Sermons Volume 4, Sermon on 1 Thessalonians 2
The Second SERMON On I. Thessalonians v.16.
Rejoyce evermore.
VSE. TO press you to this Spiritual Rejoycing. God never hath our Hearts, till he hath our delight. To enforce this Exhortation, I must (First) Take off prejudices, (Secondly,) Perswade by Arguments, (Thirdly,) Direct you in the exercise of this great Duty.
First, To take off Prejudices and Objections, which may lye in the Hearts of Men against this Duty.
1. Prejudice. How can this rejoycing evermore stand with that sense which we should have of Afflictions coming from God? Is it not a stupid thing to be merry, when God is angry? Must we rejoyce in troubles, notwithstanding the breaches God hath made upon us? I Answer,
1. Carnal Rejoycing is a very provoking thing, because it is an affront to Gods Providence. It is a defiance of the dispensation we are under, when we are not affected with our own, or our Brethrens Misery, or our Fathers anger. Isa. 22.12, 13, 14. In that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sack-cloth. And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine; let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall die. It was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of hosts, surely, this iniquity shall not be purged from you till you die. So Iames 4.9. Be afflicted and mourn, and weep, let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into heaviness. And chap. 5.1. Go to now, ye rich men! Weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. and verse 5. Ye have lived in pleasure upon earth, and been wanton, ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter. Now compare this with chap. 1.2. My brethren! count it all joy, when ye fall into divers temptations. Never any were reproved for rejoycing in God in Calamities, but for Carnality, and for Re…oycing in sensual satisfactions. If you say the answer cometh not home, you may rejoyce in unjust dealings and persecutions of Men, or in Tryals; but in corrective dispensations from the immediate Hand of God how shall we rejoyce? I reply, we are directed to this rejoycing in God in those Calamities which come from Gods immediate Hand. Habak. 3.17, 18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat, the flocks shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no heard in the stalls. Yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Surely Famine and Desolation come from God, and come as a punishment; yet I will rejoyce in the Lord. This Spiritual rejoy…ing is not an irreverence, but an honour to God; when we are satisfied in him, though all Creature Comforts, and Means of subsistence are blasted; and we shew that we have Comfort enough in God, that is out of the reach of trouble, and this can support us when all things beneath God fail, Iob 5.22. At destruction and famine shalt thou laugh. Stupidity and Carnal Mirth are very unseasonable, but to live above the Creature, and without the Creature, is an high point of Faith and love to God; and to rejoyce in him, when all outward Causes of rejoycing cease, is so far from being a Sin, that it is an eminent Duty. Our better part and happiness is out of the reach of trouble, though it be never so grievous.
2. We must distinguish between the sense of Affliction, and support under it. For we must neither sleight it, nor faint under it, Heb. 12.5. My Son despise not thou the chastning of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. These are the two extreams. The sense of our Condition is necessary, that we may not sleight the Affliction; and the support, that we may not faint under it. Both may, and must stand together; for in all worldly cases we must weep as if we wept not, 1 Cor. 7.30. And again sorrow not as those without hope, 1 Thess. 4.13. and so be without all comfort. In short, the sense is necessary for improvement, the support to make trouble easie.
1. If we have not a Sense, we cannot make a right use of our Sufferings and Afflictions, but our Hearts will be more hardned in Sin. God is their Author, Repentance is their end, and their cause is Sin: Lam. 3.39. Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? And therefore though we be not to droop and languish under our Afflictions, yet we must consider the righteous Providence of God; and the smart of his displeasure must awaken us to Repentance, otherwise the Affliction is frustrated, and you leave the thorn in your foot, which caused your first pain and soarness. If you do not repent of your Sins, and no cure is wrought, if you still let out your hearts freely to the World, and the prosperities and delights thereof, this is the high way to security, and carelesness of Soul Concernments.
2. You must not faint, and despair, as if all joy and comfort in God were lost. For,
1. We are not utterly undone, as long as we have God for our Portion, Lam. 3.24. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him. Though the Creature be blasted, he is alive still, and should be the joy and delight of our Souls; for then we are tryed, whether he be so, or no.
2. God is a Loving Father when he corrects. Our chastisements are effects not only of his Justice, but Mercy; it is a Rod in the Hand of our Father, wherewith we are scourged, Iohn 18.11. The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? And so it is an Act of Love and kindness to us.
