor make the leaſt compenſation and recompence for the evil thou haſt done. Now if this were thy caſe to be thy own mediator, and thy own interceſſor, and to have thy blood ſpilt for thy ſins, if this was thy caſe, thou hadſt cauſe to be exceſſively caſt down for ſin. A finite creature can never make ſatisfaction to infinite juſtice. Could I give a thouſand Rams, ten thouſand Rivers of Oyl, yet I could not make an attonement, or give a ſufficient ranſome for my redemption. But it is far otherwiſe, the quite contrary is thy portion, not thy caſe. Here O my ſoul, is thy caſe which may abundantly adminiſter thee comfort; the blood, the precious blood of Jeſus Chriſt is laid down for ſin, that thou maiſt not exceſſively be caſt down for ſin, and thou maiſt draw abundance of comfort & ſatisfaction from this conſideration.
Firſt, Conſider with thy ſelf, O my ſoul, Jeſus Chriſt did not ſhed his precious blood for himſelf, but for me: he did like a good ſhepherd lay down his life for his ſheep, Joh. 10. 15.
Secondly, Conſider that God the Father did accept of the laying down of his life in this behalf, Joh. 10, 17. The Father loves him, becauſe he laid down his life.
Thirdly, Conſider and reaſon with thy ſelf, O my ſoul, What though there are great arguments to greaten ſin, and to heighten ſin; ſo there are many great arguments to greaten the mercy of God in Chriſt. Are thy ſins great? the mercies of God are greater. Doe thy ſins deſerve great puniſhments, even eternal death? the death of Jeſus Chriſt, and the merit of Chriſt are of infinite value to merit life, even eternal life. Are thy ſins the ſins of a man? I but the ſatisfactions of Jeſus Chriſt, are the ſatisfactions of a God; do thy ſins merit the frowns of God? O but Chriſts death doth merit and purchaſe the favour of God. In a word, as Chriſts Perſon doth excell thy perſon: ſo doth his obedience infinitely exceed thy diſobedience; therefore ſaid the Apoſtle Paul, Rom. 5. 16. &c. But the free gift is of many offences unto juſtification. Here the Apoſtle intimates, that though there is great guilt in ſin, yet there is greater mercy and merits in Christ; for as by Adam there came ſin and death: ſo by Jeſus Chriſt there came righteouſneſs and life; for as the wages of ſin is death: ſo the gift of God is eternall life through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, Rom. 6. 23. There is not ſo much guilt in ſin, as there is merit in Chriſt; there is not ſo much guilt in ſin to condemn, as there is merit in Jeſus Chriſt to ſave. Therefore why ſhouldeſt thou be caſt down, O my ſoul? Jeſus Chriſt hath laid down his life for me; and in laying down his life, he hath made full ſatisfaction for ſin unto his Father; and though there are required more tears for ſin by way of humiliation: yet there wanteth no more blood for ſin by way of ſatisfaction; therefore be not thou exceſſively caſt down for ſin.
Thirdly, Reaſon thus with thy own ſoul, that thou maiſt not be too exceſſively caſt down for ſin, O my ſoul; conſider; exceſſive caſting down may hinder thy ſoul from holy endeavours in ſuppreſſing and mortifying of ſin. It is the policy and ſubtilty of the Devil, to draw men to run into extreams; ſometimes the Devil draweth men to poſſeſs them ſo with the reigning power of ſin, as that they ſhall never ſo much as think of the guilt of ſin; and ſometimes to poſſeſs them ſo with the power of ſin, as not to be able ſo much as to look at the pardon of ſin. I may ſay to thee, as God to Joſhua, chap. 7. 10. Get thee up, why lieſt thou on thy face? it was fit Joſhua ſhould be caſt down at the diſaſter, but not be taken off from purſuing the enemy. Therefore reaſon and ſay, O my ſoul, it doth not become thee to be caſt down exceſſively under the guilt of ſin, but to lift up thy ſelf againſt it, by reſting upon God.
