Thirty-One Select Sermons 2, Sermon collection · Sermon 4
Vnruly Thoughts quieted, BY Divine Conſolations.
At Pauls, June 9. 1653.
PSALM 94.19.
In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my ſoul.
THE Pſalm in the Hebrew is without a Title, and therefore I can ſay nothing either of the Author, or the Occaſion, but the Septuagint adds a title, and Jerom from them; Pſalmus David quarta ſabbati; Ierom.upon which Auſtin and Ierom have their ſeveral conjectures, which will be to little purpoſe to humble you withal; only from the contents thereof Muſculus and Calvin both do obſerve, that the Pſalmiſt doth here ſpeak de perſecutionibus domeſticis, ſome that proved great perſecutors at home, and they do referr it unto Saul, and unto his government: it is true, they had many enemies round about them; all the neighbour Nations, the bordering Nations, they were their evil neighbours; the Holy-Ghoſt calls them ſo in Ier. 12.14. but yet it ſeems they had more cruel inmates within, worſe then all the neighbours without: a home-born ſlaverie amongſt all upon earth, is the greateſt miſery; home-born Oppreſſion among all upon earth is the greateſt tyrannie: yet notwithſtanding, ſo it ſeems it was; for that is the humor of ſome men, as if they were only ad dominium, and all others admancipium nati; they born to rule, all other men born to ſerve: and ſuch was Sauls party; Cuſh the Ethiopian, Pſal. 7.1. Jews by profeſſion, but Gentiles in Religion: this miſery grew ſo great upon David, that he choſe rather a voluntary exile, then to ſubject himſelf unto the cruelty of thoſe, or that hypocritical faction which bare rule in his own Nation: as Salv. l. 5. de grat. p. 6. ſuch was the oppreſſion in that time of the Roman Governors, ut-unum Romanorum erat omnium votum, liceat iis vitam agere cum Barbaris: This ſeems to be the great ſubject of the Pſalm. In the words that I have read to you, there are two things to be conſidered.
Firſt, Davids affliction (if he were the Author of the Pſalm) and that aroſe from a multitude of perplexing thoughts within him. And,
Secondly, here is Davids Conſolation too in the midſt of this affliction: thy comforts delight my ſoul: amara vulnera, ſed ſuavia medicamenta, Auſtin.ſo Auſtin ſaith: From theſe two Branches there are two Obſervations that I have made choice of to ſpeak ſomething to you at preſent.
The firſt is this; That in evil times the miſery of the Saints of God is more from thoughts within, then troubles without.
Secondly, That God provideth Conſolations in, and anſwerable unto the afflictions of his people, which ſhall have a power to revive and delight their ſouls.
Doctrine firſt.
To begin with the firſt of them. In evil times the miſery of the Saints of God is more from thoughts within, then from troubles without. There are three things in the opening of this truth, that I ſhall endeavour briefly to demonſtrate to you.
Firſt, That the beſt men they are not freed, while they live here, from unruly un-ſubdued thoughts.
Secondly, That in times of trouble, theſe thoughts come in by multitudes: a mans thoughts are never ſo tumultuous as in troubleſom times. And then,
Laſtly, That the great part of afflictions doth lie more in theſe tumultuous and unruly thoughts within, then in all a mans troubles and afflictions without: winds without do not cauſe an earth-quake, but wind within, foreign.
