Remedy Against Trouble, Discourse · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
I Will now ſhew you ſome Characters whereby you may make ſome Judgment of your Spiritual State. And amongſt many which others lay down, I ſhall inſiſt only on ſome few, which are moſt eaſy to be diſcerned in our ſelves. I never ſtudy to ſpeak (I will not ſay, all that may be ſaid, but) all that I can ſay on any Subject, remembring that of the Orator, Dictis eſt electio & modus; for tho I reckon not my ſelf among Learned men, yet I would follow them at a diſtance. And,
1. Obſerve what it is that you are chiefly guided by in the general courſe of your Life. What we chiefly mind, doth influence us in all the paſſages of our Lives: And they that are after the fleſh, mind the things of the fleſh; and they that are after the ſpirit, Rom. 8.5.the things of the ſpirit. That is, thoſe in a Natural ſtate chiefly mind, that is, ſavour and reliſh, ſet their affections on, are taken up in the purſuit of carnal things. The ſame word is uſed, Matth. 16.23. Phil. 3.19.John 3.5. Rom. 8.1. Col. 3.2. So thoſe that are born of the ſpirit, walk after the ſpirit; are led by the Spirit, Savour, and Reliſh, ſet their Affections on, ſeek after Spiritual things. Now let us examine what it is that doth chiefly influence us in the ſeveral turnings of our lives. We conſider what will ſtand with, what will chiefly further that which is our great concernment; not what ſhould be ſo, but what we really make ſo. In chuſing Callings or Imployments, Relations, Places of abode, let us conſider what we look chiefly at, what ſways us moſt therein; whether we chuſe ſuch a Calling, or way of Life, which will moſt advance us in the World, wherein we are moſt like to get great Eſtates, to live at Eaſe, in Pleaſure; or whether in our choice we conſider rather what will moſt help us, or leaſt hinder us in the way to Heaven; where we are like to meet with feweſt Temptations. I deny not, but we may conſider how to live, ſo as we may be in a capacity to give rather than to receive; Acts 20.35. 1 Theſ. 4.12.That we may walk honeſtly towards them that are without, having lack of nothing: but may pay every one their own, and be burdenſome to none. But that which we ſhould, and ſhall ſeek in the firſt place, if our hearts be right within us, is the kingdom of God and his righteouſneſs. Matth. 6.33.Not for worldly advantage, chuſing for our ſelves, or ours, ſuch Imployments or Callings as may take up our time, ſo as we cannot wait upon the Lord without diſtraction; 1 Cor. 7.35.or which may caſt us upon Temptations to exceſs, man-pleaſing, or other like Sins, which may deprive us of the benefit of the Ordinances of God, and force us to live amongſt Idolaters or Heathens. If any ſay, ſome muſt follow ſuch Callings; leave them to ſuch as mind earthly things, and govern themſelves thereby. So it is in chuſing Relations; Let Perſons deal plainly and faithfully with themſelves, and they may know what it is that makes Matches for them, by their choice therein: We may ſee (to allude to the words of Joſhua) whom they chuſe to ſerve; Joſhua 24.15.Whether their God is their Belly, and they chuſe to live at Eaſe, and in Pleaſure; whether they be covetous Idolaters, and look chiefly after great Eſtates; whether they do as thoſe that chuſe chief rooms at feaſts; Luke 14.7.Crowding to get as high as they can, to get as near as may be towards the upper end of the World. I allow it to be not only lawful, but prudent, for Perſons (ſo far as they can) to match within their own Rank; But as our Saviour ſaith in another caſe, Theſe things ought ye to have done, Matth. 23.23.and not to leave the others undone. God in Judgment oft leaves Perſons to their own choice, ſo that they that will be rich, ſhall be ſo; and thoſe that ſeek Glory from men, ſhall have it. But where Men or Women ſet their Faces ſtedfaſtly to go to Heaven (to allude to thoſe words, Luke 9.51.) they will conſider what help or encouragement they ſhall meet with in the way thither; Conſidering what the Apoſtle means by marrying only in the Lord; 1 Cor. 7.19.with one that is going the ſame way with us, whoſe Examples, Counſels, Prayers, we may have the help of, and with whom we may walk hand in hand to Heaven,1 Peter 3.7. as being heirs together of the ſame grace of life. So in chuſing Services, what is it that you chiefly propound to your ſelves? Thoſe that are moſt intent on profit, will inquire what Wages, what Vails, what Way of improving what they have; what Work for wearing and tearing their Cloaths: If Perſons chiefly mind their Eaſe and Pleaſure, their enquiry is what Houſe they keep, what work they hold their Servants to, what liberty they give, what merry Company there is in the Family, or in the Neighbourhood. But thoſe that mind heavenly things, will conſider what help or furtherance they may have therein, whether God be ſerved or worſhipped in the Family, what Miniſtry or Means of Grace they ſhall live under; what Servants or Neighbours there are, by whoſe Converſation they may gain any Spiritual Advantage, or be furthered in the way to Heaven. If we will commune with our own hearts about theſe things, and deal plainly with our ſelves, we ſhall eaſily ſee what is the bent and inclination of our minds.
