The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul, Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVIII. Two directions how to ſeek recovery.
NOw I come to the third thing propounded in the way of cure, Directions to further your endeavours of recovering your loſſe.
Direct. 1 Firſt, quicken your deſires after God, for deſires will yeeld a twofold advantage. Quicken deſires after God. For 1. they have a promiſe.1. The promiſe is full to ſuch as … ſire much. Bleſſed are they that hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſſe, for th… ſhall be filled oforeign.. Mat. 5.6. It is not every velleity & cold wiſh which entitles … this promiſe, every weak appetite and deſire of meate and drinke is not hu… gring, and thirſting; when you are impatient, and long much after him, then you ſhall be filled;*foreign. the word is borrowed from feeding or foddering of cattell, and it imports this, that though now you are put to graze upon the dry and barren mountaines, yet if you long after more, then the faithfull ſhepheard of Iſrael that leadeth Ioſeph, like a flock will put you into green paſtures, and feed and fill you by the waters of reſt; Gods band is ſhut, becauſe your hearts are ſhut; hath he not ſaid, Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it? the firſt grace is given without precedent deſires, God stound of them that ſeek him not; but this grace that we ſpeak of, is given to them that ſeek it.
2 Deſires, when they are high beget endeavours like themſelves, They beget endeavours.ſtrong and vigorous; and the more you labour, the more you will get; therefore blow up your deſires by the bellowes of meditation, ſit downe and conſider what it is to enjoy God, and what to want him; theſe thoughts if they abide, will fire you out of the bed of ſloath and ſleepe in which you lye.
2 Bewaile your ſelves and your ſtate before God, ſit downe and mourne:Direct. 2. Bewaile 1. your loſſe. mourne I ſay,
for 1 your loſſe,
for 2 the cauſe.
1 Bewaile your loſſe, take up a lamentation, and ſaypViſ. Pariſienſ. de Rhetor. divin. c. 26., woe is me, for my God, my life is departed from me, and how am I changed? I was as the tree plant by the rivers ſide, ſpreading and fairiſhing, and my fruits were faire … full, but alas, now I am become … tree in the deſart, withering and ſhall … both fruits and leaves. My ſweet Sp… is turned into a ſad Autumn; my firſt day is were my beſt dayes, & my laſt dayes at my worſt dayes; I was filled with li… and life, but now my ſight is dimm…d, my ſtrength is waſted; time was wh… faith had life in me, and I had life by …, but now oh wofull over-ſpreading … cloudes of darkneſſe, and incredulity … my pleaſant dayes of life and luſtre at fled away, and the bonds of death ha… taken hold of me; my ſoule was the temple and throne of Chriſt, and I received daily oracles from his moun…, but now I am the habitation and Region of vanity and darkneſſe: what ſweetneſs did I finde in flights aloft, when it was my greateſt ſolace to bee with God … but now I that was as a ſtar in heaven am fallen into deeps of vanity, and an become to my ſelfe as gall and wormwood; my ſoule was an encloſed garden, and the chiefeſt of ten thouſands did walk in the ſhadow of the trees, and was delighted in their fruits, but now the fence is downe, my love is gone, the beaſts breake in, and Sharon is become a deſart; time was when the thoughts of ſin did pierce me, and the remembrance of God lift me up to the third heavens, but now my heart hath loſt its fence, the things that I know have not their ancient ſtrength, my teares which were as pleaſant waters to my taſte, which I could poure out before my God are gone; that melting of heart which was my joy is vaniſhed, my heart is frozen, the ſpring is ſtopped, the heart of fleſh is become a heart of ſtone; that bleſſed ſociety of graces, thoſe holy deſires, thoſe heavenly diſpoſitions which did meete in a happy conjunction in my ſoule, ſeeme now ſcattered, and to lye in chaines, whiles the troopes of hell doe hold all in poſſeſſion; my ſoul that did walk with an heavenly guard of divine graces, lyeth now like Daniel in the den among devouring Lions; oh how was I wont to meet God? and what communion had I one … with him? but now he hides himſelf and will not come at me; I pray an… he heares not, I hearken after him but he ſpeakes not, I call but he anſwereth not, oh thoſe golden dayes, will they never more returne? I was wont to be feaſted in my fathers houſe, the fatted calfe was killed, and the ring, and the beſt garments were put upon me, but now I am forſaken, and not owned; I go hungry and naked, and feed among the hogs; and in this I am more miſerable then they, becauſe I was a ſon, … is a miſery to have been happy: Lord if I had never knowne thee, I could have lived without thee, but this is my miſery, not ſo much that I am without thee, as that I have loſt thee qMiſerius eſt perdidiſſe quam omnino non accepiſſe. Tertul. de poenit.: many are well without thee, becauſe they never enjoyed thee; the children of beggers and ſlaves count it not their miſery that they are not Princes, but it is a bitter evill when the children of Princes ſhall become beggars.
