Counsel to the Afflicted, Question 1 · Directions
SECT. 1.
1. Lay hold on Gods Covenant, wherein he hath promiſed to give his people contented and ſatisfied minds under all his dealings with them, even when he afflicts them moſt ſorely, and taketh away their moſt endeared comforts and enjoyments from them. I will mention ſome promiſes to this purpoſe, Pſal. 37.19. They ſhall not be aſhamed in the evil time, and in the dayes of famine they ſhall be ſatisfied: Famine is one of the ſoreſt of Gods Judgements, it is worſe than War, which is alſo a very heavy judgment. David choſe the Peſtilence rather than War, as being the leſſer evil, but famine is worſe than War, Lam. 4.9. They that be ſlain with the ſword, are better than they that are ſlain with hunger. Yet in the evil time, in Famine, though the Famine laſt many dayes, God promiſeth that his righteous ſervants ſhall be ſatisfied. Iſa. 58.11. The Lord ſhall guide thee continually, and ſatisfie thy ſoul in drought—or as 'tis in the Margin, in droughts. The Prophet uſeth the plural number to ſignifie that God will ſatisfie his peoples ſouls in all droughts, or in the greateſt drought that ever did, or ever ſhall come upon any place. When God promiſeth to ſatisfie our ſouls in drought, it implies, 1. That he will give us ſatisfied mindes under the penury and want of all outward comforts; for drought brings a conſumption upon all earthly enjoyments, Hag. 1.10,11. 2. That he will ſtay, and ſupport, and ſatisfie our mindes under our greateſt ſorrows. No afflictions bring greater ſorrows than Famine which is the companion of drought, Jer. 14.2,3,4,17,18. Lam. 2.11,12,18,19. 3. It implieth that God will give us ſatisfied mindes when we walk in the view of death, when we ſee our children and relations dying, and our ſelves are ready every hour to faint, and give up the Ghoſt for want of bread. The Prophet deſcribing the Famine that was in Jeruſalem, ſaith, Lam. 2.11,12. The children and the ſucklings ſwoon in the ſtreets of the City, they ſay to their Mothers, where is corn and wine? when they ſwooned as the wounded in the ſtreets of the City, when their ſoul was poured out into their Mothers boſom. The wilderneſs which was a land of drought is called a land of the ſhadow of death, Jer. 2.6. In times of drought God takes away that which is the ſtay and ſtaff of a mans life; Iſa. 3.1. The Lord doth take away from Jeruſalem and from Judah, the ſtay and the ſtaff, the whole ſtay of bread, and the whole ſtay of water. Drought conſumes our corn, and wine, and oyl, as was hinted before from Hag. 1.11. And of theſe the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Pſal. 104.15. Wine maketh glad the heart of man, and oyl makes his face to ſhine, and bread ſtrengtheneth mans heart. So that when the Lord promiſeth to ſatisfie our ſouls in drought, there is implyed in this promiſe, that when the joy of our hearts, when our glory and ſtrength is taken away, when all means of ſupporting life fail, when we are in the moſt deſolate places, or deſolate conditions imaginable, he will under all our troubles give us ſatisfied mindes. The Lord hath not only promiſed to give us contented ſatisfied mindes under all our troubles, but he hath promiſed to continue us under a contented frame of ſpirit, that whatever changes or alterations we paſs through, we ſhall abide ſatisfied and contented in all eſtates and conditions. Prov. 19.23. The fear of the Lord tendeth to life, and he that hath it ſhall abide ſatisfied, he ſhall not be viſited with evil. The latter clauſe of this promiſe is not to be underſtood, as though they that fear God ſhould not meet with any afflictions, but when God doth viſit them with afflictions, they ſhall have ſuch abundant ſatisfaction in God, and from God, that they ſhall not feel any evil in their afflictions. Another promiſe of the like nature made to ſuch as fear God, we have Pſal. 25.13. His ſoul ſhall dwell at eaſe—dwelling implyeth the continuance of the eaſe and quiet that their ſouls ſhall enjoy that fear the Lord, though their outward condition may be full of trouble, yet their ſouls ſhall dwell at eaſe, Pſal. 119.165. Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing ſhall offend them. Which promiſe Junius interprets to this effect. They that love the Law of God ſhall enjoy ſuch great peace and tranquility of minde, that nothing that doth befal them ſhall take away their peace. They may, and do fall into troubles and afflictions as well as other men, but their troubles ſhall not take away their peace from them. To be content in all eſtates and conditions is one way whereby we partake of the divine nature, and do reſemble God; now it is by and through the promiſes that we become partakers of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promiſes, that by theſe you might be partakers of the divine nature—wherefore in order to the obtaining of a contented ſpirit under this and all other afflictions, be much in meditation upon the promiſes of God, and apply them to your own ſouls, and plead them daily with God, until you have obtained all that fulneſs of grace and peace which is contained in them.
SECT. 2.
2. When you feel any diſcontented thoughts ariſing in your mindes, any fretting or repining againſt God, labour to ſubdue all ſuch riſings of heart, and all diſcontented, troubled thoughts.
1. By calling to minde ſuch Scriptures as theſe, James 4.7. Submit your ſelves unto God—Lam. 3.39. Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the puniſhment of his ſins? James 1.2. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations. Heb. 13.5. Let your converſation be without covetouſneſs, and be content with ſuch things as ye have; for he hath ſaid, I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee. Pſal. 46.10. Be ſtill and know that I am God. John 14.1. Let not your heart be troubled, Zech. 2.13. Be ſilent, O all fleſh before the Lord—Rom. 9.20. Nay, but O man, who art thou that replyeſt againſt God? ſhall the thing formed ſay unto him that formed it, why haſt thou formed me thus? 1 Sam. 3.18. It is the Lord, let him do what ſeemeth him good.