2. Obſerve how you ſtand affected in hearing the word; many may take delight therein, but there is no certain judgment to be made of perſons thereby. There are ſeveral Herbs or Plants in the ſame field, yea, ſeveral parts of the ſame plant or herb, which ſeveral Creatures of different kinds may delight in, or feed on; there are ſeveral Sermons, yea, ſeveral parts of the ſame Sermon, which divers perſons may be taken with. The Sheep perhaps feeds only on the tender leaf; the Horſe may perhaps eat the ſtalks with it; the Swine may feed on the root; the Bee on the flower; the Bird on the ſeed: ſo in hearing the word, ſome perſons may be pleaſed with flaſhes of wit, and flights of fancy; ſome with ſtrength of Reaſon, ſubtilty of Argument, depth of Judgment; ſome with Hiſtories or Antiquities, ſome with Satyr or Invectives againſt thoſe that they are at variance with:1 Pet. 2.2. But others deſire rather the ſincere milk of the word, that they may grow thereby; The plain truths of the Goſpel, which may further them in the way to Heaven; ſuch things as may beſt diſcover their ſpiritual ſtate to them, that they may not be deceived in a matter of ſo great moment; ſuch things as will awaken him out of his drowſineſs and ſecurity, as will direct him in the way wherein he ſhould go;Rev. 3.2. as will ſtrengthen in him thoſe things which are remaining in him, and ready to die; ſtrengthen our faith, quicken our affections to heavenly things, build us up on our moſt holy faith. Some that have good appetites, may love to have their meat well dreſſed, and ſerved handſomely in, but they can eat good meat without ſawce, and prefer the meat to the ſawce, or a ſubſtantial diſh to new-fangled diſhes, which are rather for ſhew and pleaſing the pallate, than for nouriſhment. Some may love to have their ſpiritual food brought to them, or conveyed to them in good and proper Language, who yet may more mind things than words, and the matter rather than the manner of delivery. God is pleaſed ſometimes ſo far to condeſcend to mens Temper and Genius, as to convey the ſaving-truths of the Goſpel to their hearts in ſuch words as are pleaſing and delightful to them; as Phyſicians convey their Medicines to the Stomach in ſome vehicle that may be grateful to it: So Auſtin was a great Orator, and one that taught Rhetorick; and Ambroſe being an eloquent Preacher, he was much delighted with his preaching, and it pleaſed God by thoſe words which he chiefly minded, to inſinuate into him thoſe things which before he minded not. He was very much pleaſed with Tulli's Works, and (as Pelitian prefer'd Pindar's Odes before David's Pſalms, ſo he) preferred his Style to that of the Scripture, when he firſt began to read them, but afterwards he blamed himſelf for it; and when he read his Hortenſius, which before he had been pleaſed with above the reſt of his Works, he diſliked it, becauſe he found not the Name of Chriſt there. Mr. Robert Bolton having heard the Fame of Mr. Perkins, going at a Commencement to Cambridge, went to hear him preach, and having heard him, he ſaid, he was a paſſing mean Scholar, and a barren empty fellow: but when God changed his heart, he changed his opinion of Mr. Perkins, accounting him as learned and godly a Divine as this Church had for many years enjoyed, conſidering his age; for he was born and died in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth: It is ſaid of him, That he taught England to preach; and a learned Prelate gives this Teſtimony of him, that he excelled in a diſtinct Judgment, and a rare dexterity in clearing the obſcure ſubtilties of the School, and eaſy explication of the moſt perplexed Diſcourſes. A ſick perſon that deſires Cure and Health, is not ſo much for a learned and ingenious Phyſician, that is good company, and one that will diſcourſe aptly and pertinently on any Subject; but he is for a skilful and faithful Phyſician that underſtands his diſeaſe, and will apply proper Remedies, and ſuch Phyſick as will rather work effectually, than pleaſe his Taſte, or not make him ſick. We value or chuſe things according to the tendency which they have to the end which we aim at, or propound to our ſelves. So men heap up to themſelves teachers after their own luſts, 2 Tim. 4.3.