Trouble of the Mind and the Disease of Melancholy, Discourse · Part 2 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
Shewing that we ought to take heed that we do not loſe the favour of God after we have once enjoyed it; and what we are to do, that we may not fall into a condition ſo miſerable at this would be.
7. TAke great heed that you do not loſe the favour of God again. It is true indeed, that thoſe whom God once loves, he loves to the end; they are not ſuffered totally to be miſerable; but yet they may loſe the ſenſe of his favour, and all the comfort that once flowed from the pleaſant thought, That he was their God. Thoſe that have ſailed with a very proſperous gale, may, upon their negligence, be toſt with very many ſtorms, and may be terrified with a Thouſand dangers and calamities, whileſt they do not ſee the Sun, Moon and Stars for many days and nights together; and tho' they do not at length fall ſhort of Heaven, yet they may travel as through a Wilderneſs in their way thither, and not meet with thoſe cluſters of the promiſed Land, with thoſe joys and comforts that others meet withal. The Spirit may ſuſpend his influences, and leave the Conſcience in a very lamentable ſlate, and take away the peace that he once gave; ſo that the poor ſoul in that condition, cannot but look upon it ſelf with as ſad an eye as if it were a reprobate; and great difficulties and dangers there are ere the ſpirit return again to repair the breaches which our ſin hath made. The diſorders of our ſouls afterwards remain a great while, and it will coſt us vaſt labour to remove them; as when ſome River that is very muddy has overflowed the neighbouring Fields, tho' it do return to its ordinary Channel, yet it nevertheleſs leaves thoſe places all covered with ſlime and dirt. The leaſt Eclipſe of the Face of God is a very formidable thing, 'twill ſhake all the powers of your ſouls, and put you into ſuch terror as will ſeem to be like Hell it ſelf. If you be ſo fooliſh, as upon ſlight temptations to forfeit his favour, you ll dearly pay for that folly; you may do that in a moment, that may fill you with aſtoniſhment and ſorrows all your days, and make you go at laſt mourning to the Grave. You may by a ſudden fall have your Bones broken, and it may be, never again recover your former eaſe and ſtrength; do not therefore wound nor bruiſe your ſelves. If you are not very careful, that Candle of the Lord that ſhines upon your Tabernacle, may be removed, and then you I know by a ſad experience, that it is an evil and a bitter thing to ſin againſt him. Tho' you now do not queſtion your title to Salvation, yet you ſhall then be full of doubts and fears; tho' you are now looking to God as to a Friend, yet you ſhall then be forced to look upon him as an Enemy; and think your afflictions, not the rebukes of a Father, but of an angry Judge. He will be indeed the ſame God ſtill, as full of Goodneſs and of Love; but to you he will be as a Fountain ſealed up, and your poor mourning ſouls, like the Mountains of Gilboa, curſt and barren, there will be no Dew nor Rain upon them. Tho' you are never ſo flouriſhing now, yet then the ſharpneſs of the Winter will blaſt all your Fruit, that the Fig-tree ſhall not bloſſom, neither ſhall there be any fruit in the Vine, and the labour of the Olive ſhall fail. Conſider how great was the ſorrow of David, when God was for a ſeaſon departed from him! How many were his Tears, how heavy his Complaints, and how ſad his Thoughts! Tho' he was (as 'tis uſually judged) of a ſanguine and a merry temper, and had a peculiar skill in Muſick, which is the uſual allayer and charm of Grief; yet in the ſenſe of God's diſpleaſure, his Joy was turned into Lamentation, his Harp and thoſe Songs with which he had driven away the melancholly of Saul, could not ſtifle or chaſe away trouble from his own ſoul; the Storm was too loud to liſten to thoſe ſofter Airs; the Wound was too deep to be Cured by thoſe gentle and eaſie Methods. Beware leſt you loſe the ſenſe of the Favour and the Love of God; leſt you make your Heavenly Father to viſit you with painful Rods, and ſevere Afflictions. Take heed that you do not weaken your