3. Our Father hath Mercy enough to turn it to our benefit. Heb. 12.10. They verily for a few dayes chastned us after their own pleasure, but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his Holiness. And shall we mourn for that, which is for our benefit? If we rejoyce in God and Holyness, it will not be so. If God will stir us up to more Humility, contempt of the World, confidence in himself, and to place our delights in him alone, shall we be dejected and displeased, as if some great wrong had been done us?
4. If this Affliction fits us for Everlasting Happiness, there is cause of joy still left. 2 Cor. 4.17. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding, and eternal weight of glory. One that must have Eternal Glory, and Eternal Glory promoted by such a means, should not grudge at a little suffering and affliction, which is the common burden of the Sons of Adam.
2. Prejudice. Christ hath pronounced those Blessed that mourn for Sin. Matth. 5.4. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted; how then can we rejoyce evermore?
Answer. 1. Mourning for Sin is necessary to cure our vain Rejoycing, or delight in carnal vanities; and at our entrance into Christianity, this is a Duty highly incumbent upon us because of Sin, and the Curse which we naturally lie under. Certainly while we are out of Christ we have nothing to comfort us, nothing to answer to the terrours of the Law, or to reply against the Accusations of Conscience, and the fears of approaching Misery and Judgment; and what should we do, if we be sensible of it, but bemoan our selves, and seek after God with weeping and supplications? Gods first work in Conversion is to put Men out of their fools Paradise, who are satisfied with the Creature without himself. Therefore Humiliation, and a broken-hearted sense of Misery is required, to deaden the rellish and tast of Sin, and that Men may more prize and esteem the healing Grace of Christ, and set more by it than all the Pleasures, and Riches, and Honours of the World. Can a Man see himself lost, and in danger of Condemnation, and not be grieved? But all this while joy is in the making, and we are providing Everlasting Comfort for our selves; for God is ready to ease us, assoon as our need requireth, and our care will permit, Isa. 57, 15, 16, 17. For this saith the high and lofty one, that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be alwaies wroth, for the spirit shall fail before me, and the souls which I have made. For the iniquity of his covetousness I was wroth, and smote him, I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. And he saith afterwards, verse 18. I have seen his wayes, and will heal him. I will lead him also, and restore comfort to him, and to his mourners. The Lord is ready to come in with sweet and Heavenly Cordials, when the Physick worketh but a little kindly, Ier. 31.18, 19, 20. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, thou hast chastized me, and I was chastized, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke; turn thou me, and I shall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented, and after that I was instructed, I smote upon the thigh; I was ashamed, yea even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still, therefore my bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy on him, saith the Lord. Well then, this sorrow may be well allowed, because it prevents greater sorrow, namely, the pains of Hell. It is better mourn for a while, than for ever; better to have healing grief, than tormenting grief; to mourn now, while mourning will do us good, then to howl at last, when all sorrow will be fruitless, and only a part of our punishment, not of our cure. And besides, this sorrow maketh for comfort, Matth. 5.4. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. When the shower is fallen, the Sun cleareth up, and shineth in his full strength and Beauty. The vain rejoycing being deadned, we have grounds of Everlasting Joy, by considering the means God hath appointed for our deliverance from Sin, and Death, and the flames of Hell.
2. Mourning for Sin, and Joy in the Lord may stand well together. For Grace and Grace are not contrary, but Grace and Sin. Those who most mourn for Sin, do most rejoyce in the Lord; and those who most rejoyce in the Lord, do most mourn for Sin. As that Christian Niobe wept much, because she loved much; and she loved much, because much was forgiven her, Luke 7.47. As many times the Sun shineth, when the rain falleth; so there is a mixture of Spiritual Rejoycing, and Holy Mourning; a deep Sense of Gods Love, and yet a Mourning because of the Relicks of Corruption. Well then, Carnal Rejoycing is opposite to Holy Mourning, but not Joy in the Lord, therefore these two must be mixed. Sorrow is a Servant to Faith, and Love, and Joy in the Holy Ghost; and Joy and Thankfulness for the Mercy of God in Christ is an help to Godly sorrow: the one serves to mortifie Sin, the other to strengthen Grace. None are so displeased with themselves for offending so good a God, as those that have tasted how good and gracious the Lord is. But more thoroughly to reconcile this Holy mixture to your thoughts, take these considerations.