Thus then betake thy ſelfe to theſe ſad thoughts, make thy cloſet an houſe of mourning, breath out thy ſighs, ſend forth thy groanes, poure out thy teares, rend thine heart, caſt up thy weeping eyes, with the ſad complaints of a bleeding ſoule to thine ancient friend; thou maiſt prevaile upon him; though he have forſaken thee, yet hee hath not forgotten thee, he hath not forgotten himſelfe, and all the kindneſſe that hee hath ſhewed thee; he cannot hold from comming, when thou canſt not hold from calling; the melting of thy heart cauſeth the earning of his bowels: can the mother forbeare when the childe cryeth? God will not deny mercy to the mourners. Bleſſed are the mourners, for they ſhall be comforted. Mat. 5.4.
In two Caſes eſpecially God will not deny mercy,God will not deny mercy to mourners. when the ſorrow of his people is great, ingenuous.
1 When the ſorrows of his people are great, Firſt, when ſorrows are great.then his compaſſions are drawne out; when the woman came with a troubled ſpirit, pouring out tears upon the feete of Chriſt, and wiping them with the haire of her head, the Chriſt poured out comfort upon her, and ſent her away with the pardon of all her ſins. Luke 7. And when Zion ſa… in the duſt, melting her ſelfe in heavineſſe, and crying, My God hath forſaken me, my God hath forgotten me: when ſhe was toſſed and afflicted and not comforted then God came in and opened a well in the deſert, and in the deeps of her trouble did no longer conceale himſelfe, but brake out in a moſt gracious proteſtation of his love; Can a woman forget her ſucking childe, that ſhe ſhould … have compaſsion on the fruit of her wombe, yet will I not forget thee: Behold, I have graven thee upon the palmes of my hands, thy wals are continually before me. Eſay 49.14, 15. The words are a ſtrong expreſſion of his deare and faithfull affection, the mothers affections are deare and tender, ſo are mine; the mother loves her childe becauſe it is the fruit of her wombe; I alſo have begotten thee, and thou art my childe: the mother is moſt tender to the ſucking childe which cannot help it ſelfe; if it cry, ſhe cannot hold, you alſo are ſuch before me; the mother may poſsibly forget, but I will not, you are alwayes in my eye, and if I cannot forget my ſelfe I cannot forget you, for you are engraven and imprinted in my hand: Thus God hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. Eſay 49.13. He comforteth thoſe that are caſt downe. 2 Cor. 7.6. When the heart mournes much, God will ſhew himſelfe.
