A Sovereign Salve, Section 2
SECT. II.
Wherein are particular Comforts ſet downe; and firſt, in caſe the Diſtreſſed Perſon ſhould dye ſeemingly deſpairing.
FOr it is true, that not onelyonly wicked perſons, and looſe livers, may deſpaire in death; but alſo (to mans ſeeming) even *See Mr. Hierons Workes in fol. vol. 1. pag. 617, &c. Mr. Perkins his Workes in fol. vol. 1. pag. 492. col. 1. a. & d. & pag. 378. col. 1. b. &c.repentant Sinners and the deare Children of God: For even theſe, after long and grievous perplexities, ſeeking and labouring for releaſe, and finding none, have (many of them) condemned themſelves, and pronounced againſt themſelves, that they are the very Firebrands of Hell, and cannot be ſaved; nay, many times have died too with ſpeeches in their mouths, which much ſavour of Deſpaire.
And yet we muſt not doubt for all this, but that the child of God, moſt deare unto him, may, through this gulph of Deſperation, attaine to everlaſting happineſſe; for many of the workes of our infinitely wiſe God, are done in and †See BB. Cowper in Rom. 8. 28. Lorin. in Acta Apoſt. pag. 358. col. 2. c.by their contraries.
Thus in the Creation all things were made, not of Something, but of Nothing, cleane contrary to the courſe of nature. So in the worke of Redemption, God gives …ledge…fe, not by life, but by death; for out of …ledge…s Sonnes accurſed death, doth he bring us …ledge…fe, and eternall happineſſe. And this too …ledge… Gods manner of dealing many times in …ledge…e worke of our ſalvation, for when God will ſend his owne Servants to Heaven, he …ledge…ends them, many times, a cleane contrary way, even *See Mr. Perkins, ubi ſupra, vol. 1 pag. 492. col. 1. c.by the gates of Hell.
Againe, we may here take notice of this for our comfort, that God may have, by …ledge…is bleſſed Spirit, a ſecret influence, and ſa…ledge…ing work upon the ſoule of his child, when …ledge…here is †Eſay 50. 10. See Mr. Goodwins Sermons in loc. Mr. Bolton, ubi ſupra, pag 438.no light, nor feeling of his favour …ledge…t all *Idem, ibid. pag. 521.. The Sunne (we know) though he leave his light upon the face of the earth, yet notwithſtanding deſcends, by a reall, effectuall influence, into the boſome, and darkeſt bowels thereof, and there exerciſes a moſt excellent work in begetting Mettals, Gold, and Silver, and other precious things; and ſo it is proportionably in this preſent point.
A poore ſoule may lye groveling in the duſt, afflicted and toſſed with tempeſts of moſt hideous and fearfull temptations; yea, and even deſpairing too, ever to find mercy at the hands of God, and yet may bleſſedly partake ſtill of the ſweet influence of Gods everlaſting love, of a ſecret ſaving worke of grace, and Almighty ſupport of the ſanctifying Spirit.
Againe, we may here take notice of thi…redge… for our comfort, that Gods child may fo…redge… a long time live, yea, and dye too withou…redge… any ſenſe, and feeling of Gods love, and favour towards him in Chriſt, and yet without any †See Mr. Chibald in his triall of faith, lib. 2. chap. 4. pag. 185, & 187. Rogers of Dedham, in his doctrine of faith. Epiſt. ad Lector. pag. penult.prejudice at all to his eternall ſalvation. For a man is juſtified by faith, and not by feeling; and ſaved by believing, and not by joy, and peace in believing: And therefore if a man *See Mr. Schudders Chriſtians daily walk, pag. 594. M. Throgmorton of faith, pag 194.have faith, though h…redge… have little, or no feeling, he may be ſure enough of his ſalvation indeed, though no…redge… in his owne apprehenſion.