2. Call off your eyes and your thoughts from your temporal loſſes, and look within the veil to thoſe eternal bleſſings which are prepared and reſerved in heaven for you. Overmuch pondering upon our loſſes, will ſtir up grief and ſorrow, and cauſe dejection. Lam. 1.2. She weepeth ſore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; and that which among other things cauſed her ſorrow, is mentioned, ver. 7. Jeruſalem remembred in the dayes of her affliction, and of her miſeries, all her pleaſant things that ſhe had in the dayes of old—David alſo found that the remembrance of his loſſes ſtirred his ſorrows. Pſal. 42.4. When I remember theſe things, I pour out my ſoul in me. But the diverting of our mindes and thoughts from thoſe good things which we have loſt, and thoſe evils which we ſuffer, and looking to thoſe great things that are reſerved in heaven for us, is an excellent means to keep us from fainting and ſinking under our ſufferings. 2 Cor. 4.8,9,10,11,16,18. We are troubled on every ſide—we are perplexed—perſecuted—caſt down—alwayes bearing about the dying of the Lord Jeſus—are alwayes delivered unto death—yet in all theſe ſufferings he adds, ver. 16. We faint not—He telleth us alſo whence it came to paſs that he did not faint, ver. 18. While we look not at the things which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen; for the things which are ſeen are temporal, but the things which are not ſeen are eternal.
3. Chide and rebuke your ſouls for being caſt down and diſquieted about worldly things, and call upon them to hope in God, who is your portion, and is able to revive you under your greateſt troubles and ſorrows, Pſal. 42.11. Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul, and why art thou diſquieted within me? hope thou in God, for I ſhall yet praiſe him, who is the health of my countenanee, and my God.
4. Look unto Jeſus Chriſt to quiet your ſpirits, he can take down all the riſings of the heart, and bring every thought into ſubjection unto his Holy Will. 2 Cor. 10.4,5. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of ſtrong holds, caſting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth it ſelf againſt the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chriſt. Our ſtrength to reſiſt and overcome ſinfull motions, doth not lie in our ſelves, but in Jeſus Chriſt. As we are not ſufficient of our ſelves to think one good thought, 2 Cor. 3.5. So neither can we of our ſelves caſt out one evil thought; but through Chriſt Jeſus we ſhall be able to do all things. The Apoſtle Paul paſſed through variety of conditions, he ſuffered the loſs of all things, he was frequently in priſons, in deaths oft, &c. yet he had learned in whatſoever eſtate he was, therewith to be content; and how did he attain to this? it was by Chriſt, Phil. 4.13. I can do all things through Chriſt which ſtrengtheneth me.
SECT. 3.
3. Truſt in the Lord at all times, and for all things; live by faith upon the promiſes, and ſtay your ſelves continually upon God: this will be an excellent means to keep your ſouls in a quiet, peaceable, contented, ſatisfied frame, under all the loſſes and croſſes that have befallen you, or may befal you for the time to come. Iſa 26.3. Thou will keep him in perfect peace whoſe minde is ſtayed on thee, becauſe he truſteth in thee. Pſal. 36.7,8. How excellent is thy loving kindneſs; O God, therefore the children of men put their truſt under the ſhadow of thy wings, they (that is, they that truſt in thee) ſhall be alundantly ſatisfied with the fatneſs of thy houſe, and thou ſhalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleaſures. Though they that truſt in God meet with many bitter and ſharp afflictions, yet thoſe draughts which God giveth them of the rivers of his pleaſures do ſo ſweeten all their afflictions, that they remain abundantly ſatisfied under all Gods dealings with them: See alſo to this purpoſe, Jer. 17.7,8. Bleſſed is the man that truſteth in the Lord, and whoſe hope the Lord is, for he ſhall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that ſpreadeth out her roots by the river, and ſhall not ſee when heat cometh; but her leaf ſhall be green, and ſhall not be careful in the year of drought, neither ſhall ceaſe from yielding fruit. Here the Lord promiſeth thoſe that truſt in him, ſuch a ſtayed ſatisfied mind, that they ſhall be no more diſturbed or diſquieted by their afflictions than if they met with none at all—And ſhall not ſee when heat cometh—though it ſhould be a time of drought, and the drought ſhould continue not only dayes, or months; but years, yet God will keep their minds from being perplexed and diſquieted with cares,—And ſhall not be careful in the year of drought.
SECT. 4.
4. Labour daily to mortifie all inordinate affections to worldly things. Moſt of that diſturbance which ariſeth in our mindes when we meet with loſſes or other afflictions, proceedeth from inordinate affection. If neither our deſire, nor fear, nor hope, nor love, nor delight, nor any other affection were carried out immediately after worldly things, croſſes and diſappointments would not create any great trouble to us. The Apoſtle Paul who was crucified to the world, was as well content in his wants as in his greateſt abundance, and in his abaſements as when moſt highly honoured. Gal. 6.14. compared with Phil. 4.11,12. It was Jacobs immoderate love to his Son Joſeph, that did ſo much deject him, and cauſe him to mourn ſo exceſſively for his ſuppoſed death, that though all his Sons, and all his Daughters roſe up to comfort him, he refuſed to be comforted, Gen. 37.3,34,35. It was Baruchs inordinate deſire after great things, that cauſed him to be ſo reſtleſs in his afflictions, and to faint under his trials, Jer. 45.3,5. David went through many troubles, yet kept his heart in a quiet frame; and one great means whereby he quieted himſelf, was by getting and keeping his affections weaned from worldly things, Pſal. 131.2. Surely I have behaved and quieted my ſelf as a childe that is weaned of his Mother, my ſoul is even as a weaned child.
SECT. 5.