For 1. the end of ſorrow is not to afflict, but to profit, not to caſt downe only, The end of ſorrow is not affliction, but healing.but alſo to raiſe up; when God caſteth ſorrows upon the wicked, his end is to afflict and to puniſh, and their ſorrows doe attain their end, when they lye like loads oppreſſing their ſpirits; but that which is a curſe to them is a cure to the godly, their mourning is but ſowing in teares to reap injoy; ſorrow in the ſpirits of ſuch is like the raine upon the graſſe, it puts the ſoule into a flouriſh, it makes it yeelding and tractable, as wax when it is ſoftned wil eaſily receive impreſſions, and metals diſſolved are apt to be drawn out and to be moulded as you would have them. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the ſadneſſe of the countenance the heart is made better. Eccleſ. 7.3. the ſad lookes of others hath a naturall force to work ſeriouſneſſe, and conſideration in us, much more when our owne hearts are full; Ahab himſelfe would do much in a penſive fit, and Manaſſeh his monſtrous ſpirit was tamed by ſorrow. God brought upon him the Aſſyrian, and hee bound him with fetters and carried him to Babylon, and when he was in affliction, hee beſought the Lord his God, and humbled himſelfe greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed unto him. 2 Chron. 33.11, 12. You ſee the ſweet fruit of this bitter roote, and what was the iſſue? God was intreated of him and heard his ſupplication, and brought him again to Hieruſalem into his kingdome. ver. 13.
2 The greater ſorrow, It makes a fit object of mercy.the fitter object of mercy; mercy is for the miſerable, and none more miſerable then ſuch as mourne in the loſſe of communion with God, this wound is the deepeſt and moſt bleeding of all wounds, the ſoule in ſuch a caſe hath no help in all the world, all things yeeld not more then a drop of water upon Dives his tongue: Look now upon the nature of God, and you ſhall ſee him full of mercy; upon the promiſes, they alſo are full of mercy; upon the wayes of God, they alſo are full of mercy; therefore if you clothe your ſelves with the garments of heavineſſe, and can come before God with ſpirits much lamenting after him, he will appeare to you, Hee will revive the ſpirit of the humble qforeign. Chryſ., Eſay 57.15.
3 Much ſorrow will put upon ſtrong purſuites after God, it will make you full and ſtrong in prayers; and the power of prayer is great with God, it makes the ſoule to run to Chriſt, and to improve all the hope, and faith and intereſt that it hath in him, and they that ſeeke the Father in the Son, ſhall finde him.
4 Now God will be welcome, when the ſoule is bitten with his abſence; God leaves his people becauſe they ſlight him, but when they have learned to prize him, now he will come; no place fits him but the higheſt, and now God is lift up when the heart in the preſence of all things which were delightfull and precious, pines after him; love is ſeene in ſorrow; we grieve much in the loſſe of that we love much.
2. Then ſorow prevailes with God,Secondly, when it is ingenuous. when it is ingenuous.
1. When for the cauſe, not loſſe onelyonly.When not onelyonly for the loſſe but for the cauſe; when you can mourne, not onelyonly that you are Deſerted, but becauſe you have ſinned; when you can grieve much that you have procured this evill.
2. When not onelyonly for ſadneſſe, but alſo for the ſinfulneſſe of the loſſe.When your ſorrow is not onelyonly becauſe of the miſery of ſuch a ſtate, but alſo for the ſinfulneſſe; there muſt needs be many feares and great anxieties in ſuch a ſoule as ſeeth it ſelfe left of God; but a holy heart will grieve for this, not onelyonly that it is fallen into ſuch miſery, but alſo and eſpecially that ſinne hath regained ſtrength, that the life and luſtre of holineſſe is ſo weakened; Grace hath a great beauty in the eye of him that hath itrforeign. Naz. orat. 5.6, and ſinne carrieth in it the greateſt deformity and miſery unto him, ſo that ſuch a one mindes not ſo much his eaſe as his cure; yea his heart is carried in ſuch ſtrong deſires after God, that it overlookes its ſuffering; weeping is no burthen, and ſo that he might recover his loſſe, though it come through a ſtorme of feares, cares, griefes, he would count himſelfe happy; another man who hath no greater thing to feare or deſire then hell and heaven, dwells upon his feares when he is affraid, and is held in them, and if he could be delivered from his feares, he would be at reſt; but a godly man though he feele his troubles, yet would he not count his caſe happier, if theſe ſtormes were downe, but he will mourne ſtill till he be reſtored to his former life in God; David was not ſatisfied till a new heart was created in him, and a right ſpirit renewed. Pſal. 51.10, 11.