Laſtly, we muſt here alſo know, and tak…redge… notice of this for our comfort, that thoug…redge… Gods child in this his laſt and finall Deſpaire, may ſeeme to let goe all his hold o…redge… God, and his mercies in Chriſt; yet Go…redge… may not have let goe his hold of him. Fo…redge… there are †Vide Rolloc. in Joan. cap. 15. & cap. 10. ibid. BB. Uſhers Sermon on 1 Cor. 10. 17. pag. 19. &c.two bonds, by which thoſe tha…redge… are Gods children, are tyed to Chriſt thei…redge… Head, and Saviour; the one is the bond o…redge… Gods Spirit; the other is the bond of thei…redge… owne faith: By their faith they lay hold o…redge… Chriſt, and he holds them by his Spirit Now though the faith of Gods child weakened, and ſorely wounded in this ſpiritual…redge… conflict, may to it ſelfe, and to the by-ſtanders apprehenſion, ſeeme to have loſt hi…redge… hold-faſt of Chriſt, and thereupon conceiv…redge… and imagine, that all helpe and hope i…redge… gone; and ſo both live dejectedly, and dye uncomfortably: as if none of all the promiſes of mercy made unto the Believer in Gods Book, nor any drop of Chriſts blood did belong unto him. Yet here is his comfort, that Chriſt, by his Spirit, doth ſtill hold him faſt, yea, ſo faſt, that neither man, nor Devill, nor all the powers of darkneſſe, or gates of Hell, can poſſibly pluck him out of …ledge…is hand. And therefore we may ſafely conclude, that Deſpaire, whether it ariſe of weakneſſe of nature, or of conſcience for …ledge…inne (though it fall out about the time of death) cannot prejudice the ſalvation of …ledge…hoſe that are effectually called.
Secondly, in caſe the Diſtreſſed Perſon ſhould dye raving, and blaſpheaming.
FOr even theſe too may betide the deare child of God; being either effects of …ledge…ch bodily diſeaſes, as they are ſubject to, …ledge…s well as others; or comming from Satan, working in, and by ſuch diſeaſes, through Gods permiſſion.
Firſt, ſuch ravings, and blaſpheamings in Gods dying child, may be the effects of …ledge…ome †See M. Hieron, vol. 1. pag. 657. Dr. Gouges Arrowes, p. 21.bodily diſeaſe that hath ſeized upon …ledge…im; as of phrenſy, and madneſſe, the cho…ledge…r then flying up into the braine, and diſtracting him, ſo that he may neither know what he ſaith, or doth.
And if they proceed from hence, then our comfort in reſpect of our diſeaſed Friend, who dyed with ſuch ravings, and blaſpheamings in his mouth, may be this:
That (ſeeing theſe things happening at the time of his death, came not from him, but from his diſeaſe) they are not to be aſcribed to him, but to his diſeaſe; for ſo will God doe, and ſo muſt man doe too; eſpecially, if he have given any good teſtimony of holineſſe in former times; yea, but of the deſire of grace, and that in the intermiſſion of his fits; for even upon theſe grounds (as weak as they are) Divines *Perkins, vol. 1. pag. 492. col. 1. d. &c. & pag. 468. col. 1. a. Schudder, ubi ſupra, pag. 491.o…redge… beſt note for skill in the art of right comforting afflicted Conſciences, have concluded, that ſuch an uncomfortable en…redge… will neither prejudice that mans ſalvatio…redge… before God which ſo dyeth; neither ough…redge… it to be a blemiſh to his reputation amongſ…redge… men, when he is dead.
Secondly, ſuch ravings and blaſpheamings in Gods dying child, may come fro…redge… Satan, working in, and by the diſeaſe tha…redge… hath ſeized on him. And if they doe com…redge… from hence, we have this comfort ſtill i…redge… reſpect of our deceaſed Friend, that Go…redge… hath not imputed them unto him, but wi…redge… impute them unto Satan, from whom the…redge… …ledge…oceeded; our Friend being at the time of …ledge…e commiſſion of them, wholly paſſive, …ledge…her then any way active in them; and …ledge…erefore theſe cannot be his, but Satans …ledge…ſonall ſinnes; and being ſo, they ſhall …ledge… ſet upon his ſcore, and he muſt anſwer …ledge… them.
