Divine Comforts, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. Inferences.
I. Doctrinal.
WHat remains, is only to deduce ſome profitable Inferences, Doctrinal and Practical, immediately from the Text in its Coherence and Scope, and ſuch only as are clearly included in the Bowels of it. To direct wherein, I ſhall make 2 Tim. 3.16. my Card and Compaſs. All Scripture is Divinely inſpir'd, and profitable, for Doctrine,
for Evidence,
for Conviction,
for Reproof,
for Correction,
for Rectification,
for Reformation,
for Inſtruction,
for Diſcipline,
which is even that in Righteouſneſs.
My Doctrinal Inferences are Three.
1. Hence ſee that it is a very lamentable thing for a Man to be left by God, to be worried by his own Thoughts. In what deplorable Circumſtances would David have been, had there been no Divine Comforts, to moderate and aſſwage the violence of his turbulent Cogitations? There's nothing in Man better or worſe than Thoughts. If a Good Angel act them, they are Birds of Paradiſe. They are the fureſt Guides, the ſweeteſt Companions, the ſoundeſt Comforts, the Firſt Movers in the Heaven of Vertue and Goodneſs, the laſt alive to God, the moſt delightful Anticipations of Everlaſting Bleſſedneſs, which realize thoſe Pleaſures and Joys, that are unutterable, the bright and fair Idea of the Inviſible Majeſty and Glory of God Himſelf. Contrarily, if acted by an Evil Genius, they are the very Beelzebub of the leſſer World, the Ignis Fatuus, that leads us into the Pits and Precipices of Errour, Wickedneſs, and Woe: They are the Locuſts and Smoak of the Bottomleſs Pit, that darken the Heavens of Peace and Contentation, devour and blaſt every living thing in us, the dreadful Image and Repreſentation of the black Horrours, and Confuſions of Hell. A Man is a Brute, a Fool, a Madman, or a Devil, as his Thoughts are; and his Thoughts will be as bad as Hell can make them, if Heaven do not ſuperviſe, govern, and direct them; and yet there needs no other Fiend to debauch them, than that Corruption that firſt enter'd into us by them, and does perpetually dog and haunt them. How many by them have been hurried into Hoſpitals, Halters, Bridewel, Bedlam, and the diſmal Regions of eternal Darkneſs? How do they act all the Parts, appear in all the Forms, advance to all the degrees of Malignity and Miſery? But in none more than the Melancholick. Here Satan rides as in a triumphant Chariot, the Wheels are Thoughts, which by preſenting Objects, and exciting Corruptions, he ſets a going, ſometimes with Conſent, ſometimes without. Hence proceed Atheiſtical, Blaſphemous, &c. Injections, which raviſh the Mind, in the greateſt abhorrence of the Will: Hence deſpairing Reflections, which realize and antedate thoſe intolerable Cruciations of outer Darkneſs; Hence terrifying Motions, which deaden and betray the Aids and Supports of Reaſon and Religion, and finds a Devil in every Corner. Any one Thought, armed by Juſtice, and acted by Satan, is ſufficient to embitter all the Joys of Life, and render a Man as miſerable, as is poſſible on this ſide, never ending Miſeries. Who then can bear up againſt a Multitude? Guarde me Dieu de moy, was my School-Maſters Motto. No Man can have a greater finite Enemy than his own Thoughts: A Multitude of theſe Tormentors within, is worſe, than all the ravenous Lions, and Bears, and Tigers, and Wolves, in the Univerſe; which by Power, or Induſtry, or Policy, Art, and Wit, a Man may avoid, but how ſhall he eſcape from himſelf; and that which is neareſt himſelf, his wild, mad, untutour'd, ungovernable Cogitations? 'Twas then no improper Litany, From my ſelf, good God, guard and deliver me.