1. Godly Sorrow is better than all the pleasures of Sin, 2 Cor. 7.10. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of. Many have repented of their vain pleasures, or of their Carnal Mirth, but never any repented of their Godly Sorrow. Many have cursed the day of their Birth, but never any cursed the day of their New Birth. Whoever had any loathsome remembrance of those hours which they spent in reconciling themselves to God, though it were done with grief and bitterness of Spirit. Oh the remembrance of that happy time is ever sweet and grateful to them!
2. That mourning for Sin containeth in it self the matter of Joy is evident, because a poor Christian is glad when his Heart can melt for Sin. A day of serious and sound Humiliation is more to him than all carnal pleasures whatsoever; he would not exchange the Comfort that he findeth in his Penitent Tears, for all the Mirth in the World: He findeth this helpeth to mortifie Sin, which would mar his rejoycing in God; it helpeth him to value Christ, and taste the sweetness of his Love; they are more glad of that measure of Grace received, than if they were Masters and Rulers of the World. To be affected with the dishonour done to God, is included in their Love and esteem of him, and floweth from their delight in him.
3. Though they groan under the Relicks of Sin, yet they are glad they are but Relicks: That they are in any measure gotten out of their former Estate, is a comfort, though that they are gotten no further be a grief to them. The mourning Christian would not change Estates with the best and greatest of Ungodly Men; which sheweth there is some solid complacency and delight in their present Condition, though not that full Joy, which they shall have in Heaven, when Sin shall no more. Joy is not perfect, till Holiness be perfect, yet there is joy still, though be not perfect joy. Here there is Gaudium ineffabile cum suspiriis inenarrabilibus, a joy mixt with sorrow, groans unutterable, and joyes unspeakable and glorious.
Secondly, Having removed the prejudices, Let me now perswade you to rejoyce evermore by the two Arguments of necessity, and Utility.
1. The necessity of it.
(1.) That you may own God as your God, delighting in God is a Duty of the first Commandment, Thou shalt have no other Gods before me: that is, rejoyce in no other, but in me only, as thy full and All-sufficient Portion and Happiness: And therefore it is a part, not of Instituted, but of Natural Worship; such Worship which we are to give God, though he had never given direction about it; which immediately resulteth from the owning and choosing of God for our God. For if God be not loved and delighted in more than any thing, or all things else, he is not our God. Now then is there not a necessity, if you would worship God as God, that you should rejoyce evermore, and delight in him as sufficient to your Happiness, whether the World cometh or goeth, whether your Creature Comforts and Relations continue with you, or be taken from you? God still must be the Hearts delight, and your exceeding joy. Psalm 37.4. Delight thy self also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
2. The necessity appeareth by this, how can you be thankful, and prize, and value those Blessings which you have from God by Christ, unless you rejoyce evermore, whatever your Condition be in the World? Surely Christ when received, must be received with all love and thankfulness, else you do not know the worth and value of his Grace; and this esteem is never so much shewn in words, as in deeds; when you can delight in him more than all things else, Psalm 4.7. Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. Delight in him so as to loose all for him. Phil. 3.8. For whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ. Heb. 10.34. And took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in your selves, that ye have in heaven a better, and an enduring substance: And you can esteem a naked Christ ground enough of Comfort, though you be stript of all things. The Heart is not sound with Christ, till we be so taken up with the Love and Praise of our Redeemer, that we have scarce leasure to observe, whether we be rich or poor, or to regard the honours and dishonours of the World.
3. How can you profess to follow the Conduct of that Holy Spirit, who hath undertaken to be your Comforter, unless your solid Delight and Comfort be in God and Heaven? I know the Spirit is not so necessarily a Comforter, as he is a Sanctifier; but I speak of that disposition of Soul, which belongeth both to his sanctifying, as well as his comforting Operation; and is necessary to Grace, and that is to place your Happiness not in this World, but in God, and Heaven; and so to place it there, as that this may be a support to you in poverty, and disgrace, and pain, that nothing may be able to overcome your joy, Iohn 16.22. Your heart shall rejoyce, and your joy no man taketh from you. Surely this is a necessary work of the sanctifying Spirit, to teach you to fix your Comforts there, where they may be out of the reach of the World, that you may have Everlasting grounds of delight, what ever Man can do unto you.