For the firſt, even the beſt men while they live here, they are not freed from unruly and unquiet thoughts. Thoughts, they are the immediate iſſues of principles; the buds and the bloſſoms of the principles that are in a mans heart: and ſo long as godly men live here, they will have corrupt principles in them; ſo long will theſe principles bud and bloſſom into unruly and inordinate thoughts, while a man is in an unregenerate eſtate: all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart are evil, and only evil, Gen. 6.5. becauſe he hath nothing but a principle of ſinning in him: when he is regenerate, yet ſo long as a corrupt principle remains in him, ſo long there will ariſe in him unruly unſubdued thoughts: it is very true, there is a great deal of difference between the thoughts of regenerate and unregenerate men: for in a regenerate man there is a holy government ſet up in his thoughts, they are brought into ſubjection unto the government of Chriſt, even foreign, every thought: in 2 Cor. 10.5. for let a mans change in his words, in his actions be never ſo glorious, even an Angel before men, yet if his thoughts remain the ſame, I muſt ſay it, he is ſtill a child of Belial, he is ſtill in the gall of bitterneſs, and bonds of iniquity: therefore there is a great deal of difference between the thoughts of a regenerate and an unregenerate man; and indeed the main regeneration lies in that, and is principally diſcovered in it, purity in the inward parts: in Iſa. 55.7. let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; the great change lies in the inward man: therefore there is a great deal of difference between the thoughts of a regenerate and an unregenerate man: and though there be rebellious thoughts in the beſt men, they are not the top thoughts in the man: you have an expreſſion in 1 King. 18.28. how long halt you between two opinions? foreign the word in the Hebrew is taken from a word that ſignifies the top branches of a tree: as you find the ſame word uſed in Iſa. 17.6. a few berries upon the uppermoſt boughs; there you have the ſame word uſed: and therefore Mercer renders the word, how long halt ye inter duas prominentias: Mercer.that is they had 2 top thoughts; they thought as highly of Baal as they did think of God; and they did ſet up Baal in the ſame authority that they did ſet up God: the word of God is ſaid to caſt down foreign, every top thought, 2 Cor. 10.5. he doth ſo far bring them into order and ſub-ordination, that though they be unruly thoughts, yet they are under controle, and under a higher Kingdom and dominion: now a godly man hath never thoſe: though he hath ſinful thoughts, yet they are never his top thoughts: they are thoughts that are brought into captivity; but yet my Brethren for all that, there will ariſe in the beſt men abundance of unruly and unquiet thoughts, yet for all this they do ariſe in the ſouls of godly men: even in the beſt men, the corrupt principle in them is ſtill bubling up, the Sea within them is caſting out mire and dirt: and that from a threefold ground: I will but touch it, and paſs to the ſecond particular.
Firſt, from the corruptions of the unregenerate part, the remainder of corruption in the beſt men, it is like fire in an Oven, the Holy-Ghoſt compares it ſo, Hoſ. 7.4,5. and he hath violent irruptions, their hearts are as hot as an Oven, theſe thoughts ariſe from the irruptions and the breakings forth of the unregenerate part.
Secondly, from the invaſion of ſome enticing creature-objects amongſt them, as David ſaw Bathſheba: Achan ſaw, and he deſired; conſidered, and deſired: ſo likewiſe it is ſaid, in 1 Ioh. 2.16 Whatſoever is in the world, is the luſt of the fleſh, and the luſt of the eyes, and the pride of life: is there nothing in the world but luſt? the meaning is, take all the creatures to an unregenerate man, and they all of them become the objects of luſts, all of them are but means to draw out luſt: ſo that there is a threefold curſe come upon the creature ſince the fall unto all unregenerate men; it is not only a deceiving creature, becauſe it is empty: and it is a vexing creature, becauſe it is promiſing and then deceiving: but withal, it is a defiling, a polluting creature: thus from the invaſion of objects, from without, are theſe thoughts drawn forth. And then,
In the laſt place: from the injections of Satan: for what are unruly thoughts? it is Satan doth himſelf many times immediately inject: ſo the Devil put it into the heart of Iudas to betray Chriſt: the Devil put it into his heart: there are ſome thoughts that come immediately from hell, like fierie darts: the beſt men then are not in this life free from unruly, inordinate, unquiet thoughts. But,
In the ſecond place; In troubleſome times theſe thoughts come in by multitudes: never ſo tumultuous as in evil times: that as it is ſaid of the thoughts of God, and of his love, Pſal. 40.5. Thy thoughts to us-ward are innumerable, there is none can reckon them up to thee; So (my Brethren) it may be ſaid of our thoughts that proceed from our fears, when either guilt within, or danger without preſents it ſelf, our thoughts then are innumerable, they flie within a mans Spirit like Atomes in the air, no man is able to reckon them up to his own ſelf: obſerve Dan. 5.6. a hand-writing appears to Belſhazer: the hand ſmote him not, did but write upon the wall, yet notwithſtanding Belſhazer was troubled: What was the reaſon? his thoughts troubled him. The Diſciples they had an apparition of the Lord Jeſus, Luke 24.38. they ſuppoſed they had ſeen a ſpirit, ſaith the Text why he hurt them not, yet notwithſtanding Chriſt ſaith, thoughts did ariſe in their hearts, thoughts did ariſe: but in a ſpecial manner that place, Iob 6.4. The terrors of God are ſet in Battle-array againſt me: how came the terrors of God? the terrors of God were let in by thoughts, by thoughts, that was the way, and they did not come ſingle in he ſaith, but they came a whole army, and an army in battalia; thus did the Lord let in afflictions by his own thoughts upon Jobs perſon: and thus in evil times it alwaies is ſo; an army, an hoſt of thoughts come in upon us: they fall upon a mans heart like bubbles in the rain: and the reaſons are theſe two.