2. See here, that the beſt of Men, may fall into ſuch Perplexities, that all natural Aids may be inſufficient for their Relief. Not [my Carnal Contents, and the Pleaſures of Senſe]; not [my Worldly Grandeur, and the Hopes, or Fruition of a Kingdom]; not [my Invincible Spirit, Valour, Conduct, Victories, and Military Glory]; not [my Rational Conſiderations, and Philoſophy,] but [thy Comforts] are the Sanctuary of his perſecuted, and perſecuting Thoughts: Here, and here alone, does he find repoſe and reſt. Indeed, if it were not thus, we could not be our ſelves. Did we enjoy all at home, we ſhould not be Men, but Gods. Self-ſufficiency is an incommunicable Perfection of the Deity. He that can be without all other Perſons and Things, is all. Sociableneſs is the Property and Felicity of Humane Nature; and therefore declares its Dependency. Man cannot be without Man, much leſs without God. But if the Conſtitution of our Natures had been ſuch, that in all Exorbitances of Thoughts, we could readily compoſe our ſelves, into a ſerene and ſober Calm of Reſt: Such is our Native Pride and Self-fullneſs, ſince we were debaſed, and emptied of all good, by the Fall, that we ſhould never be induc'd to pay our due Tribute of Honour, and Homage unto God, to which not ſo much Ingenuity leads us, as neceſſity drives us. 'Tis true, in the State of Integrity, Man was endowed with an Ability (not to recompoſe and redintegrate the Diſorders and Ruines in his Mind and Conſcience, introduced by irregular, peſtilent, and intemperate Cogitations, which ſuppoſe Loſs of Integrity, but) to maintain in his Soul, a conſtant and durable Peace and Reſt; but then 'twas, becauſe he was poſſeſt of a Sufficiency of Wiſdom and Goodneſs to govern his Thoughts with that Balance, as to ſecure himſelf from all their Inordinacies. But in laps'd Nature, the Caſe is otherwiſe: An unreſiſtible Impetus of Thoughts, is ſometimes inevitable; for there are two Principles in degenerate Man, of a contrary Genius, which poſſeſs his Principal Faculties, Reaſon (but this much debilitated) in his Mind, Corruption (tho' not without ſome Alloy) in his Will. In all Moral Eſſays of Reaſon, 'tis very much thwarted by Corruption, and even in its Speculations infinitely weakned and debaſed. The Will poſſeſſes a kind of Empire over the Mind, to excite, divert, direct, or determine Thoughts, and vary all their Circumſtances, by propoſal of Objects, &c. and ſometimes to give a Superſedeas to ſome kind of Thoughts, though not all; but oft it raiſes up ſuch Spirits, as it cannot conjure down, and very ſeldom has Dominion over the Matter or Subject of our Thoughts, to biaſs the Mind into ſuch Conceptions of Things, as it pleaſes, difform, and diſſonant, from the Nature of the Things themſelves, except where there is a more than ordinary Debauch, upon both Mind and Will. For the Reaſon of the Subject, muſt neceſſarily accord with the Reaſon of the Object, if there be any Truth in our Conceptions. Thoughts diſagreeing from Things, are Errours, and Deluſions. The Remainders therefore of Corruption in the Will, after its Renewal by Grace, together with a ſubtile Tempter, and ſometimes the Holy Spirit of God himſelf (as under Convictions of Sin) do excite ſuch Cogitations as are too hard for us, and bear down all the Supports of Nature, raiſing ſuch Tumults, and turbulent Affections, that our Spirits are ready to ſuccumb and ſink under them, into the moſt penſive Dumpiſhneſs, Dolour, Deſpair, Horror, and Confuſion. He is a Stranger to Himſelf, the World, the Scriptures, Chriſtianity, the Church, and particular Souls that know not this. If any will not yet believe it, I remit him to Bedlam, where his Senſe will convince him, what doleful Tragedies of this nature, have been, and are acted by Amorous, Envious, Studious, Dolorous, and Religious Melancholy, to omit other kinds. And what Man is there, that with any Senſe and Seriouſneſs, reflects upon his own particular Sins, againſt the Holy Majeſty of Heaven, in their odious Aggravations, together with the declared Diſpleaſure and Indignation, the menaced Wrath and Curſe of Almighty Vengeance againſt them, and his Perſon for their ſake; but will ſometimes find ſo great and oppreſſive Perturbations in his Mind and Conſcience, as to be utterly at a Non-plus, and ſcarce able to ſecure himſelf from Deſpondency? Who is there, that in ſome, either common or uncommon Calamity, or imminent Danger thereof, does not ſometimes find the Paſſions excited by his Thoughts, to be an Over-match for his Reaſon? Who but a ſenſeleſs ſtupid Log, does not a little ſometimes paſs the bounds of Decorum, in the Internal Workings of Sorrow, upon the I oſs or Death natural, but eſpecially ſuddain and violent of, or any conſiderable Croſſes in, and by deareſt and neareſt Relations, and yet more eſpecially when their immortal Souls are apparently hazzarded, if not finally loſt and ſunk into Eternal Damnation.