ſelves; for the joy of the Lord is your ſtrength, Neh. 8.10. Is it not motive enough to ſay, that his Favour is your Life, and his Diſpleaſure is your Death? Let us but take as much pains for our ſpiritual, as for our natural Life, and all will be very well. When we find the leaſt decays of Nature, we are very induſtrious to repair them; when we find the leaſt faintneſs or indiſpoſition on our ſpirits, we have recourſe to Cordials, or to ſomething that is very comfortable and reviving, to refreſh them; when we are ſick, we complain of our illneſs, we make abundance of inquiries, and uſe a great deal of care to know what it is that will do us good; we have a great value for our dear Life, and are afraid of every thing that may deprive us of it; and when we are in Health, What do we not attempt for our own preſervation! What Arts do we uſe! What proviſions do we make for Meat, and Drink, and Cloaths, and Houſes, and Gardens, and other accommodations, that we may live at eaſe! And (my Friends) is not our Soul of more worth than the Body? Are not its decays, and its death, more painful, and more intollerable than all the languiſhing and decays of our outward Man? Let us therefore, as we have a great horror of natural death, have no leſs for that which is ſpiritual: Let us keep, with a greater care, the Favour of God, that is our Spiritual and Eternal Life. And that we may not loſe it,
1. Let us not grieve his Holy Spirit, Epheſ. 4.30. Tho' we are not ſo happy, as to have a familiar Converſation with Chriſt, as thoſe had who enjoyed his preſence here on Earth, tho' he be withdrawn from our eyes, and we ſee him not in his exalted and glorified ſtate; yet he has ſent his Spirit to dwell in our hearts, and we ought, with all manner of obedience and reſpect, to treat and entertain ſo Divine a Gueſt; to do nothing that is unſuitable to ſo great▪ a Preſence; not to pollute our ſelves, nor to defile his Temple with any ſort of ſin, leſt we grieve and vex him. The Divine Nature, indeed, is incapable of our paſſions, 'tis above our joys and our ſorrows; and as 'tis ſaid of thoſe that are upon Mount Olympus, they ſee the Clouds gather below their feet, they ſee the Hail and the Thunder diſturb and lighten on the Plain, whileſt they rejoice in the pure light of the Sun: In ſuch manner the Divine Eſſence ſees all the troubles and agitations of the Creatures, remaining always in its own peace and tranquility.*Claude Serm. Sur. Eph. 4.30. p. 29. This expreſſion is borrowed from humane affections; and when the Holy Spirit does that in us, which our nature does when it is ſeized with ſorrow, then he is ſaid to be grieved: And if we make him ſad, we cannot expect that he will make us to rejoyce; if we affront and abuſe him, he will not be our comfort; if he retire, all our Evidences will be covered with darkneſs, and we ſhall be plunged in the loweſt depths. Let us therefore obey all his ſuggeſtions; whatever he bids us do, let us do; let our minds always be yielding to his good, and profitable motions; let us not ſlight the Revelation he hath made, nor be unmindful to grow in all the Graces that are pleaſing to him; let us remember the kindneſs that he does us; how he chaſes away our darkneſs; and when we are fainting, how ſeaſonably he does apply the Promiſes, and brings to our remembrance thoſe Truths that are moſt ſuitable and refreſhing to us; let us not grieve him, by neglecting to read or meditate upon the Word which he endited; or by fooliſh Communications, by raſh Angers, or Malice, or Bitterneſs, or Wrath, or Contention, Epheſ. 4.31. but let him be the abſolute Maſter of our ſouls; when we are afflicted, let us not grieve him by our murmuring or impatient complaints in our afflictions; nor by ſecurity and hardneſs of heart in our proſperity: And when he would carry us towards Heaven on the wings of ſpiritual deſire and love, let us not ſuffer our ſelves to be ſeduced by the World, the Devil, or the Fleſh; and if we obey him, he will maintain a ſenſe of the Divine Favour on our ſouls; and the Life that he will give us, will not be like that of the ſick, the feeble, and the dying; but like the Life of the moſt ſtrong and healthful.