5. Give up your ſelves to the doing of works of righteouſneſs. Do all the ſervice that you are able for God, and for your generation. Abound alwayes in the work of the Lord, and be ready as far as you have opportunity and ability to do all the good you can for all men; hereby you ſhall obtain a quiet peaceable frame of ſpirit under all your troubles and afflictions. Iſa. 32.17. The work of righteouſneſs ſhall be peace, and the effect of righteouſneſs, quietneſs and aſſurance for ever. The Prophet had threatned great troubles, and of many years continuance, ver. 9, 10, 11. and then tells them, how they might retain quietneſs under all their troubles, namely by working righteouſneſs, v. 17. and then tells them farther of the bleſſedneſs of ſuch as did ſow beſides all waters, (that is, who took hold of all opportunities to be doing good) they ſhould enjoy peace and quietneſs when Gods judgements came down as thick as hail round about them, ver. 18, 19, 20. Working of righteouſneſs promotes contentment in all eſtates ſeveral wayes. I will mention one or two. 1. As it produceth the joy of the Lord in our ſouls. God is wont to put joy and gladneſs into the hearts of thoſe that work righteouſneſs, Pſal. 45.7. Thou loveſt righteouſneſs, and hateſt wickedneſs; therefore God, thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladneſs above thy fellows. Pſal. 97.11. Light is ſown for the righteous, and gladneſs for the upright in heart. Now when God puts joy and gladneſs into our hearts, we do not much feel the ſorrows and troubles that we meet with in this world, Eccleſ. 5.20. He ſhall not much remember the dayes of his life, becauſe God anſwereth him in the joy of his heart. What Solomon ſaith of wine and ſtrong drink, Prov. 30.6,7. Give ſtrong drink unto him that is ready to periſh, and wine to thoſe that be of heavy hearts; let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his miſery no more. The like I may ſay of the joyes of the Holy Ghoſt, when God hath made us to drink of the rivers of his pleaſures, though we be poor, and heavy of heart, and ready to periſh, they will make us forget our poverty, and remember our ſorrow no more. 2. Working righteouſneſs promotes contentment on this account, becauſe they that work righteouſneſs have many ſweet viſits from God, and enjoy much of Gods preſence, and the ſoul is never better at eaſe, or enjoyes more contentment, than when it enjoyes God, Iſa. 64.5. Thou meeteſt him that rejoyceth, and worketh righteouſneſs, thoſe that remember thee in thy wayes. John 14.23. If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
SECT. 6.
6. Take up your reſt and contentment in God, and and that will keep you from fretting, and vexing, and being diſcontented under your loſſes, and all other afflictions, Pſal. 37.7. Reſt in the Lord—fret not thy ſelf—There is no better way to prevent fretting and vexing at croſs providences, than for a man to take up his reſt in God, for he ſhall finde ſuch ſweetneſs in God, that he ſhall not feel any great bitterneſs in affliction. When the Spouſe was a Lilly among Thorns, encompaſſed with ſharp and piercing troubles, when ſhe was ſcorched with heat of Perſecution, ſhe found ſuch ſweetneſs in ſolacing her Soul with Chriſt, that ſhe makes no complaints of her Sufferings, but maketh her boaſt of what ſhe found in him, Cant. 2.3. I ſate down under his ſhadow with great delight, and his fruit was ſweet to my taſte. She ſpoke this, when Chriſt reſembled her to a Lilly among Thorns, ver. 2. Now in regard it conduceth much to the helping of us to be contented under all the troubles of this life for a man to take up his reſt, and ſatisfaction, and contentment in God. I ſhall enlarge a little upon this Head, and ſhew firſt, That there is enough in God to give the ſoul of a man full ſatisfaction and contentment in every ſtate and condition. 2. I ſhall ſhew how a man may take up his reſt and contentment in God.
1. There is enough in God to give the ſoul of a man full and compleat ſatisfaction; how poor, how afflicted, how deſolate ſoever his condition be in this world: and this may be demonſtrated ſeveral wayes.
1. God is a ſuitable good; he anſwers all the wants, all the deſires, all the workings and breathings, and motions of the ſoul of man. All that the ſoul wants, is to be found in God, Phil. 4.19. My God ſhall ſupply all your need according to his riches in glory by Jeſus Chriſt. All that the ſoul deſires is in God, Iſa. 26.8,9. The deſire of our ſoul is to thy name—with my ſoul have I deſired thee in the night. Pſal. 73.25. There is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee. Now where there is a ſupply of all wants, and an accompliſhment of all the deſires of the ſoul, there is full ſatisfaction. That which the ſoul travelleth after, that which it laboureth for, that which it mainly purſueth and followeth after, is, that it may enjoy God, Pſal. 63.8. My ſoul followeth hard after thee—which ſhews, that ſatisfaction is to be had in God: for when a man hath obtained that which his ſoul travelleth after, he is ſatisfied, Iſa. 53.10. He ſhall ſee of the travel of his ſoul and be ſatisfied. God is the center to which all the motions of a ſanctified ſoul do tend. The enquiries of the ſoul are after God, Cant. 3.3. Saw ye him whom my ſoul loveth? John 12.21. Sir we would ſee Jeſus. The pantings, and thirſtings, and breathings of the ſoul are after God, Pſal. 42.1,2.—My ſoul panteth after thee, O God, my ſoul is athirſt for God, for the living God, when ſhall I come and appear before God? The mournings of the ſouls are after the Lord, Zech. 12.10. They ſhall mourn for him, 1 Sam. 7.2.—All the houſe of Iſrael lamented after the Lord. The ſeekings and cryes of the ſoul are after God, Pſal. 63.1. O God, thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee. Pſal. 84.2. My heart and my fleſh crieth out for the living God. The main thing the ſoul hopeth and waiteth for, is God, Pſal. 71.5. Thou art my hope—Pſal. 39.7. Now Lord what wait I for? my hope is in thee. Pſal. 130,5 6. I wait for the Lord, my ſoul doth wait, in his word do I hope; my ſoul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning; I ſay more than they that watch for the morning. The expectations of the ſoul are from him, Pſal. 62.5. My ſoul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from him. The boaſtings and triumphings of the ſoul are in God, Pſal. 34.2. My ſoul ſhall make her boaſt in the Lord. Iſa. 25.9. Lo this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will ſave us; this is the Lord, we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoyce in his ſalvation. The like may be proved of all other motions of the ſoul, they tend to God as their center; whence it followeth, that the ſouls reſt is in God, for all things are at reſt when they come to their proper center.