2. The Utility of it, both with respect to our Spiritual benefit and profit, and our acceptance with God.
1. With respect to the temper and frame of our own hearts, or our Spiritual benefit. There are two parts of Regeneration, Mortification, and Vivification; and this rejoycing evermore promoteth both of them.
1. As to Mortification. It is most profitable to wean us from Carnal Vanities. The Love of sensitive Delights is the Root of Sin, some carnal lure there is, which inticeth, and draweth us away from God, Iames 1.14. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and inticed. This carnal savour is our undoing, pleasure being born and bred with us, and deeply ingrained in our Natures, is hardly removed. Yet if it should be cherished, it would wholly fasten our Souls to Earthly things, to Riches, Pleasures, and Honours. Now that we may not be deceived, and inveigled with the delights of the flesh, we should think of another joy, which may be continual and perpetual; that so this higher joy may drive out the carnal joy, as a greater Nail driveth out the lesser. Man cannot be without some joy, nor can delight lie idle in the Soul; it must be occupied and taken up, either with the delights of the flesh, and the toyes and trifles of the World, or acted upon God and Heavenly things. The brutish part of Mankind imploy their oblectation about trifles, and love-pleasures more than God; but the renewed part make God their exceeding joy, and savour the things of the Spirit. Rom. 8.5. They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the spirit, the things of the spirit. These latter imploy their oblectation aright, and being acquainted with better things, the carnal gust dyeth away in them by degrees. As Men left off the use of Acorns, when they found out the use of Wheat, or Bread-Corn; or as dainty Fare maketh us despise courser Viands. When our delight findeth a better Object, it is a great check to those dreggy contentments, and petty satisfactions, which obtrude themselves upon our Senses at every turn; the tast of them is marred, they become sapless to a Christian, who hath higher and chaster delights. Every Life hath its tast, and every Mans Joy is in Worldly Vanities, or in God, and other things as they have respect to God. He that is acquainted with God, and hidden Manna, cannot relish the Garlick, and Onions, and Flesh-pots of Egypt. We will be glad and rejoyce in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine, Cant. 1.4. So that you see it is a great help to Mortification, to rejoyce evermore in God. Delight puts out Delight, as the Sun doth the Fire.
2. As to Vivification. It quickneth us to the life of Holyness, the joy of the Lord is your strength, Nehem. 8.10. There is a Natural dulness and deadness in Holy Duties, which we find in our selves, which is only cured by delight in God, which is as Oyl to the Wheels. Every thing goeth on easily, and smoothly which is carryed on with joy and delight; that maketh us yield to Duties, which otherwise would be tedious and irksome to us. Sechem yielded to be circumcised for the delight which he had in Dinah, Gen. 34.19. So the Apostle saith, But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto my self, so that I may finish my course with joy, Acts 20.24. Whatever is done without delight, is ingrate and harsh; the mortifying of a lust is like the cutting off an Arm with a rusty Saw; the performing of a Duty like the bringing of a Bear to the Stake; Delight sweetens things, and puts a Life into them. Obedience is done readily, when it is done out of a thankful and delightful sense of our Redeemers Love, Psalm 40.8. I delight to do thy will, O my God! yea, thy law is in my heart. So 1 Iohn 5.3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous. Well then, this joy is very profitable, both as to Mortification, and Vivification, it is a joy that maketh us better: Carnal Joy maketh us worse, it filleth the minds with vanity and folly, and bringeth a slavery upon the Heart, Titus 2.3. Serving divers lusts and pleasures; but this delight doth not corrupt you, but perfect you.