Firſt, becauſe in troubleſom times the ſouls of men are awake; commonly troubleſom times awaken mens ſpirits: in times of proſperitie & peace, there is uſually a Spirit of ſlumber upon men; but when the Lord emptieth a man from veſſel to veſſel, that hath been before ſettled upon the lees, then abundance of the lees appear; when God (I ſay) empties a man from veſſel to veſſel, then how full of projects is the heart of man? never brought into danger, but the man his thoughts riſe; Oh how ſhall I eſcape? what ſhall I do? and how ſhall I make proviſion for my ſelf? evil times awaken men that were before lulled aſleep by ſecuritie. But,
Secondly, Satan takes ſpecial care to aſſail the hearts of men with thoughts in an evil time, daemonum eſt malas cogitationes ſuggerere. Bernard.Bernard: Cogitationes oneroſae. Idem: his great care is to keep men in peace in proſperous times, to keep the houſe and all that he poſſeſſeth in peace; but let troubleſom times come once, then he doth ſtir up in the ſoul all manner of unquiet and diſtracting thoughts, and thereby he labours to add unto the affliction: as it is in temptations to ſin, their ſtrength lies in the multitudes of them, and in the intention of them: Satans great care is, that he might impreſs the ſame image upon you that is on himſelf; and your great care ſhould be, to keep your ſelves that the wicked one touch you not; touch you not, how is that? tactu qualitativo, ſo to touch you, as to leave an impreſſion of his own deviliſhneſs upon you: a conformity in you to him: non nocet ſenſus ubi non eſt conſenſus: quod reſiſtentem fatigat, vincentem coronat: now Satan is an unquiet Spirit, alwaies full of tumults and reſtleſneſs: why now ſuch a diſpoſition in evil times doth he labour to raiſe up in you alſo, that ſo there may be the ſame image in you that is in himſelf. Thus the beſt men are not freed from turbulent thoughts, and in evil times they come by multitudes.
But then, which is the main thing that I am to ſtick upon: That a godly mans affliction is more from theſe thoughts within, then from any trouble without; and that will appear by theſe ſix conſiderations: I ſhall deſire you to obſerve them.
In the firſt place, becauſe the eye of God is mainly upon a mans thoughts in troubleſom times, and your thoughts eſpecially diſpleaſe him. When the apparition was made to the Diſciples, Chriſt ſaith, Why are you fearful? Why do thoughts ariſe in your hearts? Luke 24.38. Chriſts eye was mainly upon their thoughts: and indeed theſe are the things that do in a ſpecial manner diſpleaſe God: the firſt buddings and riſings of corruption doth appear in a mans thoughts: and God doth eye ſin in the riſing of it, in the thoughts, in an eſpecial manner: ſua quiſque cogitatione ſtat vel cadit: quia ſpiritus ſanctus auferet ſe à cogitationibus quae ſunt ſine intellectu: eritque templum Dei, ſpelunca Diaboli: Bernard.Bern. de inter domo. It is true, that thoughts are free from the eye and cenſure of men, becauſe they are ſecret and inviſiible: But they are known to the eye of the Almighty: He ſees our thoughts afar off: and therefore ſome humble ſouls are more grieved for the provoking the eyes of the glory of God, by the rebellion of their thoughts, then for the exorbitancy of their actions: when the times are troubleſom and your thoughts within you grow unquiet and tumultuous. Now what is it in an affliction, that is the main thing in affliction? That which doth diſpleaſe God, and draws out ſin in the ſoul, that makes it to be an affliction indeed: Chriſoſt.and therefore I remember Chryſoſtom (ſpeaking of a godly man) layes down this for a general rule, which we ſhould do well to take with us: he ſaith, that unto him there is but one thing only that he fears: & what is that? that he ſhould diſpleaſe, or offend God; that is the great thing he is afraid of, he fears nothing elſe: foreign; he fears nothing elſe: why then my Brethren, what is it in an affliction that makes an affliction grievous? That which draws out ſin in me; now the blooming of corrupt principles is in thoughts, there they bud: and therefore I ſay, there is many a godly man, that conſidering the eye of God is alwaies upon his thoughts, is much more affected; I ſay, much more affected with the continual excurſions of his Spirit that prevail, and unruly thoughts, then he is with all the deviations of actions whatſoever. That is the firſt ground why the main of the affliction lies in this. But,