2. God is an eternal good. If a man be poſſeſſed of never ſuch an excellent portion, if there be fear or danger of loſing what he enjoyeth, this is a diſturbance to his minde, and hindereth in ſome meaſure, the fulneſs of his contentment; but as for God, there is no cauſe to fear our loſing of him when once we have gotten God for our portion; for when he beſtows himſelf upon a perſon, he gives himſelf for a portion to that perſon for ever, Pſal. 48.14. This God is our God for ever and ever, he will be our guide even unto death. Pſal. 73.26. My fleſh and my heart faileth; but God is the ſtrength of my heart and my portion for ever. The ſoul of man being of an immortal eternal nature, no leſs good than that which is eternal can give it ſatisfaction.
3. God is an all-ſufficient Good. Such is Gods all-ſufficiency to ſatisfie all the deſires of the ſoul, that a man that enjoyeth God for his portion, need not deſire any thing either in heaven or earth, to adde to his happineſs beſides God, Pſal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I deſire leſides thee. Such is Gods all-ſufficiency to ſatisfie the ſoul, that if a man may be deprived of all worldly comforts and enjoyments, there is enough in God to fill his ſoul with joy, though all his outward comforts be taken from him, he may ſtill rejoyce in God, Hab. 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 flock ſhall be cut off from the fold, and there ſhall be no herd in the ſtalls; yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my ſalvation. Such is the all-ſufficiency of God to ſatisfie the ſoul, that the ſoul may rejoyce and delight it ſelf in God, not only when it wants the good things of this world, but alſo when it is ſurrounded with many evils, Rom. 5.3,11. We glory in tribulations—we joy in God, through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom we have now received the atonement. Pſal. 44.8. In God we boaſt all the day long—and this was ſpoken under a time of great affliction, as may be ſeen from the following verſes, eſpecially ver. 22. For thy ſake we are killed all the day long, we are counted as ſheep for the ſlaughter. We may boaſt in God all the day long, though it be in ſuch a day, wherein we go in danger of our life all the day long, or wherein we meet with afflictions as hard to be born, and as bitter as death it ſelf.
4. The Lord is able to ſatisfie the deſire of every creature, Pſal. 145.16. Thou openeſt thy hand, and ſatisfieſt the deſire of every living thing. There is that in God which doth or may ſatisfie all the Saints and Servants of God upon the face of the earth, 2 Cor. 12.9. My grace is ſufficient for thee.—This was ſpoken to Paul, when he was in great perplexity, being buffeted with the meſſenger of Satan, which was as irkſome to his ſoul, as any thorn can be to the fleſh, and Gods grace that was ſufficient for Paul is ſufficient for all that truſt in him, not only to give them ſatisfaction, but ſuch abundant ſatisfaction that they need not ask any more, Pſal. 37.8. They ſhall be abundantly ſatisfied with the fatneſs of thy houſe—David was ſo overjoyed with what he met with in, and from God, that he could not ask more than God had given him, 2 Sam. 7.20. And what can David ſay more unto thee.
5. There is that in God which ſatisfieth all the Saints and Angels in heaven, Pſal. 17.15. As for me I will behold thy face in righteouſneſs, I ſhall be ſatisfied when I awake with thy likeneſs. The Saints and Angels in heaven are of larger capacity than we are, their faculties are more raiſed than ours, they can take in far more joy than we are capable of whilſt we dwell here below, yet they are as full of joy as they can hold; and this their joy ariſeth only from the fruition of God, Pſal. 16.11. In thy preſence is fulneſs of joy—for after they come to heaven, they have no enjoyment of any worldly things, Eccleſ. 9.6. Luke 20.35,36. neither do they finde any need of any thing that is under the Sun, to augment their happineſs, Rev. 21.23.
6. God is foreign ſelf-ſufficient, and therefore he muſt needs be foreign all-ſufficient for all his creatures. There is no creature on the earth, nor no Saint or Angel in heaven partaketh of ſuch bleſſedneſs, ſuch joy and delight, as the bleſſed God; and whence ariſeth that bleſſedneſs and contentment which God enjoyeth? only from himſelf, as may be proved by ſeveral arguments; I will mention three. 1. Before ever there were any creatures in being, either Men, or Angels, or other creatures, he was God bleſſed in himſelf, and lived as happy and bleſſed a life as he doth now, he hath an innumerable company of Angels to wait upon him. He was God, the ſame God that now he is, before ever the creatures were produced into being, Pſal. 90.2. He ever was, and ever will be infinitely and eternally bleſſed; and therefore being infinitely bleſſed in himſelf, before the world was created, the creatures added nothing to his bleſſedneſs. 2. It is evident that God is ſelf-ſufficient, and that his happineſs and bleſſedneſs proceedeth from himſelf, and that he needeth nothing that any of his creatures can do, to adde to his happineſs, becauſe the creatures have nothing, and can do nothing but what they have from him, and do by thoſe influences they receive from him. Acts 17.24,25. God that made the world and all things therein, ſeeing he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in Temples made with hands, neither is worſhipped with mens hands, as though he needed any thing, ſeeing he giveth to all, life and breath, and all things. 3 If all creatures ſhould be annihilated and reduced to their firſt nothing, God would ſtill continue the ſame that ever he was, and be as bleſſed as he is at this day, Pſal. 102.25,26,27. Now ſeeing there is enough in God to ſatisfie every living thing, to ſatisfie all his ſervants on earth, and all his Saints and Angels in Heaven; yea, ſeeing he is ſelf-ſufficient, and hath in himſelf that which ſufficeth for his own happineſs; is it not unreaſonable for any man to doubt, whether there be that in God which may give him full and compleat ſatisfaction in all eſtates and conditions whatever?