…ledge…irdly, in caſe the Diſtreſſed Perſon ſhould be the Author of his owne death; and either by hanging, drowning, ſtabbing, or ſome ſuch other way, doe make himſelfe away.
…ledge…Or even this too may betide the deare …ledge… child of God, if God ſhould leave him …ledge…he fury of ſome phrentique diſeaſe, ex…ledge…ity of melancholly, height of diſtreſſe Conſcience, or to Satans power and …ledge…ice working in and by any of theſe.
…ledge…ut how to finde comfort for ſuch a ſad …ledge…dent as this, I confeſſe it hath ſtumbled …ledge…y worthy Divines, and others; and …ledge… amongſt them I finde ſome grounds of …ledge…fort, even for this, which I may not …ledge…ceale.
…ledge…he firſt is taken from the infinite, and …ledge…mprehenſible mercy of God, who is not …ledge… to any time, or meanes, but may ſhew …ledge…y in a moment, and give repentance in …ledge…very inſtant of death.
The ſecond is taken from the cauſe and occaſion that inſtigated, and ſet forward the Party to commit this unnaturall, inhumane, and fearfull act upon himſelfe; for if it were extremity of melancholly, or ſome phrentique diſtemperature occaſioned by ſickneſſe of body, or ſome inextricable perplexity ariſing from diſtreſſe of Conſcience, or Satan working in and by all theſe; the Party himſelfe being by any, or all theſe deprived of reaſon, judgment, free-election, preſent ſupport of grace, and hope o…redge… any future comfort: *See M. Charls Richardſon of Peters, and Judas repentance, pag. 229. Mr. Sims his lifes preſervative, pag. 288. &c. Mr. Burtons Mela…redge… cholly, pag. 188. Abernethy phyſick for the ſoule, pag. 403.All Divines gran…redge… that their caſe is rather to be pitied of al…redge… then to be raſhly and uncharitably cenſure…redge… of any.
And ſome goe further, judging the be…redge… of them, and that upon theſe grounds;
1. Becauſe (wanting free-election …redge… themſelves, and being in a ſtate where…redge… they know not what they did) the acti…redge… is not to be reputed as done by them, but meere involuntary act (through the violen…redge… of their diſeaſe, or inextricable perplexity their Diſtreſſe, or Satans miſchievous and m…redge… licious cooperation with both) extorted fro…redge… them.
2. Becauſe ſome after the attempt this ſelf-deſtroying act made, being throu…redge… Gods gracious providence and mercy towards them, ſaved and preſerved from it, †See Mr. Burtons Melancholly, p. 543. See my ſick Soules Preſidents, pag. 14.have come againe to themſelves, and ſoundly repented of it, and lived a holy and gracious life ever afterwards.
And 3. Becauſe even this act clad with …ledge…he former circumſtances, and being in Gods child but a ſinne of infirmity, though …ledge…e live not actually to repent him of it, ſhall …ledge…ndoubtedly by a *See M. Hookers Sermon on Hab. 1. 4. pag. 22. Dr. Saunderſons Serm. on Gen. 20. 6. pag. 89. Perkins Works, vol. 2. pag. col. 1. d.generall habituall repentance, and Gods gracious acceptation thereof, be pardoned by the paſſion of Chriſt, and buried for ever in his bloody …ledge…eath.
The third and laſt is taken from the qua…ledge…y, and condition of the Party himſelfe, …ledge…at hath done this act: For if he have …ledge…ene one, that in his life time hath given …ledge…me good teſtimony of his gracious eſtate, …ledge…d of being the child of God, we muſt not …ledge…dge the worſe of him for this his manner …ledge… death. For that laſt and unreverſable …ledge…ome, at the dreadfull Tribunall of the …ledge…er-living God, ſhall not paſſe upon us ac…ledge…rding to the violent, and involuntary Di…ledge…mpers and acts, at our laſt houre, and in…ledge…nt of death, but according to the former …ledge…full, or ſanctified courſes of our life; and …ledge…erefore we are to hope well of him too, …ledge…twithſtanding this.