The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul, Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII. Fourth meanes, keeping the favour of God, with Directions how to doe it.
FOurthly, keep his favour, Direct. 4. Keep Gods favour.and you ſhall keep his preſence, love delights and dwels with love: though the Lord have married you to himſelf in a covenant that is unchangeable, yet you may have leſſe of your husbands company, except you keep his love; it is not inevitable tranſgreſſion, but voluntary offences which ſeparateth betwixt God and youqO pus eſt ut tu non recedas ab eo, qui …unquam recedit, opus eſt ut non deſeras & non deſereris; no…cadere & non tibi occidet; ſi feceris caſum, ille tibi faciet occaſum; ſi autem tuſtas, praeſens eſt tibi. Aug. apud Greg. de Valent. t. 2. diſp. 8. qu. 1. p. 6.; take heed then of harbouring luſts in imagination, or purpoſe, take heed of frowardneſſe and rebellion of heart; unkindneſſes breeds unkindneſſe, can you with reaſon expect that God ſhould be with you, when you regard him not? Can two walk in one way that are not agreed? Amos 3.3. walke then before him in all well pleaſing, keep cloſe to Jeſus Chriſt, for all the love of the father is laid out upon the ſon, and comes to you through him, be dearly affected to his people, for they are his friends: God dwelleth in ſuch. 1 John 4.12. When you have your friends good will, you have your friend, and when you fall into ſtraits and luſts, and men and devils ſhall take up armes againſt you, if you come and ſay to God as Iehoram to Iehoſhaphat, The King of Moab hath rebelled againſt me, wilt thou goe with me againſt Moab to battle? God will anſwer as Iehoſhaphat did, I will go up, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horſes as thy horſes. 2 Kin. 3.7. My brethren, you have a ſure way to retain the favour of your God, he hath ſhewed you the way that is good, and have you not one alway with him, which is the delight of his ſoule, one ready at your requeſt to interpoſe himſelfe, and to take up all differences betwixt you and him? lye not therefore under any guilt, but every day renew thy peace and league with God, by making Chriſt thine advocate, then ſhall his face ſhine upon thee, and his Spirit ſhall not be with-held from thee. Thinke it not enough to eſcape his wrath: a friend not only dreads diſpleaſure, but delights in the favour of his friend; it cannot ſatisfie a living and a loving Saint, that Gods hand is not againſt him, except it be alſo with him, or that God is not his adverſary, except he be his friend; a wicked man may fear his wrath, but a good man cannot beare his abſence; if then you deſire his preſence, keep his favour; and becauſe nothing but that which is againſt his will diſpleaſeth,Take heed of croſſing God. take heed of croſſing his will. And for this I will preſcribe two Rules.
1 Keep up love, Keep up love.for this will make you of on heart with God, there will be an harmony in your hatred and his, your deſire and his, your delight and his, your wils will run in the ſame channell with his: feare may make the life better, but love makes the heart better, it carrieth a man out of himſelfe, and caſts his affections and actions into Gods mould, it works after his pattern, and doth all to pleaſe him, as love is the wife ſubjects her deſires to the deſire of her husband; love would hol… you in an uniforme courſe of holineſſe, and all ſtrayings in life are from decayings of love, this bindes the ſoule to God, ſo that as the hinder wheeles in the Coach follow the forewheeles being all conjoyned; ſo the heart … drawne after God by love, love will not ſuffer you to pleaſe your ſelves with any thing that may not pleaſe you God, nor to ſwerve from this rule to gaine the world: but as Gods love ſub… fils your will in giving all good, ſo you love in its meaſure will fulfill Gods will in doing all good; and this is the property of our communion with God, there is a continual intercourſe of love, Gods will and mans ſweetly conjoyning in a happy concord, mutually delighting each in other, and mutually filling the deſires each of other, God dwelling in his, and they in him. 1 John 4.16. they cleaving to him, and hee to them.
And let me a little more open the power and efficacy of love in this buſineſſe, and when I have done, you ſhall ſee that it contributes not a little to the keeping of the heart to God.Love quickneth and preſerveth deſires.