7. As there is full ſatisfaction to be had in God, ſo true reſt and contentment is to be had no where but in God. Take every creature upon the face of the Earth a-part, or take them all together adorned with all their excellencies, and if you conſider them abſtracted from God and Chriſt, they are all vanity and vexation of ſpirit, Eccleſ. 1.2. Vanity of vanities, ſaith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity. Eccleſ. 2.17. All is vanity and vexation of ſpirit. This judgment and determination concerning what is in all creatures, was given by Solomon, one of the wiſeſt of men that ever lived; it was given by Solomon that had as much as his heart could wiſh, of the things of this world, and made it his work & buſineſs to ſearch into, and ſtudy what was in the Creatures that might delight and content the heart of man, Eccl. 2.3. and in this his ſcrutiny, he tells us, V. 10. Whatſoever mine eyes deſired, I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy—Yet after all his diligence and all his experiments to try what was in the creatures, he gives this account, All is vanity and vexation of ſpirit: yea which is more than what hath been ſaid, He was a Pen-man of holy Scripture, he was inſpired by the Holy Ghoſt when he gave this judgment of the creatures, that all is vanity and vexation of ſpirit. Now what wiſe man would ſeek for his reſt in that which is vanity and vexation of ſpirit? As it was with Noah's Dove when gone out of the Ark, Gen. 8.9. The Dove found no reſt for the ſole of her foot, and ſhe returned unto him, into the Ark. So it will be with us, though we ſeek for reſt every where, we ſhall find it no where but by returning to God in Chriſt. It is ſaid of the Jews, Jer. 50.6. They have gone from Mountain to Hill, they have forgotten their reſting place. If we think to find reſt in any place, or any condition, and do not ſeek it in God, we do but delude our ſelves, with vain hopes, for it is to be found only in him, Mat. 11.28,29. Come unto me, and ye ſhall finde reſt for your ſouls. Seeing then that ſatisfaction is to be had in God, and no where elſe … in God, it is impoſſible that any man ſhould have …nd laſting contentment that doth not take up his … in God; and therefore whoſoever would learn to be content in all eſtates, muſt learn how to ſatisfie himſelf in and with the Lord, and that is the next thing I am to enquire into, namely,
How we may come to take up our reſt and ſatisfaction in God, in all Eſtates and Conditions.
1. We muſt get acquaintance with God. We muſt acquaint our ſelves with his greatneſs, his tranſcendent goodneſs, his infinite mercy and loving kindeneſs, and the reſt of his glorious attributes. Raiſed and right apprehenſions of God lay a good foundation for our taking up our reſt in God, Job 22.21. Acquaint thy ſelf with him and be at peace, and thereby good ſhall come unto thee. John 14.8. Shew us the Father and it ſufficeth us. We can deſire no more in order to our ſatisfaction, than to be filled with all the fulneſs of God: Now the knowledge of Gods loving kindeneſs conduceth much towards the obtaining of this fulneſs, Eph. 3.19. And to know the love of Chriſt, which paſſeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulneſs of God.
2. We muſt oft-times ſet our ſelves in a ſolemn and ſerious manner to meditate upon the glorious attributes of God; the more we think and contemplate upon God, the more ſweetneſs and ſatisfaction we ſhall finde in him, Pſal. 63.5,6. My ſoul ſhall be ſatisfied as with marrow and fatneſs—when I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Pſal. 17.15. I will behold thy face—I ſhall be ſatisfied—Pſal. 104.34. My meditation of him ſhall be ſweet—Our contemplating on God will change us into the image of God, and make us like God, 2 Cor. 3.18. We all with open face, beholding as in a glaſs, the glory of the Lord are changed into the ſame image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Now the more of Gods image is found upon us, the more like we are to God, the more ſatisfaction we ſhall finde in him, Pſal. 17.15. I ſhall be ſatisfied with thy likeneſs. But here it will not be amiſs to mention two or three cautions to be obſerved when we ſet our ſelves to contemplate on God, as 1. We muſt not be curious to pry into Gods Eſſence, but muſt content our ſelves to contemplate on his Attributes. When Moſes deſired to ſee the Glory of God, he tells him, Exod. 33.20. Thou canſt not ſee my face—which many expound, thou canſt not ſee or know my Eſſence; and in way of anſwer to Moſes his requeſt, he proclaims his name, and thereby diſcovers his Attributes, Exod. 33.19. Exod. 34.5,6,7. which teacheth us, that if we deſire a ſight of God, the beſt courſe that we can take to behold him, is to take a view of his glorious Attributes, whereby he hath diſcovered and made known his name to us. 2. We muſt regulate all our conceptions of the Attributes of God by the Scriptures. This caution is neceſſary, becauſe Satan can transform himſelf into an Angel of Light, and preſent falſe Idea's or Repreſentations of God to our mindes, inſtead of true ones; he dealt thus with our Parents in innocency, he miſ-repreſented God to them, as though he had envied their happineſs, and were not a God of his Word, Gen. 3.1,4,5. and he will much leſs fear to try us with the like temptation in our fallen eſtate. It is neceſſary alſo, becauſe of the vanity and corruption of our mindes, which are apt to form ſtrange, idolatrous notions concerning God: divers inſtances might be given of this. Some have thought God to be altogether ſuch an one as themſelves are, Pſal. 50.21. Others have fancied God to be like the Birds or Beaſts, Rom. 1.22,23. But when we conceive of God according to that revelation which he hath made of himſelf in his word, then we may be ſure we conceive of him aright. 3. We muſt contemplate on God according to that diſcovery which he hath made of himſelf in Chriſt Jeſus, of which the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Cor. 4.6. God who commanded the light to ſhine out of darkneſs, hath ſhined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jeſus Chriſt; for we cannot finde ſweetneſs in God out of Chriſt; it will fare with us when we conſider God out of Chriſt, as it did with the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 77.3. I remembred God and was troubled. A man that hath been a finner can take no comfort in God without reflecting upon Chriſt, for he is in himſelf a conſuming fire. But when we look upon God, in and through Jeſus Chriſt, then we may ſee him to be a reconciled Father, 2 Cor. 5.19. and to be the Father of Mercies, and the God of all comfort, 2 Cor. 1.3.