Now, no inward Affections are Self-movers, they neither do, nor can act, but upon the apprehenſion of Sence, or Motion of Thoughts, or Influence of ſome exterior very powerful Agent, that can make immediate Impreſſions upon the Blood and Spirits, as neither are our Thoughts, (no, nor can be) any Moleſtation or Affliction, but only as irritating our Paſſions. And I would gladly ſee the Man, who by Rational or Religious Conſiderations, has reduc'd his Thoughts and Paſſions to that equable Temperament, and Balance, that they neither are nor can be induc'd or impell'd, won, or wreſted into any Irregularity, or Exceſs, by the ſingle or united Powers of Earth, Hell, and Heaven; which laſt never depraves them, though it oft puniſhes us by them. Surely Job was a very good Man, yet the Extremity of his Afflictions provoked him to talk, and therefore think extravagantly. And if God Almighty caſt away the Reins out of his hands, and let looſe a Man's Thoughts upon him, (and who is there that gives him not a world of Provocation) I know not whither, even the moſt mere Man's Thoughts may not hurry him on this ſide Hell. If any deſire a full Conviction, what a wicked Man's Thoughts can do, let them a little ſurvey thoſe diſmal Regions of Everlaſting Horror (not in Perſon, as the poor Priſoner in Alex. ab Alexandro, Genial. Dier.L. 6. C. 21. but) in Thought and Meditation; and I hope it will do him this Good, viz. engage him to implore Omnipotent Grace, to Reſtrain and Govern his Thoughts, that they may not be an Introduction, and Earneſt, of thoſe eaſeleſs, endleſs, remedileſs Woes; and if his Thoughts thereof, will permit him to ſleep or reſt, before he hath done this, he thinks to little purpoſe.
Laſtly, Behold the infinite Condeſcenſion and Care of Heaven, towards impotent degenerous Man, in the Proviſion made, not only for his Neceſſity, but Conſolation. Rather than our Thoughts ſhould be too many, and ſo an Over-match for us, the Divine Goodneſs will interpoſe and relieve us, and has exhibited ſuch a full Treaſury of Comforts, that no Diſtreſs can befal us ſo uncouth, ſo uncommon, ſo inextricable, as to be out of the reach and road of the Relief therein tendered us. That ſo inconſiderable a Piece, as a Sinner, a Pourtraicture of Hell, limn'd after the Image of Satan, (the Father of all Wickedneſs) an Enemy thro natural depravement, to God and Goodneſs, ſhould engage the Solicitude and Providence of Heaven, in ſuch admirable inſtances, to retrieve its loſt Happineſs, and recover it out of the Sink and Abyſs of Filth and Wretchedneſs, that it may be ſet aloft in the Galleries of Glory, and be beautified in, rather than beautifie, the Preſence-Chamber of the King of Kings: This, this is a wonder beyond the Dimenſion of all other Miracles, to be aſcrib'd to the Benignity and Efficiency of nothing Inferiour to Infiniteneſs. Men may flatter themſelves in their ſweet Harangues concerning the Celſitude, Dignity, and Nobleneſs of Humane Nature, let it in its poſitive State as the effect of a moſt excellent Cauſe, be advanc'd, and admir'd as much as it can, by Words or Thoughts, yet what is it comparatively to God? What is it under the debaſements of Sin? Which is infinitely more odious to God, than any thing ſhort of Himſelf, can be pleaſing; ſo that nothing leſs than Divinity, could give Satisfaction for the Wrong it did to