Secondly, there is another reaſon of it, and that is this: this lets the affliction into the inward man: when once the thoughts grow unruly, this lets the affliction into the inward man: while you keep afflictions without you they can never hurt you: therefore Jeſus Chriſt ſaith, fear not them that can kill the body, and have no more that they can do; all this is but without you, and ſo long I ſay they can never hurt you: but if the affliction gets within, then it is like wind in the bowels of the earth: then it cauſeth the earth-quake: Godly men for this cauſe have taken more care to guard their Spirits that they may keep afflictions without, then to be delivered from the afflictions: there are two Scriptures that I ſhall offer, marvellous conſiderable, Hab. 3.16. that is one, I tremble in my ſelf (ſaith he) that I might reſt in the evil day: reſt, there is a double reſt: there is a reſt of deliverance, he meant not ſo: but there is a reſt of quietneſs, and confidence and that all the people of God labour for: keep the afflictions without you, let it not invade your inward man; that is the promiſe, Pſal. 127.2. So he gives his beloved ſleep: obſerve that Scripture; it is in vain to riſe early, and go to bed late, and eat the bread of carefulneſs; ſo he gives his Beloved ſleep: what is that? Animum tranquillum, placidum laborem; Calvin.ſo Mr. Calvin: that let his condition without be never ſo troubleſom, let him be forced to break his bodily ſleep never ſo often, yet the inward ſleep, the inward reſt, and tranquillity of his mind is reſerved; he gives his Beloved ſleep. My Brethren, ſo long as temptations are kept without you, they will never hurt you: it is true of afflictions too: take a man that keeps an affliction out of his thoughts, that is, from unruly, and turbulent, and tumultuous thoughts: Huic non eſt oneroſa paupertas, non ſentit injurias, ridet opprobria, contemnit damna, Bernard.Bernard: this man alas, poverty, or injuries, or diſgraces, or loſs of goods, truly all theſe are no great matter to him: why? becauſe they are only afflictions without: they have not invaded his inward man: That is the ſecond ground.
Thirdly, unruly thoughts in evil times, are the great part of the affliction, becauſe this opens the door to the Devil; in patience poſſeſs your ſouls, ſaith Chriſt: but my Brethren, when your doubts once grow unruly, the Devil enters, Eph. 4.26,27. Let not the Sun go down upon your wrath, nor give place to the Devil: violent, and unruly thoughts, of what kind ſoever, they do but open the door to that wicked one: every man by nature is the Devils houſe, in Matth. 12.43,44. and though in godly men Satan be caſt out, yet he will attempt a re-entry; and therefore he ſaith, I will go to my houſe from whence I came out: it is true, it is not ſpoken of a godly man there, but Satan in the beſt men will attempt to re-enter: now, when any affliction ſhall be the means to open the door to Satan, this I ſay is the great part of the affliction.
In the fourth place, it is the great part of affliction, becauſe unquiet thoughts do raiſe up in the ſoul diſtracting and vexing paſſions: for your paſſions riſe by your thoughts, and the affliction of the ſoul lies in this: all the reſt is but the affliction of the body, but the affliction of the ſoul lies in tormenting paſſions; you have that expreſſion frequently uſed, as in Iſa. 58. and many other places; a day for a man to afflict his ſoul: and that ſoul that is not afflicted; then the ſoul hath its afflictions as well as the body. What are the ſouls afflictions? they are tormenting and vexing paſſons: as that there needs no other miſery befall the body, then if God ſhould leave it to the jarring of its own humors: ſo there needs no other plague befall the ſoul, then if the Lord ſhould leave it to the violence of its own paſſions; this would be like Vulters gnawing upon the heart of a man; theſe ſtir up in a man, fear, and ſorrow, and amazement thoſe tormenting paſſions of the ſoul; theſe be ſoul-afflicting affections: do but conſider what it is that torments the Devils; they are reſerved in chains of darkneſs to the judgement of the great day; thoſe chains of darkneſs I conceive to be in a great meaſure their own dark and guilty thoughts, by which they are bound over to wrath, in theſe chains they are reſerved. What ſhall the never dying worm be? Nothing but the furious riſings of the thoughts of a mans heart, the furious reflections of the mans ſoul upon himſelf: why then a man needs no greater miſery, if God ſhould but leave him to the tyrannie of his thoughts; for theſe raiſe up in his ſoul perplexing, diſtracting, and tormenting miſeries.