3. If we would take up our reſt in God, we muſt labour to get and to keep Gods Preſence with our Souls. When we enjoy Gods gracious and bleſſed preſence, we finde that in God that giveth us reſt and ſatisfaction under our greateſt troubles, Exod. 33.14. My preſence ſhall go with thee, and I will give thee reſt. Moſes had been brought up by the ſpace of forty years in Pharaohs Court, where he had fared deliciouſly every day, and he was now in a dry, barren, ſolitary Wilderneſs, which afforded nothing that was good, but was attended with many evils, as Serpents and Scorpions, &c. What manner of place this Wilderneſs was, we may ſee, Jer. 2.6. Deut. 8.15. Here he was to continue and wander up and down by the ſpace of forty years, and that in the midſt of a perverſe and froward people, that in all their ſtraits did murmur againſt him for bringing of them out of the Land of Egypt, his troubles ſometimes were ſo great, that we finde him praying to God to kill him out of hand, and to make a ſudden diſpatch of him that he might not ſee his wretchedneſs, Numb. 11.15. Yet though the troubles he met with in the Wilderneſs were exceeding great, and many, and of long continuance, viz. forty years his ſoul had reſt in God by vertue of the Divine Preſence that went along with him. We may ſee alſo the virtue and power that is in Gods Preſence to quiet and ſatisfie the Soul in the times of greateſt trouble, in Jer. 46.27,28. Jacob ſhall return and be in reſt, and at eaſe, and none ſhall make him afraid: fear thou not, O Jacob, my ſervant, ſaith the Lord, for I am with thee—In the former part of the Chapter the Lord had threatned very ſore calamities, that they ſhould be compaſſed about with fear on every ſide, ver. 5. that the Sword ſhould devour round about, and be ſatiate, and made drunk with blood, ver. 10, 14, &c. and though theſe calamities ſhould fall moſt upon other Nations, Jacob was not to go wholly unpuniſhed, but was to have a ſhare therein; yet Jacob having a promiſe of Gods preſence, ſhould thereby have reſt and eaſe in all his troubles.
4. We muſt maintain and keep our communion with God. The oftner we draw near unto God, the oftner we ſhall finde him drawing near to our ſouls, according to what we finde, James 4.8. Draw nigh to God, and God will draw nigh to you—and the oftner God draws nigh to our ſouls, the more delight and contentment we ſhall finde in him. The Pſalmiſt ſpeaking of ſuch as approach unto God, ſaith, they ſhall be ſatisfied with the goodneſs of Gods Houſe, Pſal. 65.4. Bleſſed is the man whom thou chooſeſt, and canſeſt to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts, we ſhall be ſatisfied with the goodneſs of thy houſe, even of thy Holy Temple. There is much in converſing with good men, for the filling and ſatisfying the ſpirit of one that is truly gracious, he hath his greateſt delight in the company of the Saints and Servants of God, Rons. 15.24.—If firſt I be ſomewhat filled with your company. Pſal. 16.2,3.—My goodneſs extendeth not unto thee, but to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent in whom is all my delight. If there be ſuch delight and ſatisfaction in converſing with good men, there muſt needs be much more in converſing with the great God. One main cauſe of the diſturbance of our mindes when we meet with croſſes, is immoderate thirſting after the things of this world: communion with God will take off this kinde of thirſt from the ſouls, John 4.14. Whoſoever drinketh of the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall never thirſt, but the water that I ſhall give him, ſhall be in him a well of water ſpringing up into everlaſting life. The oftner we go to God, the more we ſhall ask and crave of him; and the more we ask of God, the more and better things we ſhall receive from him in order to the ſatisfying of our ſouls, Pſal. 105.40. The people asked—and he ſatisfied them with the bread of heaven. Were but our deſires after God greater, we ſhould finde more abundant ſatisfaction in him; for, He ſatisfieth the deſire of every living thing, Pſal. 145.16.
5. If we would take up our reſt and ſatisfaction in God, we muſt ſet our love upon him. As it is between a man and his Wife, if a man have an entire love to his Wife, he will be ſo ſatisfied in her, that he will have no hankerings after any other women: ſo much is implyed, Prov. 5.18,19. Rejoyce with the wife of thy youth, let her be as the loving hinde, and pleaſant roe, let her breaſts ſatisfie thee at all times, and be thou raviſht alwayes with her love. So it is between a man and God, when a man hath an entire love to God, he will be ſo abundantly ſatisfied in God, that he will have no great deſire after any other thing beſides God: compare Pſal. 18.1. with Pſal. 73.25. I will love thee O Lord my ſtrength. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee? When God hath ſet his love upon his people, he reſteth ſatisfied in them, Pſal. 87.2. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion—The Lord hath choſen Zion—This is my reſt for ever—Pſal. 132.13,14. Zeph. 3.17. He will rejoyce over thee with joy, he will reſt in his love, he will joy over thee with ſinging. So alſo it will be with us, when we have ſet our love upon God, we ſhall then take up our reſt in God.
6. We muſt labour to get good evidences of Gods love to our ſouls, and get our intereſt in God made clear. Clear and well-grounded apprehenſions of our intereſt in God, and of Gods love to our ſouls, do tend much to the bringing of our ſouls to take up their reſt and ſatisfaction in God, Deut. 33.23. O Naphthali ſatisfied with favour—Pſal. 90.13. O ſatisfie us early with thy mercy, that we may be glad and rejoyce all our dayes. John 14.8. Shew us the Father and it ſufficeth us. When we know the Father, and know him to be our God and Father in Chriſt, we have enough, we have that which ſufficeth us.