3. When not for loſſe of comfort onelyonly, but of God alſo.When not onelyonly for the loſſe of the comfort and ſweetneſſe in a holy converſe with God, but for the loſſe of God himſelfe; a child hath much comfort and reliefe from his father, but when his father is gone, he doth not onelyonly lament his loſſe of comfort, but his loſſe of his father; ſo the wife more laments the loſſe of her husband, then of her good by him; when a man ſeeth what he hath loſt, he cannot but mourn to think what daies he had when he lived under the wing of his gracious father, but yet all the comforts that ever he had or hoped for, doe not lye ſo heavy as God himſelfe: For to a godly man all comforts, and graces and all good that he receiveth doth ſerve to lead his heart to, and to fixe it in God; God hath his end here, for he ſends out theſe but as Ioſeph ſent Chariots to bring his father and brethren to him, all theſe things are but conveyances, and ſervants employed betwixt God and his people to invite and draw their hearts to himſelfe; and the Saints doe not reſt in theſe, they doe not match with the handmaides; the fruits of Gods love are ſweet, When for loſſe, not onelyonly as bitter, but as a ſigne of Gods diſpleaſureand becauſe they are ſweet, therefore God is precious, Chriſt is pretious to them that beleeve. 1 Pet. 2.7.
4. When your ſorrow is not onelyonly for the loſſe, as it is your evill, but alſo as it betokeneth diſpleaſure in God; a true friend is grieved when his friend leaves him and caſts him off, not onelyonly for his owne great loſſe, but for his friends anger, he can as well be without his friend as without his love, and is as loath his friend ſhould be diſpleaſed, as himſelfe endammaged.
5. When becauſe by this loſſe, you are diſabled to ſerve him.When your ſorrow is that you have leſſe ſtrength to ſerve him; grace hath a great recompence in it ſelfe, but can you grieve that by bringing your ſelves into this ſtate of deadneſſe, you have lived to little honour to your God, When you can ſubmit to all tearmes of reconcilement.and are not now able to doe much for him? this is ingenuous ſorrow.
6. When you can gladly ſubmit to all conditions of reconcilement and of reſtauration; though God require much, or impoſe much, yet you count all nothing in compariſon of God; can you ſay, Lord command me, chide, rebuke, ſmite, doe what thou wiltſforeign inquit Themiſtocles Eurybiadi plagaſque minanti dum ſanum in praelio cō ſilium decerit. Plut., though it be through a deſart, yea through a Sea of ſtraits and troubles, yet I am content to goe, ſo I may arrive at laſt at my deſired end; if I may have thy good preſence it ſhall be enough; if thou wilt come to me, if I may come to thee, every way ſhall be ſweet; though I goe thorow thornes and bryars, to the raking of my fleſh, and the effuſion of my blood, yet this ſhall be nothing to me, if I may enjoy my God who is all in all to me.
When your ſorrow is ingenuous, then you will find God, yea indeed he hath found much, whoſe frozen heart begins to thawe, and to diſſolve it ſelfe in ſhowres of teares for the return of God unto his deſerted ſoule; the Lord hath looked upon thee, if with Peter thou weep bitterly tTunc peccator viſitatur a Domino, quando compungitur ad lacrymas: nam et Petrus, tunc flevit quando in eum Chriſtus reſpexit. Bern. de mod. bene viv. ſer. 10..
Secondly, bewaile the cauſe; this is part of that cure which the great Phyſitian. of ſoules preſcribed to Epheſus languiſhing in a like diſeaſe; I have ſomewhat againſt thee, Bewaile the cauſe of the loſſe.becauſe thou haſt left thy firſt love, remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent. Apoc. 2.4, 5.
Queſt. Whether the ſubſtraction of the quickning influences of the ſpirit be alway for ſinne.
Anſ. 1 Anſw. 1. Sometimes it is like he doth it not becauſe his people have ſinned, but for higher ends; as Peter was left to be ſtrangely foyled with fears of ſuffering, falling exceedingly beneath his former ſpirit and reſolution, yet not for any particular ſin of his, but as it is likely, that he might ſee how unable he was of himſelfe, that ſo all the glory of his future heroick acts and ſufferings might come not to himſelfe, but unto Chriſt; and ſo Paul was buffetted that he might not be exalted; God let looſe Satan, not to puniſh, but to prevent his ſin. 2 Cor. 10. ſo the caſe ſtood with the blinde man. John 9.3.