2. Let us beware of Spiritual pride: The contrite and humble are thoſe that he regards: The proud he looks upon afar off, Pſal. 138.6. Though the Lord be high, yet hath he reſpect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off. That is, with diſdain and ſcorn. 'Tis nothing but our ignorance that makes us Proud: We are ignorant of God, and of the multitude and greatneſs of our Sins; were it poſſible for us to be Proud, if we frequently conſidered the Great Majeſty of God, and our own Vileneſs! His Holineſs, and our Pollution! His Almighty Power, and our Weakneſs! His Glory, and our Darkneſs! His Eternity, and our own fading being! What compariſon can be made between the Great Ruler of the World, and us that dwell in houſes of clay? It was a mighty Condeſcention in our Bleſſed Lord, and one of the chiefeſt parts of his Humiliation; to be cloathed with our Nature, that is in it ſelf ſo mean and low: And as one ſays, The whole World, from Eaſt to VVeſt, lies very ſick; but to cure this very ſick world, there deſcends an Omnipotent Phyſician, who humbled himſelf, even to the aſſumption of a Mortal Body, as if he had gone into the Bed of the diſeaſed. 'Tis an Ignorance of our ſelves, that is the cauſe of our Pride; we remember not, how often it is that we offend in Thought, VVord, and Deed: How we are by Nature children of wrath! And how we make our ſelves more ſo, by repeated acts of Sin. God reſiſts the Proud, but he hath a regard to the Contrite and Humble Soul; Iſa. He fills the hungry with good things, but the rich he ſends empty away, Luke 1.53. All on whom he beſtows his Favour, he firſt convinces of their own miſery; ſhews to them the Curſe, the Hell, the Condemnation that they have deſerved: and when they are pardoned after ſuch a ſight, that Pardon fills them with low, and ſelf-abaſing thoughts; and when he comes to embrace them, he finds them in the poſture of the poor Prodigal, Luke 15.18, 19. Father, I have ſinned againſt heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy ſon. One ſight of the face of God will daſh all our Confidence, and lower all our Pride; and the more this is revealed, and diſcovered to the Souls of the Faithful, the more they ſee cauſe to loath and abhor themſelves in duſt and aſhes. Hence it is that our Apoſtle that knew ſo much of God, was ſo very humble; ſaying, 1 Cor. 15.10. By the grace of God I am what I am— I laboured more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. He calls himſelf the chief of Sinners, and admires the grace of our Lord, that towards him was exceeding abundant; 1 Tim. 1.14. And elſewhere he ſtyles the mercies of the Goſpel, the exceeding riches of the grace of Chriſt, Eph. 2.7. As ever you would have the favour of God continued, ſtrive againſt all pride. A man is then proud, 1. When he attributes that to himſelf, to his own Induſtry, Wiſdom or Prudence, which he hath received from God. 2. When he attributes to, or expects that by merit, which is a free gift. Or, 3. When he thinks he hath that which he hath not. Or, 4. When he deſpiſes others, and affects preheminence. It is uſual with us to take the meaſures of Pride from the garb or attire, from the outward behaviour, geſture, or the uſe of ſome leſs grave or decent Faſhions; and indeed there may be an exceſs in theſe things that may be very juſtly blameable: But, my Friends, there is a Pride worſe than all this, even ſpiritual Pride, that hath in it the very Image of the Apoſtate Spirit, and is truly Diabolical; when a man is proud of the Graces, or the Gifts of God, it alienates from him the Divine Favour, for which we are more prepared, when we are covered with ſhame and ſorrow: And when we are poor in ſpirit, then we may hope that he will enrich us with his Love. When we are emptied of all Self-conceit, or a flattering opinion of our own Actions, then we may hope that he will fill us both with grace and glory. VVhat a ſorry unbecoming thing is it for a man, even the beſt of men, to be proud! Alas! How ſoon can the Great God cauſe all his glory to wither, and to fade away! What a vain thing is it for a man to pride himſelf in things that relate to the Body, when it is liable to Agues, Fevers, Conſumptions, Convulſions, and many tedious days and years of pining ſickneſs, and muſt at laſt be the prey of death, and moulder in the Grave! And it is no leſs evil and fooliſh for a man to pride himſelf in any thing that relates to his Soul; in his knowledge, in his faith, in his ſerviceableneſs; for upon his ſin, an hour of temptation may come upon him, that will be an hour of darkneſs, that will cauſe the light of all theſe to vaniſh; and what is man, when his Conſcience is awakened with a ſenſe of guilt, when his Sins are ſet in order before him, when the Devil is permitted to ſift and vex him, to ruffle him with amazing Terrors, and the conſtant view of Hell? If God depart from us, that Envious raging Spirit, who is of great power and malice, does with eaſe inſult over us, and tread us under his feet. Oh! how vain is it for us to be proud, that live a miſerable life, and may dye a very painful death! All the Deſigns of God are to exalt himſelf, and abaſe the Creature. The Conſciouſneſs that the Saints have of their own Unworthineſs, will produce an eternal admiration of his Love; and they will all caſt down their Crowns before the Throne; 1 Cor. 4.7. Who maketh thee to differ from another? And what haſt thou that thou didſt not receive? 1 Pet. 5.5, 6.