2. With respect to Gods acceptance. This rejoycing evermore is more honourable to God, and more pleasing to God.
1. It is more honourable to God, to rejoyce in him evermore, as a chearful Servant is a credit to his Master. We shew forth the goodness of God by the Joy of our Faith, and continual delight in God, how ever it be with us in the World. God standeth upon his credit that he doth not weary his people, Micah 6.3. O my people! what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testifie against me. He is not a rigorous and an hard Master, but every way good and kind. The Thessalonians that received the word in much affliction, with joy of the holy ghost, were ensamples of all that believed in Macedonia and Achaia, and from them sounded out the word of God to others, 1 Thess. 1.6, 7, 8. These propagate their profession, and recommend it to others. Surely God is a good Master, he hath made joy both our work, and our wages; our way, and our end. What is our great end and hope, but to enter into our masters joy? And what is our constant business and work but to rejoyce evermore? Why then should we dishonour God by our unchearfulness, and justifie the prejudices of the World, who draw an ill picture of Religion in their minds, as if it alwayes looked sowre, and with a tormenting and discontented look?
2. It is most pleasing to God, the Life that he is best pleased withal. God that loveth a chearful giver, loveth a chearful sufferer, a chearful practicer of Godliness. Men love a thing done chearfully, because it betokeneth Love in the Party that doth it. Surely this rejoycing evermore is very pleasing to God, because he doth so often call for it. Psalm 37.4. Delight thy self in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desire of thy heart. Phil. 4.4. Rejoyce in the Lord alwaies, and again I say rejoyce, Psalm 68.3. Let the righteous be glad, let them rejoyce before God, yea, let them exceedingly rejoyce, and in many other places. Surely that which God calleth for so often, and so earnestly, should be more cared for by a Christian. Be sure of this, that a chearful Spirit is more pleasing to God, than a troubled, discontented Spirit. When Isaac longed for savoury Meat, such as his Soul delighted in, a prophane Esau taketh his bow to get it for him: When God hath told us how much this is pleasing to him, should we not make more Conscience of it?
Thirdly, I must direct you how to performe this great and necessary Duty.
1. Be prepared for it. The Precept belongeth to the renewed and reconciled, Psalm 31.1. Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous! for praise is comely for the upright. Delight is not forced by Arguments, but drawn forth by Inclination; therefore till we have a Nature and Heart suited to it, we shall never perform it. Canticum novum, & vetus homo male concordant; the New Song, and the Old Man do not well agree. Well then, be prepared. It is easie to rejoyce after a Natural and Worldly manner, but not easie to rejoyce in the Lord. We are never prepared, till our State be altered, Heart altered, and Life altered.
1. Our State must be altered. For naturally we are Children of Wrath, condemned by the Sentence of the Law, and under the Curse; and doth it become condemned Men to rejoyce, and go to their execution dancing? No, you must take hold of another Covenant, the hope that is set before you, and then you provide matter of joy, yea, of strong consolation, Heb. 6.18. By taking Sanctuary at the Lords Grace, the Heirs of Promise have strong Consolation. When the Eunuch was solemnly admitted into Gods Covenant by Baptisme, He went on his way rejoycing, Acts 8.39. By Repentance towards God, and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, we enter into the New Covenant, and that is a State of Peace, Life, and Joy. In the New Covenant God offers himself to be your Reconciled Father. Christ your Saviour, and the Holy Ghost your Sanctifier; are you willing to consent to this? And then, Why should not you rejoyce in the Lord? For you have enough in God.
2. Our Heart must be altered. For every Mans relish and complacency is according to the Temper and Constitution of his Soul, Rom. 8.5. They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit. Know his complacency, what it is that a Man is pleased with most, and you know the Man. An old corrupted Heart and Mind cannot delight it self in God, 1 Cor. 2.14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned: But those that have a Divine Nature put into them, cannot satisfie themselves in the World, 2 Pet. 1.4. Ye may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. They can easily spare the pleasures of the flesh, and leave these husks for Swine to feed on. A change of Heart inferreth a change of Delights and Pleasures; for the New Heart is nothing else but New Desires and Delights; when you have a New Understanding, and a New Heart, then you will discern and relish Spiritual things.
3. The Life must be altered. For Holy walking and fruitfulness in Obedience raiseth the greatest Joy. Iohn 15.10, 11. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Fathers commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full, Acts 9.31. Walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the holy Ghost. The Godly Life is the only sweet Life, 2 Cor. 1.12. For our rejoycing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity, and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we had our conversation in the world. If you will but learn what it is to live in the Love of God, and the belief and hope of Life Eternal, and in Universal Obedience to the Laws of Christ, you will soon see what it is to live in a State of Joy and Comfort. If you fall into great and wounding Sins, no wonder if your rejoycing in God be disturbed. Surely a tender Heart cannot make light of Sin, but it will cost them broken Bones, and broken Hearts.