Fourthly, Reaſon thus with thy ſoul; O my ſoul conſider, are not theſe dejections of minde, are not theſe exceſſive caſtings down for ſin, exceeding great diſparagement to Gods free grace and mercy, and to Chriſts merits? if a man that is a thirſty ſhall come to the Sea the mighty Ocean to ſeek water, and when he comes there, to be caſt down with the thoughts that all the water in the Sea cannot quench his thirſt; this would render the Sea to be but an empty thing: ſo thou to be troubled, and to be exceedingly and exceſſively caſt down for ſin, and to think that the mercy in God and the merits of Chriſt cannot comfort and bear up thy dejected ſoul; this doth exceedingly diſparage the mighty Ocean Peccata habent vim vaſtandi conſcientiam, non gratiam ſuam; magna eſt culpa mea, ſed major gratia Dei. Sadeel.of Gods mercies and Chriſts merits, for thee to think that thy ſins do out-vye mercy, and out-ſtrip free grace. In the time of the Law, the Mercy-ſeat did wholly cover the Ark where the Law was kept; to ſhew that if a man doth violate not only one command, but every command of the Law, yet all that might be covered over with mercy; and notwithſtanding the violation of the Law, they had a Mercy-Seat to go to; though we do violate all the Law, all the commands of God, yet this Law is covered all over with mercy, the mercy of God is far above thy dejections. The red Sea did dround Pharaoh and all his Hoſt, with as much eaſe as it could dround one man; ſo can the red Sea of Chriſts blood drown every ſin, though they were mountains of tranſgreſſions, as well as the leaſt ſin. In Pſal. 25. 11. For thy Name ſake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great; it is a word in the Hebrew emphaticall; we reade it, for it is great; but it may be rèad, though it be great; for the ſake of thy Name, O Lord, pardon thou my iniquities, becauſe they (or, although) they are multiplied; or, therefore thou wilt pardon them, becauſe they are great.
Fifthly, Reaſon thus with thy ſoul; why wilt thou caſt thy ſelf down, O my ſoul, eſpecially conſidering that the caſting down of the ſoul doth caſt down the body alſo? there is ſuch a ſympathy between the body and the ſoul that the one cannot be troubled and caſt down, but the other is ſo also; for when the body of Chriſt was troubled, his ſoul was troubled alſo; when the People of God have melancholy and troubled thoughts, it doth trouble and diſturb the body as well as the minde; it weakeneth the body, and leſſeneth that joy that they ſhould have in God, and puts the whole man out of order; and therefore it is very obſervable what David ſpeaketh; and I ſhall lay it down to thoſe that are troubled under the dejections of minde for ſin, for thoſe very men that caſt down themſelves for ſin exceſſively, this alſo doth diſturb and trouble the body. In Pſal. 32. 4. I kept ſilence, and my moiſture is turned into the drought of ſummer. And it is more fully ſet forth in Pſal. 38. 3, 4, 5. There is no ſoundneſs in my fleſh, by reaſon of thine anger; neither is there any reſt in my bones, by reaſon of my ſin; for mine iniquities are gone over my head as a heavy burden, they are too heavie for me; and I go mourning all the day. Here for too much dejection followeth a bodily diſeaſe and diſtemper; as in ver. 7. My loyns are filled with a lothſome diſeaſe, and there is no ſoundneſs in my fleſh. And many Interpreters do hold, that his trouble in minde, his being caſt down ſo much under his ſin, was the cauſe of his bodily diſeaſe. So again in Pſal. 39. 8, 9. Deliver me from my tranſgreſſions; there was his inward deje ction, his trouble for ſin. And in ver. 10. Remove thy ſtroke away from me, I am conſumed by the blow (or, conflict) of thy hand. When God with rebukes for ſin, makes him ſee his wrath in the ſight of ſin, that by this means he may not continue in ſin: and thou to caſt down thy ſelf exceſſively under the apprehenſions of ſin, this doth not only diſturb the minde, but alſo deſtroy the body. I mention this, not that I would that any ſhould caſt off godly ſorrow for ſin, provided that it be kept within its due bounds; for ſorrow for ſin in a due meaſure, it neither troubleth the minde, nor diſtempereth nor afflicteth the body; but it is exceſſive ſorrow for ſin, that caſteth down the ſoul, and cauſeth diſtempers to ariſe in the body; therefore reaſon with thy ſoul againſt it.