3. That you may not loſe the Favour of God, you muſt beware of formality, and all ſlightneſs of ſpirit in the performance of holy duties: It will be alſo very prejudicial to us, when we can omit them, and have no great trouble or regret for ſo great a Sin. Whereas, if we were duly tender of the welfare of our Souls, we ſhould refreſh them with frequent thoughts and meditations, as we do our Bodies, with two or three meals a day. When we bring dead Sacrifices to the Altar of God▪ we need not wonder that we have ſo little ſpiritual and heavenly life; we need not wonder that we have no more ſenſe of his Favour, when we often pray for it, as if we prayed not; the coldneſs and indifference of our Petitions ſhews, that we do not much care whether they be granted or denyed: and God will not thruſt his Mercies upon us whether we will or not; none ſhall enjoy his gracious comfortable Preſence, but thoſe that ſtrive and wreſtle; and ſuch as have the zeal of Jacob, that will not let him go till he bleſs them. Heaven and Salvation we would all have, but God knows we. beg it after a very poor faſhion; and he may juſtly expel us from the ſight of himſelf, becauſe we draw near to him with ſo little fervour; and give him cauſe to complain of us, as of thoſe in Iſa. 29.13. We are guilty of ſlightneſs and formality in duty in theſe following Inſtances: 1. When we perform them as a task, and not with delight and love. 2. When we do not excite and ſtir up our ſelves to call upon the Lord. 3. When we are ſatisfied in the bare outward performance, and have not thoſe inward exerciſes of contrition, faith, and holy ſorrow, and vigorous deſires, which are as the life and the ſoul of Prayer. 4. When we ſuffer our Thoughts to wander, or when we run to ſuch Duties from a hurry, and a croud of worldly buſineſs, not conſidering the greatneſs of our wants, and of that Majeſty that fills the Throne before which we pray, and how he will be ſanctified of all that draw nigh to him. 5. When we look not for the anſwer of our Prayers; and when having done our duty, we are unſollicitous whether it produce any good effect or no. 6. When we are more ſtudious to approve our ſelves to the eyes of Men, than to the eye of God. I might add, That if we would not loſe the Favour of God, we muſt duly improve all his other Ordinances; we muſt hear as for our lives, and take heed that his word do not at any time ſlip out of our minds. We muſt receive the glad tidings of Salvation with obedient and joyful hearts: and upon all fit occaſions, in the Celebration of the Lord's Supper, with holy Affections, and a melting zeal, keep up the remembrance of the Love of Chriſt till he come again; and with great conſtancy and ſeriouſneſs read the Scriptures that direct us how to obtain this Favour of God that is our life: but if any perſon has ſo little value for the Favour of God, that he will not earneſtly pray for it, he muſt go without it; and ſmart for his refuſal of ſo excellent a Bleſſing, when it ſhall be too late to repent.