Anſ. 2 2 There is alſo cauſe in us, though God make it not a cauſe to himſelfe and to his action, therefore your way is to conſider your wayes.
Anſ. 3 3 God uſually doth it for ſin; and if you ſearch the Scriptures, they teſtifie that ſin is the uſuall ſpring of this evill: Sin ſeparates betwixt us. Eſay 59.2. he bath threatned, If we forſake him he will forſake us. 2 Chron. 15.3.
Queſt. Queſt. How a man may. finde out what ſin is the cauſe?
Anſw. Anſw. Firſt, ſometimes the cauſe, … viſible, and a man can ſcarce look beſides it. 1. When upon ſome particula… groſſe failing, a damp hath fallen upon him; in ſuch a caſe God points at the ſin, and diſcovers the cauſe of his diſpleaſure by this ſudden puniſhment inflicted on him; Scriptures afford man… inſtances of diſcovering the ſin by th… time of the puniſhment.
2 It may be there hath been an eminent neglect of thoſe meanes by which life was upheld, and groſſe careleſneſſe in omiſſion, or palpable remiſſeneſſe is duties, vanity of minde, ſinfull affections, and other evils connived at have ſo broken in, that a man may plainly ſe… the time when his fall began, and whe… his ſun began to ſet.
Secondly, Upon conſideration, … though the cauſe be not tranſparent, i… may be diſcovered, and for help in this I will propound foure rules.
1 Purſue your loſſe, and ſad condition to the birth of it; conſider how long this night of darkneſſe hath been upon you; look back to the dayes in which you were happy in a living communion with God; if a man have loſt a thing, hee bethinkes himſelfe when he had it, and where, and ſo as much as may be, purſueth his loſſe to the very time and place. It may be when you come to this, you will have much light to finde out how you loſt your treaſure; God goeth not away upon ſmall offences, you will by ſearching finde the gap that let in theſe floods.
2 Conſider, what things have beene moſt preſſed by God from time to time upon you; for though the whole law, and all righteouſneſſe be enjoyned to all, yet there are ſome things more eſpecially preſſed: ſo Ioſuah was much preſſed to courage, ſo much, as if it had been his only taſke. Be ſtrong and of a good courage, only be thou ſtrong and very couragiou…. Joſh. 1.6, 7, 9. The Iſraelites were mightily among other things, called on to take heed of forgetting God, and what he had done, when they ſhould poſſeſſe the land of promiſe, Deut. 4.9. Only take heed to thy ſelfe and keep thy ſoule diligently, leaſt tho… forget, &c. Chap. 8.2, 5, 10, 11, 14, 18. And after their returne from Babylon ſome things eſpecially were againe urged, as not to mixe themſelves with the heathen, which things Ezra & Neh: laboured much in; and to build the temple, which the Prophet Haggai againe and againe enforceth, &c. So every Chriſtian according to his ſtation, temper, meaſure of gifts and graces, relation, age, courſe, &c. is put upon ſome things in a ſpeciall manner: heare what the ſpirit ſaith, the voice cals upon you it may be, for more humiliation, or more meditation, or more thankfulneſſe, prayer, reading, zeale, mortification of particular luſts: now if you have been deafe to theſe cals; it is like here grew the difference betwixt God and you; for here is great diſobedience, when a man ſinne; againſt ſuch ſtrong and continued cals; a friend takes it ill, when he is often denyed and long put off in a thing much deſired, and ſtrongly requeſted.
3 Liſten to conſcience, for that is Gods deputy, and it will tell you what it is that God takes ill at your hands; obſerve at what dore conſcience layeth this ſad birth, this miſerable plight of ſoule which you are in, for that is like to bee the Father; as God witneſſeth with our ſpirits, ſo uſually he chides with them, at leaſt he never chides without them, but when he will rebuke he ſets conſcience to doe it; heare then its errands, and receive its charge: it may be it will ſay, this is thy pride, or thy ſlightneſſe in duties, thy neglect of God and Chriſt, thy harboured luſts, &c.