the Supreme Majeſty of Heaven; not all the natural Excellencies of the whole Creation, not all the Moral Perfections and Performances of Men and Angels; and what Account is to be made of a drop of Honey, intermingled with an Ocean of Gall? The ever Adoreable Son of God, who was much more a Man, in reſpect of all eximious humane Endowments, than ever any born of Woman (beſides his Sinleſsneſs) yet in the Perſon of David ſaith of himſelf, Pſal. 22.6.4. I am a Worm and no Man, (if that be not to be underſtood eſtimatively, that he was no better in the account of his Reproachers, that ſhaked the Head at him, ſaying be truſted in the Lord, &c. compare this with Matth. 27.39.43. See alſo Pſal. 8.4, 5, 6. Heb. 2.6, &c. In Job 25.6. Man is conſidered with reſpect to that which does moſt of all ennoble, viz. Goodneſs and Righteouſneſs: Yet (becauſe 'tis allay'd with the Mixture of many Imperfections, and Miſcarriages, and Pollutions, by reaſon whereof he ſtands in need of Pardon and Juſtification, that he cannot inſiſt upon it, as capable of rendring his Perſon and Actions in ſtrict Juſtice acceptable to, or allowable by the Righteous Judge of Quick and Dead) Bildad there will admit him to ſtand in no higher Rank than that of a Worm, when any thing in him aſpires to a Competition with God; as indeed, there's no Proportion betwixt Finite and Inſinite. And that the High and Lofty One that inhabits Eternity, ſhould humble and debaſe Himſelf, to engage ſo admirably for ſo minute a Being, make Proviſion ſo incomparably rich and glorious for a vile Worm, is a Work of unparallell'd Bounty, and Magnificence, congruous and anſwerable to the immenſe Perfection of God, but infinitely above the Merit and Meanneſs of Man.
Comfort! 'Tis a comprehenſive, an incomprehenſible Bleſſing, like Him who Gives it, who Is it. All that God hath done, ſtill doth, and intends to do, is implied in it, or may be inferr'd from it. All the eternal good Purpoſes of the Divine Majeſty, for the Benefit of Man, the whole Undertaking and Purchaſe of His Well-beloved Son, every of the Gifts, Graces, and Workings of the Holy Spirit, are ſumm'd up here. For a Man is not capable of actual Comfort, till he enjoy Aſſurance, as hath been evinced, nor of aſſurance, till he be Juſtified and Sanctified; nor of theſe, without the Spirit of Grace, nor of that without the Mediation of Chriſt; nor is he capable of Eternal Comfort, till he enjoy all theſe in their Fulneſs. This one Mercy therefore is All; becauſe where It is given, All are given before or with it, and it is given as the Fruit of All; the Beſtowal of it, being the conſummate Act of Divine Munificence. In Summ, Comfort in part, is part of Heaven; perfect Comfort, is perfect Heaven. Oh aſtoniſhing Grace! Oh unimitable Goodneſs in the Donor! Oh unlimitable Bleſſedneſs in the Poſſeſſor! Oh what is man, Lord, that thou art thus mindful of him, or the ſon of man, that thou doſt thus viſit him! Erect thy ſelf, Oh my Soul, into an admiring Contemplation, of this Deſcent of Majeſty, ſo ſtupendous, ſo benign, ſo beneficial. Refreſh thy Thoughts with it daily: Let it dwell with thee: Reſolve, and endeavour to endear to thy ſelf, that infinite Goodneſs, which ſo incredibly humbles it ſelf, for thy advantage. Improve it for that end; for if this Meditation do not Better thee, thou wilt be worſe for it to all Eternity.