4. That you may not loſe the Favour of God that is your life, you muſt avoid all ſloth. What pains hath God taken, what Exhortations, what Promiſes has he uſed to bring you near to himſelf? what hardſhips and ſufferings did Chriſt undergo to gain your love? and will you do nothing in anſwer to that Favour of his that is ſo graciouſly beſtowed, and ſo dearly bought? Be circumſpect, and walk cloſely with your God; beware of every thing that may ſtir up your Father's Anger; for though he will not throw off ſo kind a Relation, yet his Wrath is very terrible, I beſeech you to be very fearful of all inward backſlidings, and of ſpiritual decays: and leſt the warmth of your firſt burning love to God wear away again, take heed leſt the death that is in his diſpleaſure, ſteal upon you by degrees; and leſt from a leſs degree of zeal there come a total indiſpoſition on your hearts; for when you once begin to ſlide, the deſcent is eaſie: as ſoon as ever you are ſleepy, rouſe your ſelves by thoſe powerful motives that you may fetch from the Word of God, from his Promiſes, and from his Threats; ſlothful Servants will never have their Maſter's Approbation; you have good encouragement, manifold aſſiſtances, and the proſpect of a great reward. Is your joy, your Peace, your preſent Conſolation, and your Hope, nothing worth? if it be, then let no Dangers, no Difficulties whatſoever make you to part with it; as knowing that it may coſt you dear before you obtain it, if it once be loſt. Take heed that you do not begin to loſe your awful ſenſe of God, that you do not grow bold with ſin; take heed that you comply not with the Devil; who being forſaken of God, would have you to be ſo; and who being ſhut out of Heaven, would hinder your arrival there, or at leaſt make you to go uncomfortably thither: if he cannot hinder your walking towards that Jeruſalem, he will endeavour to make you halt, and to go with pain thither. But to prevent this, and all other his malicious Deſigns, be you fervent in the ſpirit, ſerving the Lord: And upon his firſt withdrawing, be you reſtleſs till you find him whom your Souls love. As you now flouriſh in the Courts of God, take heed that you do not blaſt your own Fruit: ſeeing you are fixed on the Rock of Ages, take heed that you do not pull up your own Anchor, and ſo your Veſſel be driven on the Sands, and your hope ſhipwrackt. Make no excuſes for your not working hard; uſe no delays; apply your ſelves to the moſt active and zealous endeavours, that ſo you may prevent your own ſorrow: For the field of the ſluggard will be all grown over with thorns, and nettles will cover the face thereof, and the ſtone-wall hereof will he broken down, Prov. 24.31. Theſe Thorns are evil deſires that will ſpring up of their own accord without ſowing, they will encreaſe of themſelves; and then you will be expoſed without defence to every Invader, and to all the Birds of prey: and conſider, That (as one ſays*Symmond's Deſerted Soul, p. 523.) the Duties of godlineſs are not only a debt to God, but a reward to us; and in our ſloth there is not unfaithfulneſs only, but ingratitude; both the Majeſty and the Mercy of God is deſpiſed: Remember what the Church ſaith, Cant. 3.1. By night, on my bed, I ſought him whom my ſoul loveth; I ſought him, but I found him not, &c. She did not find him, for ſhe ſought amiſs; no wonder ſhe was not bleſſed with his preſence, when ſhe ſought it in ſuch a lazy manner; and therefore tho' ſhe took pains afterwards, yet ſhe did not meet with him: He chaſtiſed her former negligence with a longer abſence, tho' there was no place which ſhe did not frequent, no perſon of whom ſhe did not ask, and yet heard no tidings of him; He that ſuffered on the Croſs for her, might juſtly expect that ſhe ſhould leave her Bed and quit her eaſe for him, Cant. 5. from v. 2, to 9.