1 It ſharpens and preſerves deſires rAnimae motus radix eſt amor. Pariſ. pars 1 partis 1. de univerſo c. 21.after God; and what are deſires but reachings of the heart? the ſoul by deſires doth as it were with extended & ſpread armes raiſe it ſelfe after God, it will make a man unſatiable, alwayes thirſting, and now though the armies of the Philiſtines be in the way, yet the ſoule will breake through all for the waters of Bethlehem; deſires after God have much good in them, they capacitate the ſoule, an hungry man eates much, the promiſe emptieth it ſelfe freely upon ſuch. Bleſſed are they that hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſſe, for they ſhall be filled. Mat. 5.6. and they quicked the ſoule; as they make it receptive, ſo they make it active, Pſal. 63.1. It ſets all the wheeles in motion, it will not ſuffer the ſoule to bee at reſt, it cannot take contentſforeign. in any thing except it bee fulfilled, but will put out all her Sayles and Oares, in ſtrong purſuance, Pſal. 63.8. My ſoule followeth hard after thee.
2. It makes reſolute.It makes reſolute, regardleſſe of all things in compariſon of what it longs for, and fearleſſe,tQuid non audet amor? and invincible; no terrors can deterre him, but as a Gyant he rejoyceth to run his raceuGrata ignominia crucis qui crucifixo non eſt ingratus. Bern. in Cant. Serm. 25.; It makes alſo unweariable, no labours too great but love will finde patience; no difficulties ſo long, but love will finde tolerance, and longanimity, nay love thinkes nothing hard; The Commandements art not grievous, 1 Joh. 5.3. It is a great advantage to have ſtrength of reſolution, for now the ſoule will be, 1. more full in all endeavours; the bow full bent delivers the arrow with full ſtrength, a piece full charged will go off with great force, and its fulneſſe and vigour indoing that, is the grace of the action. 2. More ſteady, it is hard to ſtop the ſoul when ſhe runs with ſtrength: what was ſaid of Ariſtides is much truer here, you may as well almoſt ſtay the Sun in heaven, as put ſuch a one out of his way; when reſolutions are ſtrong, the ſoule is like a fenced City, it is hard for tentations to break in: there is roome left for Satan to work, when through coldneſſe of affection there is weakneſſe in the reſolution, a faint denyall begets new ſutes, and a doore left unbarred gives eaſie entrance, When you cleave not to God with full purpoſe of heart. Acts 11.23. other things may get in betwixt God and you, the ſteeple moves not becauſe it is ſetled upon its baſis, but the Weathercock is turned with every winde.
3 It makes the ſoule of an yeelding temper: It makes yeelding.when God hath your love, he hath the key of your hearts, love ſets him in the throne, all the faculties will bow themſelves with offerings to him, love opens the eares to heare God, and moves the hands to work, and the focte to walk, and the head to deviſe for God: God may have any thing in a time of love, he never comes out of ſeaſ…, when the heart is in this temper, if her ſay the word, it is done, love canno… ſay no to God, it is full of promiſes, eaſily entreated, is not churliſh, but of a liberall property, it ſtands ready for all ſervice, and will trample upon all reaſonings, reſpects, contradictions, rebellions that riſe up againſt God; if God ſay of the deareſt luſt, fall upon him, it wil… not ſpare; if God ſay I muſt have thy liberty, it ſaith, there it is; if God ſay thou muſt be impoveriſhed for my ſake, it ſaith, I am content; if God ſay I muſt have thy life for my glory, it ſaith Lord it is thine, take it, I am thine, do what thou wilt: love cannot hold when God as keth, but will give all, do all, ſuffer all; if God call, it will run out of eſtate, peace, friends, the world it ſelf; yea, when it doth much, it thinkes it little, yea nothing, and ſo when it hath been labouring for God, it ſtill ſaith with David, What ſhall I render to the Lord, and with the Apoſtle, Lord what wilt thou have me to do? it ſticks at no coſt, nay it is glad it hath any thing for God, and counts this the beſt uſe of all, to lay it out for God, and this the beſt poſſeſsion of all, to loſe all for God.