I deny not but Conſcience may erre, and doth often, charging that as ſin which is no ſin, or making ſin greater then it is, or accuſing a man of that which he is not guilty of, or judging and condemning when the ſin is pardoned, therefore I adde.
4 Pray the Lord to ſhew you wherein you have offended: it was Elihu his counſell to Iob in his ſad caſe, Surely it is meete to be ſaid unto God, I have borne chaſtiſement, I will not offend any more; that which I ſee not teach thou me; if I have done iniquity, I will doe no more. Job 34.31, 32. And when you are convinced of the evill of your wayes then look on them & mourn over them… what a thing is this, that I ſhould provoke him to leave me, in whoſe preſence I have had ſuch light, ſuch life, ſuch ſtrength, ſuch liberty, ſuch peace ſuch victories, ſuch treaſures, ſuch joyes? Heare oh ye heavens, for I have committed two great evils, I have forſaken the fountain of living waters, an… have digged to my ſelfe ciſterns, broken ciſterns that hold no water. Jer. 2.12. Oh wretch that I am, that that precious communion which I had with my God was of no more eſteem with me; that thoſe ſweet ſtreames of comfort which I now want, but then had from the well of life, thoſe quickning beames from the Sun of righteouſneſſe, thoſe refreſhing, thoſe raviſhing ſights and taſts of Jeſus Chriſt, thoſe pleaſant banquet… which I had in the ordinances and i… duties, thoſe bleſſed embraces of the everlaſting armes of the Lord my God, were of ſo low account with me, that I ſhould loſe them by my folly; I have been careful to keep my name, my ſtate, my health, yea my vanities, but I have not been careful to keep my God; that life and comfort of the Spirit which Chriſt purchaſed with his blood, I, like prophane Eſau, have ſold for nought.
Woe is me, that the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt ſhould come in mercy to make his abode with me, and yet hath no better entertainment. I ſet the doores open that he might depart, yea by entertainning luſts and vanities, I have made him weary of his dwelling, and he is gone in anger, that came in love;uLyſimachus, foreign. Plut. Apophth. & de ſanitate tuendâ. that which I begged with teares, and enjoyed with comfort, I have loſt for ſin; oh what have I done againſt my God? yea, what againſt my ſelfe? what madneſſe was this, to gain my luſts, and loſe my God? like that great Commander who ſold himſelfe for a draught of water.
Thus break open the rountains within, and adde ſorrow to ſorrow, drink your teares like water, and mourne and mourn again; ſay, oh my folly, that have loſt that for want of care, which now… would redeeme with my blood; bu… when once God is gone, who can te… me when he will returne againe? he… goeth from many and takes leave for ever; and now if I goe long in heavineſſe, I may thanke my ſelfe; if my ſoule be ſpoiled with long hoſtilities, and tyrannies of the power of darkneſſe, if my ſins rage like the Sea, if I walke a… a ſhadow of death, my owne hand hath brought all this upon me; for God left not me, till I left himxTu me non deſeris, niſi prius ego te deſeram. Aug. in Solilo. cap. 14..
Yea further, cauſe the waters of ſorrow to riſe yet higher, look upon former times, and ſay, what was I then? what am I now? my ſilver is become droſſe, take up the lamentation of the Church, and make it yours. How is the gold become dimme, how is the moſt fine gold changed? the ſtones of the Sanctuary are poured out in the top of every ſtreete, the precious ſons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter? they that fed delicately are deſolate in the ſtreetes, they that were brought up in ſcarlet embrace dunghils; her Nazarites were purer then ſnow, they were whiter then milk, they were more ruddy then Rubies, their poliſhing was of Saphire, but now their viſage is darker then blackneſſe; their skin cleaveth to their bones, it is withered, it is become like a ſtick; we are orphans and father leſſe, our necks are under perſecution, and we have no reſt, ſervants have ruled over us, and there is none that doth deliver us out of their hands, the joy of our heart is ceaſed, our dancing is turned into mourning, the crowne is fallen from our heads; woe unto us, that we have ſinned; for this, our heart is faint, for theſe things our eye is dimme. Lament. 4.1, 2, 5, 7. Chap. 5.3, 5, 8, 15, 16, 17.