Sixthly, Reaſon thus with thy own ſoul; conſider, O my ſoul, oppoſition againſt ſin, rather then exceſſive caſting down for ſin, is that God accepteth, and is more pleaſed withall. Chriſtians are very apt to think and believe, that if they be thus and thus caſt down for ſin, and ſo much humbled and caſt down for ſin, they do great matters; and yet in the mean time they do not conflict and conteſt with and againſt their luſts, and conſtantly oppoſe their ſin; to be ſo far humbled, to be ſo far dejected for ſin, as may encourage the ſoul to fight againſt ſin, this is that which is well-pleaſing to God. When the men of Iſrael did flee before the men of Ai, in the ſeventh Chap. of Joſhua, Joſhua fell upon his face, and rent his clothes; now ſaid God to Joſhua, Get thee up, wherefore falleſt thou upon thy face? ver. 10. ſo ſaith God to you, to thy ſoul that is dejected and exceſſively caſt down for ſin, Wherefore fall ye down upon your faces on the ground in a dejected condition for ſin? get you up; ſo ſay to thy ſoul, why doſt thou fall upon thy face? why doſt thou deject thy ſelf? why doſt thou mourn exceſſively for ſin? get thee up. God had rather ſee the ſoul to be up, and to be fighting againſt corruption, then to be down on thy face in too low a dejection for ſin. It is with thy ſoul as with a Souldier, a Generall had rather ſee his Souldiers up and fighting againſt their common enemy, then to lie upon the ground wounded and caſt down, crying by reaſon of their wounds: ſo God had rather ſee the ſouls of his People to be up, and to be fighting againſt their corruptions and luſts, their common enemies to their ſalvation, then to be down upon their faces on the ground, under an exceſſive caſting down for ſin.
Seventhly, Reaſon thus with thy ſelf, O my ſoul, why art thou dejected under the ſight and ſenſe of ſin? conſider it is not the meaſure of humiliation, nor the degrees of it, but the truth of humiliation, that God accepts of, and maketh promiſe of acceptance to. Therefore do not lie ſo low under ſo ſad a dejection; the Lord doth make the greateſt promiſes to the leaſt meaſure and degree of faith; though thy faith be little, and thy graces ſmall, yet the leaſt and the weakeſt meaſure and degree of grace God accepts. Though there are many that go to Hell for want of truth of grace in the habit: yet never any go to Hell for want of degrees of grace in the act; if there be but the leaſt beginnings of grace, God accepts of that; if it be but faith as a grain of Muſtardſeed, that is faith; ſo a little Tree may be as truly called a Tree as the greateſt, though it wants that degree of greatneſs, yet it is a Tree for all that: ſo a little grace, a little ſeed of faith as a grain of Muſtard-ſeed, may as truly and as properly be called true faith, as the ſtrongeſt faith, though it want the degrees of it; God hath his bottle for them that ſhed few tears, as well as for them that make their heads a fountain of water; though thy grace be but as a bruiſed reed, and as ſmoking flax, yet that bruiſed reed and that ſmoking flax ſhall not be quenched, nor the bruiſed reed broken; in Iſa. 42. 3. a bruiſed reed he ſhall not break, and the ſmoking flax he ſhall not quench; though grace be very weak, and very little and ſmall, as a bruiſed reed and as ſmoking flax, (or dimly burning) for ſo the word ſignifieth, yet God will ſtrengthen the one, and kindle the other; and will not reject theſe ſmall beginnings of grace, though they appear to be ſo dim as ſcarcely to be diſcerned. Though God doth not make promiſes to ſinners as in that ſtate, yet God doth make promiſes to ſinners as they have grace, though never ſo weak and ſmall; therefore why ſhouldſt thou give way to too much trouble of minde?
Uſe. The Uſe that I ſhall make is this, to let you know that the Scripture doth in joyn you not only to check your hearts for, and to uſe holy reaſonings againſt your exceſſive dejection and caſting down for ſin, but alſo you muſt reaſon your ſelves into a way of believing; many Chriſtians will reaſon why they ſhould believe, and why they ſhould be comforted, and why they ſhould be caſt down; but why they are exceſſively caſt down, they have no reaſon at all but this, becauſe they muſt be ſo, and that you muſt have the one as well as the other. Now what reaſon can thoſe Chriſtians give, that make conſcience of all their ways, and labour to live uſefull in all their relations, and to live in the uſe of Ordinances, and to walk cloſe with God in all their ways, what reaſon have they to be too much caſt down for ſin? Therefore as you will reaſon for believing and comfort, ſo alſo you muſt reaſon againſt exceſſive caſting down for ſin; for to do this you have no reaſon; you muſt ſhew reaſons of your dejections as well as of your aſſurance and perſwaſions. Wicked men, come and ask them concerning Heaven, they will tell you, that they are ſure of Heaven; and then ask their reaſon wherefore they think ſo: they can give you no reaſon at all; therefore that is preſumption. So good men are apt under too much dejection of ſpirit, to ſay that they ſhall goe to hell, and be caſt off from Heaven: but ask them a good reaſon, they can give none at all. And this is a ſin on the other ſide. I would ask ſuch doubting Chriſtians upon ſerious thoughts, becauſe you are apt to think you ſhall goe to hell, can you ſay, that you have no more reaſon in you then wicked reprobates have? And can you ſay that you are guilty of thoſe actual ſins that are impoſſible to ſtand with a principle of true grace, and that there is that in you raigning that no child of God can have? theſe are indeed ſome reaſons but if theſe be not found, you have no cauſe to be caſt down. Though you muſt check your own hearts for too much caſting down for ſin; yet you muſt not caſt off all dejection for ſin: for to be caſt down for ſin, is a duty: but to be overmuch, and exceſſively caſt down for ſin, that is a ſin. There is ſuch duties that you are to put your hearts upon; but not to deject your hearts exceſſively under. And if you ask me how I ſhall know that theſe are duties; I Anſwer in theſe Four particulars.