7. If we would take up our reſt in God, and abide ſatisfied in him, when ever any thing diſquiets our mindes, and we have any load and burden upon our Spirits, we muſt repair to Jeſus Chriſt, and caſt our ſelves and our burdens upon the Lord Jeſus, in ſo doing we ſhall finde grace and vertue coming out of the Lord Jeſus to preſerve and ſuſtain our ſouls in a quiet, peaceable, ſatisfied frame, in all our troubles, Pſal. 55.23. Caſt thy burden upon the Lord, and he ſhall ſuſtain thee. Mat. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt.
8. We muſt take up our dwelling in God. He muſt needs dwell at eaſe who dwells in God, Cant. 2.3. I ſate down under his ſhadow with great delight.—Setting implieth continuance. When we do not only come to Chriſts ſhadow, but ſit down under it, that will bring great delight to our ſouls. What is ſaid of Gods dwelling in Zion, Pſal. 132.13,14. The Lord hath choſen Zion, he hath deſired it for his habitation; This is my reſt for ever, here will I dwell. The like may be ſaid of the people of God, when they have choſen God for their habitation, and taken up their dwelling in God, he will be their reſt for ever. If any ſay, when may we be ſaid to take up our dwelling in God? I anſwer, 1. When we live, and walk, and dwell in love, then we dwell in God, 1 John 4.16. God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and he in him. 2. When we believe in Jeſus Chriſt, and confeſs Chriſt before men, then God dwelleth in us, and we in him, Eph. 3.17. That Chriſt may dwell in your hearts by faith. 1 John 4.15. Whoſoever ſhall confeſs that Jeſus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. Underſtand this of ſuch a confeſſion of Chriſt as is accompanied with a hearty belief in him, Rom. 10.9,10. And of ſuch as are not afraid to confeſs Chriſt in the face of dangers; for it did expoſe a man to great dangers, and ſufferings, to confeſs the Lord Jeſus to be the Chriſt, in the firſt breaking forth of the Goſpel, as we may ſee, John 9.22. 3. We take up our dwelling in God, when we maintain an obediential frame of heart, and have reſpect to his Commandments, 1 John 3.24. He that keepeth his Commandments, dwelleth in him, and he in him. The Commandments which the Apoſtle doth chiefly hi… at in this place, are faith and love, as appears from ver. 23.
9. When we feel our ſouls wandering from the Lord, and ſeeking their reſt in other things beſides God, we ſhould ſay to them as the Prophet ſaid to the Jews, Micha 2.10. Ariſe ye and depart, for this is not your reſt. And we ſhould call upon them to return unto God; and ſeek their reſt in him only, Pſal. 116.7. Return unto thy reſt, O my ſoul—Pſal. 37.7. Reſt in the Lord and wait patiently for him.
10. We muſt labour after Gods Image and likeneſs, to be holy as God is holy, and merciful as God is mercifull and pure as God is pure; for the more like we are to God, the more ſatisfaction we ſhall finde in God, Pſal. 17.15. I ſhall be ſatisfied when I awake with thy likeneſs.
11. Let us urge God with his promiſes, where he hath promiſed to cauſe us to take up our ſatisfaction in himſelf. Jer. 31.14. My people ſhall be ſatisfied with my goodneſs, ſaith the Lord; which promiſe implyeth, that when we have the good things of this world we ſhall not take up our reſt in them; and when we want them, we ſhall not be diſquieted for the want of them, but our ſouls ſhall reſt ſatisfied with the goodneſs of the Lord, whether we want or enjoy the good things of this world, Iſa. 65.16. He who bleſſeth himſelf in the earth, ſhall bleſs himſelf in the God of truth; which implyeth, that God will give his people ſuch a ſpirit, that they ſhall not count themſelves happy and bleſſed, becauſe of their proſperity, or any outward enjoyments, but in their enjoying the true God for their portion; and if they ſhall account themſelves bleſſed in the enjoyment of God, then they may bleſs themſelves in all eſtates and conditions, for God is their portion for ever, Pſal. 73.26. I might quote more promiſes to this purpoſe, that God will cauſe his people to take up their ſatisfaction not in any creature comforts or enjoyments, but in himſelf, as Pſal. 36.8. They ſhall be abundantly ſatisfied, with what? with corn, and wine, and oyl? with riches, and preferments? no, but with the fatneſs of thy houſe; thou ſhalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleaſures. Iſa. 58.14. Thou ſhalt delight thy ſelf in the Lord—But theſe may ſuffice.
SECT. 7.
7. Give your ſelves unto Prayer. When ever you feel any troubles or burdens upon your mindes, repair to the Throne of Grace, and lay open your hearts, and all your maladies and grievances before the Lord, and crave his aſſiſtance, that will bring ſpeedy relief to your ſouls, and keep them in a quiet, peaceable, contented frame in all conditions, Phil. 4.6,7. Be careful for nothing, but in every thing, by prayer, and ſupplication, with thanksgiving, let your requeſt be made known unto God. And what ſhall we get by ſo doing? A ſettled abiding peace; as the following words hold forth, And the peace of God which paſſeth all underſtanding, ſhall keep your hearts and mindes through Chriſt Jeſus. When we are compaſſed about with many ſorrows, by Prayer we ſhall have all our ſorrows diſpelled, and our hearts ſhall be filled with joy, John 16.24. Ask and ye ſhall receive, that your joy may be full. In the 21. verſe, Chriſt faith to his Diſciples, Ye ſhall weep and lament, ye ſhall be ſorrowful—and then tells them, ver. 24. how they ſhould get their ſorrows turned into joy, Ask and ye ſhall receive, that your joy may be full. Much of the diſquietment of our mi… ariſeth from troubled thoughts. Dan. 5.6. His thoughts troubled him—Now committing of our ſelves and our affairs to God by Prayer, is a great means of eſtabliſhing our mindes, and quieting all troubled thoughts, Prov. 16.3. Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts ſhall be eſtabliſhed.