5. That you may not loſe the favour of God, which is your Life, take heed of an inordinate affection to this World, and ſenſual Delights: If the care and buſineſs, the riches and projects of this World, take up your hearts, and the flower of your time, you will have but few thoughts of him, and conſequently but a little Love; the more you advance in the mortification of your Appetites, and your deareſt Luſts, the more chearful influences you'l find of his Grace. Beware that you love not any thing in this World too much; no Child, no Relation, no Creature-Comfort, leſt he tear away theſe Idols from you, and the loſs of an over-prized enjoyment vex your ſouls: He will have your whole hearts, and your muſt not think that he will ſhow you his favour, if you only give him one half, and ſhare the other amongſt the ſeveral objects that your miſtaken affections doat upon. If you prize this favour of God, as you ought, you'l not too vehemently deſire any preſent good, nor too ſorrowfully bewail its departure from you; your Life will be in God, and not bound up in any of your Friends, leſt when they dye, your peace and comfort dye at the ſame time. If the World be ſet upon the Throne, the diſorder that is thereby offered to God, will cauſe him to frown, and to fetch the Rebel and Uſurper thence, tho with your ſmart and grief. Senſual pleaſures will clog and vitiate your appetite, that you ſhall not ſo well taſte, nor apprehend the ſweetneſs that there is in God; if you have ſeen his face, the beauties and the glories of it will make all the World appear to you as a mean and deſpicable thing; as the Woman that was clothed with the Sun, had the Moon under her feet: You will ſee ſuch an attractive excellence in Chriſt, that you will eſteem him as the chief of ten thouſands; and the tempting, fair-ſpoken World, will not be able to lead Captive that heart, which you have already given to a better Lord; and whileſt others feed upon Husks, you will be treated with the Bread of your Fathers Houſe; whileſt others purſue the droſſy, ſhort-liv'd pleaſures of ſenſe, you will have the delights of Angels, and of an Eternal Heaven to feed upon; and your ſplendid ſatisfaction, will keep you from envying them, whoſe ignorance makes them to be content with lower fare; and who, when they might fly as with the Wings of Eagles, chuſe to grovel in the duſt; and as the Moon then is Eclipſed, when the Earth ſhadows it, and hinders its admiſſion of the light of the Sun that makes it viſible; and as in ſuch an Eclipſe, the nearer that Planet is to the Earth, the more durable is its darkneſs ſo if we ſuffer an Eclipſe of God's Favour, it is when this Earth interpoſes between him and us; when its falſe allurements and promiſes turn our Eyes downward, which ſhould be always lifted up to that glorious Sun by whoſe light we ſee. This World is a more dangerous Enemy than we uſually take it to be; and therefore the Apoſtle ſays, If any man love it, the love of the father is not in him, 1 Joh. 2.15. Its Joys are like thoſe falſe Fires that wander up and down in a thick and foggy night, and which lead the deceived Traveller into ſome Pit or Gulf; but the Joys of God are like the brightneſs of a Summers day; their clearneſs, their comfortableneſs, and their continuance, render them worthy of our higheſt admiration. The ſmiles of the World, many times, cover a deſigned miſchief; but the ſmiles of God are to make us happy. Whether then ſhall we moſt prize, the Fountain, or the polluted Streams? the rich Ocean, or the ſmaller Brooks? Why ſhould we love the Creatures, when we have a God to love? Why ſhould we doat upon a Bubble, that every little Storm blows away, and not embrace that Salvation that is offered? and that is both ſuitable to our faculties, and not liable to periſh? With Angels and with glorified Saints, let us make God our all, our portion, and our hearts-deſire; for our great Creator is much more amiable than his own handy-work. Let us leave the Men that know not God, to fall down before their Idols of Clay and Dirt; but let us with the higheſt reverence, with the moſt cordial ſubmiſſion, adore him, from whoſe Favour we have life. Let us leave them to dig in the Bowels of this Earth for a ſordid happineſs; but let us ariſe and go hence. Let us go and ſeek after God; Let us go and ſeek till we find him; and when we have found him, let nothing in this World, no pleaſure, no pain, no promiſes, no threats, nor life, nor death, make us part with our dear God again. Let us never ceaſe to ſigh and to long for him; Let us never be weary of his work, nor ever think that we call do too much for ſo good a Maſter: Let us feaſt our ſelves with the chearful expectation of his Eternal Love; and ſo take up the good reſolution of the Church, Cant. 4.6. Ʋntil the day breaks, and the ſhadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of Myrrh, and to the hill of Frankincenſe.