Fifthly, unruly thoughts are a great part of a mans afflictions; for theſe draw out in a man paſſionate and unruly ſpeeches: you have ſuch an expreſſion in Iob 20.2. My thoughts cauſed me to anſwer: mens thoughts mightily preſs forwards to words: & by this means paſſionate ſpeeches riſe from unruly thoughts; theſe I ſay, do exalt folly. Solomon in Prov. 17.27. hath ſuch an expreſſion; a man of underſtanding is of an excellent Spirit; you read it ſo, foreign he is ſpiritu frigidus: a man of a cool ſpirit: whereas another man, he is tinder unto every injection: but I ſay, ſuch a man exalts folly, a great part of affliction is in this.
There is one thing more, and I beſeech you conſider it: unruly thoughts in the time of trouble, they do rob the ſoul of its richeſt ornament, thoſe glorious inward qualifications which are the ſouls beauty: I will name but three to you. It is inward quietneſs: and ſerenity; it is contempt of the world: and it is holy magnaminity.
Firſt I ſay, It robs the ſoul of its inward quietneſs and tranquillity; and a quiet ſpirit is in the ſight of God of great price: the ſoul of a man ſhould be alwaies like the upper region of the air, calm and ſereen, what ſtorms ſo ever, or bluſterings there are below. And,
Secondly, contempt of the world: Love not the world, nor the things of the world: it is but foreign, an outſide thing: now, a godly man he is able to ſay, there will come a time when I ſhall take my leave of all theſe things with joy; and I ſay, to be diſsolved and to be with Chriſt is much better: Nay, there will come a time in the general conflagration of all things, when I ſhall be able to ſtand upon the honours of this world, the ruines of all things, and a man is able to ſay quum mundus exarſerit, as he ſaith, cogitat ſe nihil habere de tanta mole perdendum: though all the creatures were deſtroyed, yet the man could ſay, I have loſt nothing, my portion is not here; the things of this life are given me, Non in praemium, ſed ſolatium. Proſper.Proſper. Licet omnia amiſerunt, nunquam fidem, pietatem, interioris hominis bona: Hae ſunt opes Chriſtianorum: now that man that ſtruggles, his ſpirit is marvellouſly robbed of this glorious quality. And ſo likewiſe,
In the laſt place, that holy magnaminity and greatneſs of mind which ſhould be in us; the greatneſs of a Saints mind ſhould be anſwerable to the greatneſs of his God, and anſwerable to the greatneſs of the promiſes that are made to him; a holy greatneſs of mind, built upon the greatneſs of his God, and his intereſt in him. Now unruly thoughts croſs this: Who art thou that art afraid of a man that ſhall dye, and the ſon of man that is as duſt, and forgetteſt the Lord thy Maker? We are not careful, Oh King, to anſwer thee in this matter: their thoughts were not troubled: in re tam ſancta nulla eſt deliberatio: now this preſerveth true greatneſs in a man, that as David, in Pſal. 112.8. ſaith, My heart is underpropped: ſo Montanus reads it, ſuffultum eſt cor meum; Monta.that let the affliction be what it will be, he hath ſomething within that bears up, and underprops his ſpirit, and he is acted neither by hopes nor fears from below: Qui nil ſperat niſi a domina, nil timet praeter dominum, Bernard.Bernard: then this is a truly nobleneſs: Now unruly, and unquiet thoughts rob the ſoul of theſe glorious qualifications; and this hath made ſome of the Antients exceedingly complain of the troubleſomneſs of their own thoughts: I remember Bernard cries out, Cogitationum tumultus à Corde quotidie amovere volo, nec valeo: ſine cogitationibus eſſe non poſſum: introeunt, & exeunt: Bernard,Bern. de inter. dom. On the tumults of my own thoughts! I would remove them every day, but alas I am not able, ſtill my thoughts encreaſe: What is the reaſon of this? ſurely, the main of every affliction lies in this, the unrulineſs, and unquietneſs of a mans own thoughts.