ſuch as may pleaſe or gratify their corrupt inclinations. As if men be addicted to Debauchery or Drunkenneſs;Mic. 2.11. he that will propheſy of wine and ſtrong drink, ſhall be the prophet of ſuch a perſon; he that will encourage him in his wickedneſs. So on the other hand, If a man ſeek the Kingdom of God and his Righteouſneſs in the firſt place, or above all other things, he is for ſuch an one, and for ſuch preaching as will direct and help him in his way thither.
3 Let us examine what it is that we chiefly deſire of God in our Prayers; this will diſcover much of the bent and inclination of our hearts, and what it is that we chiefly mind. I ſpeak not of the Prayers which we utter in the publick Congregation, or in our Families, or before others on any occaſion: In theſe caſes perſons do not always utter their own deſires, but many times at beſt ſuch things as may expreſs the deſires of thoſe with whom they pray, or the deſires which they know in their own Conſciences they and others ought to have: but many times men pray for oſtentation, or for a pretence, to ſhew their talent in expreſſing themſelves, or to ſeem more religious than they are: but thoſe Prayers whereby we may make a judgment of our ſelves, are the prayers which we pour out to God in ſecret, not by rote or by book, but from the bottom of our hearts, which we may know by dealing faithfully with our ſelves. Men indeed ask for ſuch things as they are convinc'd they ought to pray for, or as they have accuſtom'd themſelves to pray for, or which they have learned to pray for by hearing good Men pray, or out of good Books, it may be out of the Lord's Prayer: But theſe are not their real deſires, and they would not be willing to be taken at their word, to walk ſo ſtrictly as they pray that they may walk, to do the Will of God on Earth as it is done in Heaven; to have their ſins forgiven, only as they forgive others: But what are our real requeſts which we make known to God, Phil. 4.6.which our hearts do ſincerely concur with; or what are theſe requeſts uttered by others with whom we join in prayer, that our hearts do cloſe with, and which we add our hearty Amen to; It is but a word of courſe with many, and they deal with themſelves as men deal many times with others, ſetting their hand to petitions which they never gave their conſent to: but what are the petitions which we really own, and would gladly have anſwered? Are they for Solomon's Leavings, Riches, long Life, the lives of our Enemies? Are they ſuch as the Sons of Zebedee asked,Matth. 20.21. Honours and Preferments? or rather ſuch as Solomon's petition was, for Wiſdom, not to govern a Kingdom, but to get a Kingdom? to make us wiſe to Salvation, 2 Tim. 3.15. Prov. 16.32. Pſal 4.7. Pſal. 119.80. Pſal. 119.4, 5.to rule our own ſpirits? that he would lift upon us the light of his Countenance; that our hearts may be found in his Statutes? do we turn precepts as well as promiſes into Prayers? deſiring that God would direct or incline our hearts to what he requires us? Do we pray rather for the fruit, or a ſanctified uſe of Affliction, than deliverance from it;Heb. 12.1. Pſalm 89.15. Pſalm 119.10. that tho we cannot walk in the light of God's Countenance, yet we may walk by the light of his Word; that though we may not with John, lie in Chriſt's boſom, yet we may with Mary, Jo. 13.23.ſit down at his feet to hear his word, fearing the Lord, Luc. 10.39.and obeying the voice of his ſervants, tho we walk in darkneſs, and ſee no light, have nothing of comfort.Iſ 50.10.