Firſt, You are not to check your hearts for dejection under ſin, when the meaſure of your dejection is ſubſervient to the 4 Particulars to prove that too much dejection is a ſin; and yet ſome meaſure of caſting down for ſin is a duty.ends of dejection. Now the end of dejection it is two-fold. Firſt, It is to imbitter ſin. And Secondly, To endear Jeſus Chriſt. And when thy dejection hath theſe two ends, namely, to make ſin to be bitter to thy ſoul, and to make Jeſus Chriſt to be precious to thy ſoul; then is thy dejection right, & thou not to check thy heart for it, but to cheriſh it & embrace it. But when thy dejection doth not make ſin bitter, nor make Chriſt to be precious, but trouble thy mind, and caſt down thy ſoul, and drive thee away from Chriſt, this is exceſſive, and not ſubſervient to thoſe two ends, and ſo becomes ſinful.
Secondly, You are to cheriſh this dejection when with this humiliation & dejection for ſin you do joyn with itthe ſenſe of Gods love & favour; when thy heart is brought into this frame as to ſee ſin with one eye, and Gods love and free grace and pardoning mercy with an other: but thoſe that do ſo pore upon their corruptions, and ſinful miſcariages, as never to be able to ſee Gods love and free grace, and pardoning mercy in the promiſes of the Goſpel, this is a ſin; and this you ſhould check your hearts for.
Thirdly, Thy dejections are not exceſſive when thy dejections are more for the evil of fact then for the danger of puniſhment; when your dejection is more for ſin committed then thy ſtate thou haſt endangered, that is not exceſſive. But when thy dejections are more in mourning for the ſtate you have endangered then the ſin you have committed, that is exceſſive. When a man ſhall commit a ſin, and he ſhall be dejected, and ſay; I ſhall goe to hell, and loſe my happy eſtate in Heaven, and fear hell as puniſhment more then to mourn for ſin as a ſin; this is exceſſive ſorrow for ſin. When thou ſhalt mourn more for the fear of puniſhment of ſin, then for ſin as it is a diſhonour to God, and that thou haſt committed and aggravated evil, it is exceſſive. But when thy ſorrow ſhall be more for ſin, and Gods diſhonour then for fear of puniſhment, if this be the trouble of thy ſoul, thou art not to check thy heart for it.
Fourthly, Thoſe dejections and caſtings down for ſin are to be entertained when they have this effect for to make thee to juſtifie God, and to condemn thy ſelf, to juſtifie God in all this proceedings. But when under dejections of mind thou ſhalt entertain hard thoughts of God, to murmur and to repine, and to be diſquieted; theſe thoughts are not to be cheriſhed, but thou art to check thy heart for them. But when thou canſt juſtifie God in all his diſpenſations towards thee; theſe workings of ſpirit are not to be checked but cheriſhed. Job 40. 4, 5. Behold, I am vile, what ſhall I anſwer thee? I will lay my band upon my mouth. And verſe 5. Once have I ſpoken, but I will not anſwer: yea twice, but I will proceed no further. As if Job had ſaid, In my trouble of mind I have ſpoken often againſt God, once and a ſecond time againſt God: but I will lay my hand upon my mouth, and juſtifie God and condemn my ſelf, and acknowledge my ſelf vile in my own eyes; thus did Job learn to doe. And ſo when you can under your caſting down for ſin, juſtifie God, and condemn your ſelves, and acknowledge God to be juſt in all his diſpenſations, and to acknowledge your ſelves vile in your own eyes; then is your caſting down for ſin not exceſſive, and you are to cheriſh it, and not to check your hearts for it. And thus I have finiſhed the firſt ground why Gods people are caſt down for ſin.