4 Love will make you fearefull of loſing God, every mans feares are equall to his love; ſo that as the worldly man feares to loſe the world which is his God, ſo a godly man feares to loſe his God. Elies heart trembled for the Arke while he ſate watching to heare newes of the battle, 1 Sam. 4.13. feare makes men wiſe xforeign Ariſt. pol. foreign Clem. Alexand.. Prov. 1.7. it keeps the heart waking and watching, it keepes the eye upon the treaſure, and ſoon apprehends the leaſt receſſe of God from a man.
5 Love keepes the intentions right. It keeps the intentions right.1. Upon the right end, it is as the by as to convert the ſoule in all her wayes to her God: On the right end.for what is love but imbracing of God, and ſuch a cloſing with him, as that as it findes indigence and want of him, ſo it hath complacence and contentment in him, yea and that contentment breeds hunger after what it hath not, and gratitude for what it hath, and ſo turneth all deſignes and her whol… courſe to this thing, that ſhe may be… ſtill bleſſed and more bleſſed in the fruition of God.2 In due plight. 1. actuall. 2. It keeps the intentions in due plight in themſelves: 1. Makes them actuall: love hath a good memory, it carrieth the ſtamp of God upon the heart, and ſeldome forgets him; the ſoul lives where it lovesxAnimus ubi amat non ubi animat.: and as love came in by the eye, ſo it delights by th… ſame doore to run out to GodyƲbiamoriói oculus. 2 vigorous.. 2. I… makes them vigorous and ſerious, and ſo able to order and regulate all the motions of the ſoul in their right way: Thus love is very uſefull in this point, to keep you from ſtraying from God, and conſequently needfull, that you may by holy walking retain his favour and preſence.
2 Hold this as a fixed verity, That you may not croſſe or offend God, hold faſt this truth, that Gods will is beſt.that that is beſt which God wils; all that are come to God do beleeve this, elſe they had not come, for what could draw the heart from all its good but that which is greater then all; but though this be habitually in them, yet they doe not alwayes actually beleeve it, for what ſhould be the cauſe of their excurſions and deviations, but becauſe at preſent they think it better to walk in another way then the way of God; there are but three cauſes of voluntary declining any thing, either it is becauſe 1. the thing is not worth entertainment, at leaſt 2. upon ſuch tearmes, or becauſe 3. a better thing is preſented which wee cannot enjoy with it, ſo that if a man could carry this truth in his heart unblotted, that it might ever appeare legible, it would be to his gadding affections as a curb, and ſettle the ſoul on God as on her Center. If you could beleeve that you cannot mend your ſelves, or make your condition better any other way, you would be ſtedfaſt and immoveable, for how you would ſee a conjunction of Gods will and your chiefe good, ſo that in croſſing his will, you ſhould croſſe your ſelves, as wiſdome ſpeaketh; He that ſinneth againſt me, wrongeth his …wn ſoul; all they that hate me, love death. Prov. 8.36.
To help you in this as in a matter of …eat importance,Meanes to hold that faſt.
1 Get a cleare knowledge of God, wit… he is in himſelfe, and of the wiſdome… God in the Commandements, which at full of reaſon, and of the end of the command, thy good, and of the nature … that good.
2 Make this knowledge actuall, of… minde it.
3 Know that there is reaſon to gio… the lye to all opinion of good out of Gods way and againſt his will.
1 Becauſe Gods love is fully toward you, and ſo perfect that he hath not c… off any good from you.
2 All that is truly good agreeth wi… his will: as the formality of truth is the agreement that it hath with the mind of God; ſo the verity of goodneſſe is th… agreement that it hath with the will o… God: and again, all true good is fro… him and eminently in himzOmne honum in ſummo bono, therefore that which ſtands in oppoſition to h… cannot be good.