4. Let us examine our ſelves by our company. Here the rule holds, Noſcitur ex ſocio, &c. If we know not what a man is, we may give a near gueſs by his company; if a ſtranger come amongſt us, we may conjecture at his temper, tho we never come near him, by the company that he chuſes, and ordinarily aſſociates himſelf with. It is true, it may be our unhappy lot to be caſt among ſuch whoſe ſociety may be a burden to us,Pſa. 120.5. and we may be neceſſitated by our worldly occaſions to keep company with prophane and wicked perſons:1 Cor. 5.10. But who are they in whoſe company we chiefly delight, or whom we chuſe to make our familiar friends and companions?Pſal. 16.3. all David's delight was in the Saints, thoſe he accounted the moſt excellent perſons. He was a companion of thoſe that feared God, and invited ſuch to turn to him; Pſal. 119.63, 79.they are ſuch that the ſincere Chriſtian makes choice of as his boſome friends, not only as they are dear to God;1 Jo. 5.1. and ſo loving him that he begat, he loves him that is begotten of him, and would ſhew kindneſs to ſuch for his ſake, 2 Sam. 9.1.7.as David ſhewed kindneſs to Mephiboſheth for Jonathan's ſake. But like will to like. It is natural in brute Creatures; and perſons are in their element when they are converſing with thoſe like themſelves. we may obſerve ordidinarily, at any publick meetings where there are ſeveral ſorts of perſons, who they are that get together, and how they ſort or divide themſelves. If there be Scholars or Learned Men, they will be together; Husbandmen will aſſociciate together; ſo Merchants or other Trades-men: not only as they can beſt bear a part in ſuch diſcourſe as perſons of their own way have together, and are not, as the Apoſtle ſaith in another caſe, Barbarians to each other; but they reliſh ſuch diſcourſe as is of things in their own element, as we ſpeak: and which is more, they may get a further inſight into their own Calling or Buſineſs, by the experience of others which they communicate to them; ſo it is with Chriſtians, when they meet with thoſe that ſpeak of things pertaining to the Kingdom of God; It is like one fallen into the company of thoſe that ſpeak their own Language, or Diſcourſe of matters belonging to their own calling; we may gain experience by converſing with ſuch. As the Apoſtle longed to be at Rome, that he might not only impart ſome ſpiritual gift to them, Rom. 1.11, 12.but that he might be comforted together with them, by their mutual faith. Chriſtians may be helpful to others that are far above them in gifts and knowledge; as Junius ſaith of himſelf in his own Life, tho he was a means of increaſing the knowledge of an honeſt Countryman that he accidentally met with, yet the Countryman was a means of inflaming his Zeal; he ſpeaking with ſuch feeling and ſuch a ſavoury reliſh of the matters of Religion, as made him think there was ſomething yet further in Chriſtianity than he had attained to; ſo that Chriſtians ſharpen each other by their mutual converſe,Prov. 2.7.17. Pſalm 66.16. Pſal. 34.2. as Iron ſharpens Iron. David would tell others what God had done for his Soul; and the humble, (thoſe that were brought low by affliction, and not too proud to learn) ſhould bear thereof, and be glad, that there had been others in like condition with themſelves, and yet had ſound mercy and help; yea, they ſhould ſay,V. 6. This poor man cryed, and the Lord heard him, and ſaved him out of all his trouble. They ſhould not conſider him as a King, as a Prophet, as a man after God's own heart, for the eminency of Grace; but as a poor man ſeeking ſhelter among ſtrangers,1 Sam. 21.11, &c. and (which is worſe) uſing ſuch poor mean ſhifts as he did; debating himſelf ſo far below that Courage and Faith which he had at other times: for this Pſalm was compoſed upon his changing his behaviour before Abimelech, when he drove him away, and he departed; the ſtory of which we have 1 Sam. 21.11, &c. on ſuch grounds a godly man will chuſe ſuch for his neceſſaries, his near or familiar friends.
Theſe are the few things amongſt many, about which I would have Chriſtians to examine themſelves, that they may be the better able to make a judgment concerning their Spiritual State, and to take the comfort of their Chriſtian Privileges, eſpecially in times of trouble, and when we approach towards our latter end.