6. That you may with more care ſeek and endeavour to obtain the Favour of God, improve your experiences to this purpoſe. Have you not found what a pleaſant thing it is to be near to him? to have acceſs to his Throne? and to ſee his Face? And on the contrary, Have you not known what a diſmal and uncomfortable ſtate it is to be without him? And there are two ſorts of Experiences that may be very ſeviceable to you in this great affair.
1. Thoſe Experiences that you have of all other things in common with the reſt of Men: Have you not found, that the Promiſes and Friendſhips of this World have been very changeable? Have you not embraced many a time a Cloud, when you have promiſed your ſelves a real and a ſolid happineſs? Has the World given you that pleaſant entertainment, that cordial ſatisfaction that you propoſed to your ſelves when you firſt let your minds run upon it? Have you not a Thouſand times called it a very vain World? Have you not a Thouſand times found it to be ſo? Have you not prick'd your hands, and vex'd your ſouls, when you thought to have gathered the pleaſant flower that you doated on? Have you not ſeen that the moſt beautiful Roſe is attended with a neighbouring Thorn? Has it ſmelt ſo ſweet, and laſted ſo long as you once thought it would? Has not all your Wine had ſome Wormwood and Gall mingled with it? Has not every Comfort had a mixture of a Croſs? and where you hoped for the greateſt pleaſures, have you not met with a ſad allay of grief? Have you not been eager and importunate, and reſtleſs, for this or that creature-good? and when you have obtained it, has it been ſo ſuitable, ſo delightful, ſo every way amiable, as at a diſtance it did ſeem to be? He muſt be a young Man indeed, that hath not found this World to be a cheat; and he muſt be a Fool, that when he has been once cheated, will ſuffer himſelf to be again impos'd upon. A few years experience will make us all to ſay with the Wiſe Man, That all is vanity and vexation of ſpirit; and if we hope to extract more from it than ſo great an Obſerver of Nature as he, did, we ſhall be miſerably deceived. In our firſt and raſh deſires we flatter our ſelves with ſomething here on Earth, that is great, and plauſible, and charming; but in our more ſedate and ſecond thoughts, we find that all that is under the Sun is but a ſhew, and a meer appearance: And when we find it to be ſo, as a great many have already, and all ſhall in a little time; it becomes us to apply our ſelves to ſomething that is more durable and ſatisfying, and that is only the Favour and the Love of God.
2. Improve not only your common, but your Spiritual Experiences to this end and purpoſe. I ſuppoſe there are a great many people here, that have been under diſtreſs of ſoul, and that in ſuch diſtreſs have been brought very low; Now, What was it, I pray you, that gave you relief in ſo ſad a Caſe? Was it that you had many Friends, and great Eſtates, and a flouriſhing Trade, and abundance of outward Accommodations? I am ſure you will anſwer, No, no; none of theſe things gave us the leaſt help. Methinks I hear you ſaying, We tried ſeveral methods for a Cure, we tried ſeveral diverſions and pleaſures, the Converſations of our Friends, and whatever innocent Recreation it was that we thought might give us eaſe; we heard Sermons, we read good Books, we enquired of our Miniſters, but we found them all to be Phyſicians of no value; they did not open our Eyes, nor heal our Wounds, nor anſwer our Doubts, nor refreſh our tired and weary Souls, till God himſelf was pleaſed to do it. Nothing in all the World did avail us; nor could all the means we uſed, pull out the Sting that the ſenſe of our guilt and condemnation pierced us with; Abanah and Pharphar, all the Rivers of Damaſcus, and all the ſtreams of ſenſual delights, were not able to mitigate or quench our thirſt: All was deſolation, and terror, and amazement; till his Face was pleaſed to ſhine through the threatning cloud. We lived in darkneſs, and in the deepeſt ſorrows, till he became our light and joy; we were ſinking, till he held us up; and dying, till he was pleaſed to revive us: All the delight and mirth that ever the World gave us, was but as a flaſh of Lightning to that clear and ſerene day that his Grace created in our hearts; his Love