Look about you, and gather matter of ſorrow into your hearts, caſt your eyes upon your wayes, and ſay, how little good have I done, how much evill? how poore is my life, my duties like things without life, and my unfaithfulneſſe appeares as the light in all my wayes; I wonder how I could own ſuch actions, which ſtand all like the children of beggers, clothed with ragges, and full of vermine; caſt your eyes upon others, and ſay, ſuch as had leſſe engagements, leſſe encouragements then I, are got far… before me, the laſt is firſt, and the firſt laſt; many are grieved and dulled by my deadneſſe that ſhould have been quickned by my life; look up to God, and ſay, Oh fooliſh and unjuſt man, have I thus requited the Lord my God? look up to heaven, and ſay, I might by ſowing much have made my harveſt rich and full, but now it is juſt, I ſhould reap little, that have ſowed little, yea, that having ſowed vanity, I ſhould reap iniquitie.
Repentance is the way to make up your loſſes, and to repaire your ruines, God hath promiſed grace and mercy to the penitentyQui delictis poenam per judicium deſtinavit, idem & veniam per poenitentiam ſpopondit. Tertul. de poenit.: When thou art in tribulation, & all theſe things are come upon thee (or have found thee) if thou turne to the Lord thy God, thou ſhalt finde him, for the Lord thy God is a mercifull God, he will not forſake thee, neither deſtroy thee, &c. Deut. 4.29, 30, 31. Take then the counſell of the Prophet, which he gave to Iſrael, when God was departed from them: Oh Iſrael return unto the Lord thy God for thou haſt fallen by thine iniquity; take with you words, and turn to the Lord; ſay unto him; Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciouſly, ſo will we render the calves of our lips. Hoſ. 14.1, 2. That you may finde the like favour, and God may do for you as hee promiſed to them; I will heale their back ſlidings, I will love them freely, for mine anger is turned away from him; I will be as the dew unto Iſrael, he ſhall grow as the Lilly, and caſt forth his roots as Lebanon, his branches, ſhall ſpread, and his beauty ſhall be as the Olive tree, and his ſmell as Lebanon, &c. ver. 5, 6. When Ephraim repented and mourned, God pittied him; I have ſurely heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelf: thou haſt chaſtiſed me, and I was chaſtiſed, as a bullock unaccuſtomed to the yoke; turne thou me, and I ſhall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God, &c. Is Ephraim my deare Son, is he a pleaſant childe? for ſince I ſpake againſt him, I doe earneſtly remember him ſtill, therefore my bowels are troubled for him, I will ſurely have mercy upon him, ſaith the Lord. Jer. 31.18, 19, 20.
You ſee then what encouragement you have to ſeek in this way for peace with God, and for the quicknings of his Spirit which you have loſt: ſin armes God againſt you, but he cannot hold back mercy from the humble, his promiſe hath given repentance a power to prevaile with him; and he will not contend with the broken hearted, hee hath a ſpeciall eye upon mourners, and will not hide himſelfe from the cry of the afflicted, a contrite heart is a ſacrifice which he will accept, Pſal. 51. He is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and ſaveth ſuch as be of a contrite ſpirit. Pſal. 34.18. The fatherzQuit ille nobis intelligen lus pater? Deus ſcilicet. Tam pater nemo, tam pius nemo. Is ergo te filium ſuum etſi acceptīe ab eo prodegeris, etſi nudus redieris, recipiet quia rediſti. Tertul. de poenitent. Patris cibus eſt ſalus noſtra. Beda & Ambr. in Luc. 15. of the Prodigall made haſt to receive and welcome his ſtraying ſon, and rejoyced that hee that was loſt was found again, and that he that was dead was alive againe. Luke 15. this is the way, walk in it, if God ſhould deny ſuch, he ſhould deny himſelfe, becauſe he hath ſaid, though he hath been Sorely diſpleaſed, turne you unto me, and I will turn to you. Zach. 1.2, 3.