3 Conſider the ſubject of ſuch miſ… prehenſion; hee is either one cover… with darkneſſe, or clouded with paſsion men naturally are blind, and ſo call evi… good, and good evill; and good men ſometimes are clouded, and with a fren…ie of paſſion diſtempered, and judge that good, which when they become ſober they count the greateſt evill, and which is the trueſt judgement, whether that of a man drunk, and not himſelfe, or that of a man that is calme, cleare and himſelfe?
4 Remember that you muſt needs are in judging that to be good which you cannot entertaine with contentment, but a godly man findes theſe two things as ſure notes of the true evill in every ſin. 1. Feare before, and in admiſſion of it. 2. Paine and repentance after, and that everaChilo damnum lucro turpi ſe pretuliſſe dixit, foreign. Laert. in Chil..
5 When you ſee two croſſe counſels, weigh well theſe two things 1. the Counſellors. 2. the Reaſons.
Firſt, weigh the Counſellors; conſider well who they are that ſtand up to oppoſe God, and you ſhall finde that which may diſable their teſtimony, they can be but one of theſe, either you owne luſts, or Satans ſuggeſtions and tentations. As for your luſts, conſid… 1. They cannot encline. to any good for kinde which God alloweth not, all th… difference between God and them is in the time, meaſure, order, manner, meant, and therefore ſince you have the ſame good in Gods way, is it wiſdome for circumſtances to hazzard your ſoules? 2. They urge without reaſon, therefore called fooliſh luſts, and brutiſh; it is true, they have a colour of reaſon, but ſuch as a ſpark of wiſdome would ſee to be folly. 3. The order of reaſon and nature is that you ſhould affect by judgement bCrates dicente quodam optimum eſſe, quae quiſ que cupit frui. reſp. foreign apud Laert., and not judge by affection, affections are blinde guides. 4. Luſts can ſee nothing but what is preſent and ſenſuall, but they ſee not the ſpirituall evill, nor the future calamity and dolefull conſequents of ſin: now it is againſt reaſon to be ſo improvidently praecipitant.
And as for Satan; what can be expected by his counſell who ſeeks in all to deſtroy? and let this prevaile with you, that all opinion of good in that which is againſt the will of God, is either immediately, or mediately from Satan.
Therefore ſee what cauſe you have to beleeve that that is beſt which God willeth, and if you can carry this truth engraven upon you, it will be as a wall to limit and ſhut up your inordinate affections, and to ſhut out and break the force of Satans temptations; here you begin to be taken when you are ſeduced, if this fort had ſtood, you had been ſafe, and if you keep to Gods will in all, you ſhall have his favour, and conſequently his preſence in all.
2 Weigh the arguments that are uſed on both ſides, for you ſhall by this better judge betwixt them. 1. God urgeth debt, you are his creatures, you live at his coſt and charges, he hath done you good and not hurt all your dayes: can your luſts plead this? whence comes feares, griefe, paine, want, death, hell, but from ſin? You are then debters, not to the fleſh to live after the fleſh. Rom. 8.13.
2 God propoſeth good without evil, can your luſts do ſo?
3 God propoſeth eternall good, but the pleaſures of ſin are but for a mi… ment cMomentaneum eſt quod …electat, aeternum quod cruciat. Greg..
4 God propoſeth a certain good, bu… luſt cannot, ambition may reach at honours that it may never attain, covetouſneſſe may hunt for riches, which it ca… never finde.
5 God propoſeth all good, but luſt only ſome particular good; volupt… ouſneſſe propoſeth pleaſure, not dignty, &c.
6 God propoſeth good to the poſterity, but can luſt do it? nay it draweth t… evill without care of poſterity; yea, t… the ſhame and calamity of poſterity.
7 God propoſeth true good; th… which comforteth and giveth life i… deed, but all the proffers of luſt are deluſions: Solomon tryed it, many ſpies have traverſed this land and finde i… continent of lying vanities and tr… miſeries, therefore keep cloſe to God that you may have his favour and preſence with you.