2. Act it continually. Partly for that the grounds of rejoycing are Everlasting, an Eternal God, an Unchangeable Covenant, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever; a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, an Infinite and Eternal weight of Glory. Now these things should ever be thought of by us, that we may keep up our delight in the Lord. Partly because we need it continually, to enliven our Duties, to sweeten our Crosses, and to wean us from our Carnal Vanities; for otherwise our Duties will go off heavily, our Crosses will swallow us up with too much sorrow, or our Hearts will be apt to be insnared by sensual delights, unless we remember that we are continually to rejoyce in God and Heavenly things. Partly because this delight cannot be maintained in the Soul, unless it be continually exercised; by constant acting it we keep it, and increase it, till at length it cometh to be predominant in the Soul, and able to controul our Affection to other things. It is said of Iohn Baptists Hearers, That they were willing to rejoyce in his light for a season, Iohn 5.35. And of the stony ground, Luke 8.13. That they received the word with joy, and believed for a while, but in time of temptation fall away. Herod heard Iohn Baptist gladly for a while, Mark 6.20. Gods offering Eternal Happiness in Christ may affect us for the present, but this rejoycing faileth, being over-mastered by the Appetites and Desires of the Flesh. Therefore to root it, and increase it, that it may be firm to the end, it must be continually acted and exercised.
3. Take heed you do not forfeit it, or damp it by any great and wounding Sin. As David speaketh, Psalm. 51.8. Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken, may rejoyce. Sin cloudeth the Face of God, wasteth our Comfort and Joy, Psalm 32.3, 4. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me; my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Eph. 4.30. And grieve not the holy spirit, whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption. When the Comforter is offended, he sheweth his dislike, and withdraweth when we grosly omit any known Duty, or commit any soul Sin, he will shew himself displeased with it, and withdraw his Gracious and Comfortable Presence. Isa. 57.17. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him; I hid me, and was wroth. On such occasions he is wroth, and smiteth; he is wroth, and hideth himself, and then our Comfort and Delight in God ceaseth. Therefore we should deal more dutifully with the Spirit, neither grieving him by the omission, or intermission of necessary Duties; nor by the commission of any hardning Sin, by some error of the concupicible or pursuing faculty, or the irascible or eschewing faculty; by Sins of the Tongue, which most easily bewray corruption, or by words which discover the temper of the Heart. I observe that grieving the spirit, Ephes. 4.30. is put in the middle between a disswasive from corrupt Communication, verse 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying. When Men endeavour to make themselves glad by carnal Discourse, which argueth an Heart set for carnal delights, and is contrary to rejoycing in the Lord, Eph. 5.4. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks; and on the other side, verse 31. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you; by discontent, impetuous Rage, passionate Commotions, contumelious Speeches, Envy, Revenge, we hinder our joy in the Lord. Now all this must be carefully avoided, least we contract deadness and numbness of Conscience.
4. If by Sin you have wounded your Conscience, and brought smart and mourning upon your selves, abide not in that Estate, but humble your selves; renewing your Repentance, and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, sueing out your Pardon, and getting your Wounds healed. Beg of God to restore the joy of his Salvation, that your broken Hearts may be revived, and your broken Bones restored and set in joynt again, Psalm 51.8. Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce, and verse 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. Never rest till you come again to delight in God, with an hearty resolution not to break with God any more, Psalm 51.6. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom, Psalm 85.8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his Saints, but let them not turn again to folly. God is ready to receive lapsed Penitents, that are sensible of their errors, and are willing to return to their Duty, Psalm 32.5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid; I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin, Isa. 57.17, 18. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him, I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. I have seen his wayes, and will heal him, I will lead him also, and restore comfort to him, and to his mourners, Your case is sad and grievous, but not desperate and hopeless; you may have comfort upon Gods termes, mourning for Sin, that Sin may be made bitter to you, and you may not hazard your peace for trifles another time; and putting your business into the hands of your Redeemer, the Advocate must make your peace for you, 1 Iohn 2.1. If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Iesus Christ the righteous.