Till you repent, your ſin is continued, and conſe quently Gods diſpleaſure.
Therefore conſider ſeriouſly of your caſe, for want of ſerious thoughts doth great hurt, ſo that though the heart bee affected, yet not enough, it ſeeth often that all is not well, and knoweth the cauſe, yet becauſe theſe things lye not upon the ſpirit by ponderous thoughts, a man beares his miſery happily complaining, but not wiſely and ſtrongly endeavouring to remove it. And the heart is not ſoone brought downe: you muſt hold up the objects of ſpirituall griefe by conſideration, that they may be able to beare downe the heart, therefore be much in pondering theſe two things.
1 The ſad effects of the loſſe of God; ſee what blindneſſe, barrenneſſe, weakneſſe, depravedneſſe, vanity, feares, accuſations of heart, what cryes and clamours in your ſoules, and now what if afflictions come, how will you be able to live in ſuch a time other then a dying and a feareful life? what if death come? either a black cloud of darkneſſe will over-ſpread you, or a ſtorme of affrightments and terrors will torment you; and now remember your ſinne hath brought all this upon you.
2 The ſinfulneſſe of the cauſe; why did you neglect and deſpiſe your God? if you had not ſet him ſhamefully at a low rate, you would not have turned your back upon him; what, Could not the infinite Majeſtie, and mercy of the Father; the incomprehenſible love of the Son; the unutterable comforts of the holy Ghoſt prevaile with you? Do you ſee what you have done? have you not ſaid to the Father, I neither fear thy Majeſty, nor deſire thy mercy? and to the Son, I care not for all thy love, nor yet for thee that dyedſt for me? and to the holy Ghoſt, I regard not all thy ſaving counſels, living influences, and high refreſhments? doe you not heare theſe pleading with you, each for himſelfe, and each for all? they are one, and what you have done in this, you have done againſt each, and againſt all; weigh well then what your careleſneſſe and diſobedience amounts to, that you may meet him with an humbled ſpirit, drenched in teares, and clothed with ſhame; put caſe now that God ſhould requite you in your kinde, and that his heart ſhould not be towards you, then you might bid peace, yea life, yea hope adieu for ever.
Conſider further, how God did follow you, and entreated you not to goe from him, did he not tell you, he could not beare contempts; and that you would repent it at laſt; and will ſee, that what you have done againſt him you have done againſt your ſelves; did he not kindly uſe you; and were you not alwayes welcome to him? Oh my people what have I done unto thee, and wherein have I wearied thee? teſtifie againſt me. Mich. 6.3. and when you were going, did he not cry after thee? Returne thou back ſliding Iſrael, and I will not cauſe mine anger to fall upon you, for I am mercifull, and I will not keep anger for ever. Jer. 3.12. Yet you would not; Conſider now how long you have lived without him, and how often God hath called upon you to conſider your waies; if you will let your thoughts out, you will finde abundant cauſe of griefe; and when you ſeek him with repētance, you will finde him in mercy drawing neare, and he will forget your unkindneſſe and you ſhall heare no more of them; doubtleſſe your ſinnes this way are very great, ſo that ſometimes God hath been put as it were to a ſtand what courſe to take; when God had promiſed mercy to his revolting people, he addes, But I ſaid, how ſhall I put thee among the children? and give thee a pleaſant land? and I ſaid thou ſhalt call me, my father, and ſhalt not turne away from me. Jer. 3.19. When the Church had been diſloyall, ſhe at laſt fell to this courſe of repentance, and ſee the iſſue; A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and ſupplications of the children of Iſrael, for they have perverted their wayes, and they have forgotten the Lord their God; returne ye backſliding children, and I will heale your backſlidings. ver. 21. and oh that you alſo would tread in their ſteps, and ſay, We come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God. ver. 22.