SECT. 8.
8. When we finde any diſcontent or diſquietneſs ariſing in our mindes, we muſt ſearch into the grounds and reaſons thereof, and endeavour the removal of thoſe things which are the cauſes of our diſcontent. David took this courſe to quiet his ſpirit when it was in a diſturbed condition, he enquireth into the cauſe and reaſon of that dejection which was upon his ſoul, Pſal. 42.11. Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoul, and why art thou diſquieted within me? hope thou in God. I might here inſtance in ſeveral things which do cauſe murmurings under affliction, I will mention two or three.
1. Pride of Spirit. Our contendings with God, and quarrelling at his Providences, as well as our contention with our fellow creatures come from the pride of our hearts, Prov. 13.10. Only by pride cometh contention. If our diſcontent, when God taketh away any mercy, or layeth any affliction upon us, do ariſe from the pride of our hearts; the way to remove it, is to look upon our ſelves to be unworthy of the leaſt of all Gods Mercies, and to judge our ſelves to have deſerved the greateſt and ſevereſt of all Gods Judgements. We are not greater than our Father Jacob, yet he ſaith of himſelf, Gen. 32.10. I am not worthy of the leaſt of all the mercies, and of all the truth that thou haſt ſhewed unto thy ſervant. We are not better than thoſe Jews that were captives in Babylon, for there were many of Gods precious Servants, as Ezekiel, Daniel, Hanniah, Miſhael, and Azariah (who choſe rather to be caſt into a fiery Furnace, than to fall down before an Image) Nehemiah, Ezra, &c. yet they acknowledged that they had deſerved all the evils that they ſuffered, and a great deal more; and that it was meerly from the mercy of God, that they were not conſumed. Daniel acknowledged the ſufferings they met with to be ſo great, as that they could not be parallel'd, Dan. 9.12. yet he ſaith, ver. 14. The Lord our God is righteous in all his works. The Prophet Jeremiah lamenting the great evils that were come upon the Jews, acknowledgeth, that though their ſorrows were ſuch as ſcarce any met with the like, Lam. 1.12. Behold and ſee if there be any ſorrow like unto my ſorrow; Yet he ſaith, Lam. 3.22. It is of the Lords mercies, that we are not conſumed. If we were fully convinced that we are leſs than the leaſt of all Gods Mercies, we ſhould not repine when God taketh away our Eſtates, our Health, our Friends, or any other mercies from us. And if we were fully convinced that we have deſerved to be deſtroyed, and caſt into everlaſting burnings, we ſhould not repine when God ſends poverty, ſickneſs, or any other evils upon us.
2. Miſ-judging of the nature and quality of Gods Providences, and of the ends and deſigns of God in afflicting, cauſeth ſome to murmur and rep ne at thoſe Providences; for which if they underſtood them aright, they would bleſs and praiſe God. Gods bringing Iſrael out of Egypt by the hand of Moſes, was a great mercy, his leading them through the Wilderneſs, was to bring them into the Land of Canaan, and the ſtraits they met with in the Wilderneſs, were to humble them, and prove them, and do them good in their latter end, Deut. 8.15,16. Yet becauſe they judged amiſs of this Providence of God, and thought they were brought into the Wilderneſs to be ſlain; when they were in ſtraits they murmured againſt the Lord, Numb. 14.2,3. Exod. 16.2,3. If our diſcontent ſpring from this root, the way to remove it, is, 1. To judge nothing before the time, but to wait with patience till we have ſeen the end as well as the beginning of our afflictions. Gods diſpenſations towards Job were very terrible at the firſt coming of his troubles, but the end of them was very comfortable and full of mercy, Jam. 5.11. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have ſeen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pittiful, and of tender mercy. 2. We muſt judge of our afflictions by Faith, and not by ſenſe; we muſt judge of them according to that ſentence which is given of them in the Word of God, and not according to the opinion of the world, or of our own corrupt mindes. Senſe ſaith it is a miſerable thing to be in affliction, but the word ſaith, Job 5,17. Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth, James 1.12. Bleſſed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried he ſhall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promiſed to them that love him. Senſe looketh upon afflictions as hurtful things, but faith judging according to the word, ſaith, Pſal. 119.71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy Statutes. 3. We muſt look at the wholeſome fruit of afflictions as well as their preſent ſmart, Heb. 12.11. No chaſtening for the preſent ſeemeth to be joyous, but grievous; nevertheleſs afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteouſneſs unto them that are exerciſed thereby. As the cloud that parted the Iſraelites from the Egyptians, had a dark ſide, and a bright ſide, Exod. 14.20. ſo have our afflictions: now if we would not ſink under our tryals, we muſt look at the bright ſide as well as the dark ſide of them, at the ſpiritual and eternal advantages that we reap by our troubles, as well as the ſmart and inconveniences that our outward man ſuſtaineth by them.
3. Unbelief and diſtruſt of God is another cauſe of murmuring when we are brought into ſtraits, Pſ. 106.24,25. They believed not his word, but murmured in their tents. If our diſcontent ariſe from unbelief, the way to remove it, is to do what we can to ſtrengthen our Faith in the Attributes, Providence, and Promiſes of God; for if we can but ſtay our mindes, and reſt our ſouls upon God, he will keep them in perfect peace, Iſa. 26.3.
I might inſtance in other grounds and cauſes of diſcontent, but becauſe they will fall more properly under the next head, I ſhall now proceed to the third and laſt branch of my anſwer to this queſtion, which is, The anſwering of thoſe Reaſonings and Objections that ariſe in the mindes of thoſe that have ſuffered loſs in their Eſtates by the late Fire, which hinder them from ſitting down contented under this hand of God.