did, indeed, mitigate our pains, and remove our ſores; and one beam from him was as the dawn of Heaven: He has fed us, like John the Baptiſt, with Honey in the Deſert; his Loving-kindneſs did, indeed, quench our thirſt. This I know is the ſenſe of your Souls, that have taſted how good the Lord is; and having had ſo pleaſant a reliſh of his Mercy, I beſeech you, let not the remembrance of it wear away. Oh! remember with delight, the tranſports, the ſweetneſs, and the ſatisfaction that you have found in God; the ſettlement, and the quiet that you have had, when you have caſt your Anchor on the Rock of Ages: what views you have then had of the New Jeruſalem, and what a pleaſant proſpect you ſaw when you were upon the Mount. Oh! remember how often you have fallen, and his kind hand has raiſed you up; how often you have been at the very Gates of the Grave, and he has been your Life; how often his Bowels have melted over you, when you were Rebellious; how often he has embraced you, when you were Prodigals; how often he has forgiven you, and bid you be of good comfort, when you did condemn your ſelves. You have found all the Creatures as the drop of the Bucket; and how unable ſo ſmall a drop was to gratify your earneſt longings, your pantings and deſires; and that after many a weary ſtep, you found no reſt till he manifeſted himſelf, and gave you that compoſure and ſtillneſs, which in vain you ſought from lower things. Have you not found more ſolace in an hours converſe with God, in Prayers and Meditation, than in many days diſcourſes with the beſt of Men? This World, I dare ſay, you have found to be worſe and worſe, the more you have tried it; but the clearer views you have had of God, have ſhewed you ſomething in him ſtill more and more excellent. How often have you come to hear his Word with entangled, perplexed thoughts, and he has ſent you away refreſhed and ſatisfied? How often have you with ſad hearts, and mournful looks, kneeled down in your Cloſets, and have riſen again, after having had communion with him, with great calmneſs and ſerenity? So that you have cried out, Oh! that I had known him ſooner, and loved him with my firſt affections; for he very well deſerves all my faculties, and all the powers of my ſoul. Remember the large experiences you have had of the goodneſs of God! With what kindneſs did he draw you at the firſt! with what gracious Promiſes did he cheriſh your languiſhing and your feeble hopes! How ſeaſonably did he awaken you from the ſleep of death, with his threats and calls, and ſeaſonable chaſtiſements! How has he made your broken bones to rejoice! How often has he enlarged your hearts in Duty, and you have felt ſo much of his Power and Preſence, and in ſo comfortable and ſo ſweet a manner, as if you had not only heard of him by the hearing of the ear, but ſeen him alſo with the ſeeing of the eye! How often has he renewed his Mercy, when you thought he would never be favourable any more! And how often, when your unbelief has made you ſay that he was departed, has he return'd again! How often has he liſtned to your doleful cries, and given you many a proof of his love in the gracious anſwer of your Prayers! How many times has your heart and fleſh failed, and he hath given you ſupport! How many times have you been ſorely tempted, and he has overthrown the Tempter! How many Storms have put you into conſternation, and he has appeared to your help, and ſaid. It is I, be not afraid! He has put you, it may be, into the Fiery Furnace; but he has been with you there, and made even the ſevereſt Tryals to purge away your droſs. He has corrected you with a very tender and a skilful hand, and has ordered, with a moſt exact Wiſdom, all your troubles, both as to the nature of them, and as to their duration; they have not been too heavy, nor have they ſtayed too long, Pſal. 119.75. I ſpeak as to wiſe men, judge you what I ſay. Theſe Experiencies well remembred, will be a means to preſerve you from loſing the favour of God, which is your Life. As 'tis uſeful for your health to remember what hurt you, and what did you good heretofore; ſo theſe ſpiritual Experiences will be very beneficial: For may you not ſay with David, Pſ. 119.96. I have ſeen an end of all perfections; but thy commandment is exceeding broad.