I, but you will ſay to me; what great cauſe had David, or this Pſalmiſt to have ſuch a multitude of unquiet thoughts? let us look to that a little, before I paſs from this firſt point: we will go no further then this preſent Pſalm, and you ſhall find, that if any man had cauſe to be troubled, that he that penned this Pſalm had cauſe of troubleſom thoughts, and that wil appear, page missing our hopes are paſt, Ezek. 37.12. then ſaith God, Lo my people, I will open your graves: when they ſay, our bones are dry, our hopes are loſt, then the Lord ſaith, I will open your graves: as God brings evil upon wicked men ſeaſonably, becauſe he watcheth over them for evil; therefore in Zeph. 2.4. it is a conſiderable expreſſion: I will drive out Aſhod at noon, at noon: Tempus incommodiſsmum cum ſol maxime fervet. Druſius.Druſ. In the worſt time, when the Sun was hotteſt, and therefore in thoſe hot Countries, it was the greateſt evil. I will watch over them, and bring the affliction at the ſeaſonableſt time: ſo I wil give my people ſeaſonable comfots, becauſe he watcheth over them for good, as he watcheth over the other for evil.
Nay, not only in the affliction, but according unto the affliction, ſo ſhall the conſolation be, and therefore Ierom reads it, ſecundum multitudinem; Jerom.according to the multitude of my thoughts: ſo were the multitude of Gods conſolations; God will give it in the time, and the ſeaſon of it; but withal, the Lord will give it according unto the meaſure; when he doth bring great afflictions, he provideth for you ſtrong conſolations, that as the affliction aboundeth, ſo the conſolations ſhall abound; the Lord tells you, that his rewards ſhall be according to the meaſure of his mercies: it is an admirable expreſſion in Hoſea 10.12. according to the meaſure of mercies your rewards are; the Lord meaſures your conſolations according to the meaſure of your afflictions. Thus then you ſee the truth of theſe two points. Let us ſee now what theſe conſolations were that upheld the heart of our Pſalmiſt here in thoſe ſad times: thy comforts delight my ſoul: what were they? I will go no further then the Pſalm neither, and you ſhall find that there were eight that were the great ſtay of his heart in thoſe times.
As in the firſt place; he did conſider God beholds them: it is a wrong that is done to his people under the fathers eyes: that was the firſt thing that he did ſtay his heart on; the people of God do ſay, Surely thou art our father, though Abraham know us not, and Iſrael be ignorant of us: we have no greater comfort that we can look at, no friends below, yet notwithſtanding our groans are not hid from thee. That was the firſt comfort.
Secondly, God did not only ſee it; Surely thou haſt ſeen it: but withal he did comfort himſelf with this: God would revenge it; therefore he calls him, thou God to whom vengeance belongs, the God that revengeth: habes ultorem Deum, Hierom.Hierom: he was a God that did avenge the cauſe of his people: he hath ſaid, vengeance is mine; and of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt when Steven was ſtoned, Acts 7. it is ſaid, he ſaw Jeſus ſtanding at the right hand of God; Jeſus ſtanding; why the Scripture every where ſaith, that Chriſt is gone to Heaven, and is ſate down at the right hand of God, but he ſeeth him ſtanding up at the right handof God; what is the reaſon? that is, tanquam cauſae ſuae judex & vindex, ſaith one, as one that was the Judge of his cauſe, and the avenger of his wrong: I, this is another great ground of comfort upon which the heart is ſtayed: My God is a God to whom vengeance belongeth. Then,
In the third place: by all theſe the Lord teacheth his people, for ſo he ſaith in the 12. Verſe, Bleſſed (ſaith he) is the man whom thou chaſteneſt, and teacheſt out of thy Law; that is another ſtay of heart in the worſt of rimes: the rod (ſaith he) hath a voice: hear the rod, and who hath appointed it: Nay, the rod teacheth a man that it is better to be under the ſaddeſt affliction, and have the graces of that condition drawn forth, rather then to be under the greateſt proſperity, and the ſins of that condition drawn forth: do but obſerve Iam. 1.4. Let the brother of low degree rejoyce that he is exalted: I, you will ſay, he hath good reaſon for it: but, Let the brother of high degree rejoyce that he is made low; a hard matter to rejoyce in that my Brethren: a godly man can as truly rejoyce in an afflicted condition, ſo as the graces of that condition be drawn forth in it, as he can rejoyce in a proſperous condition, much rather if the ſins of that condition be drawn forth in it: therefore there is a teaching in the rod, when a man is brought to that indifferency of Spirit, as I remember the Father brings in David ſpeaking, Vis me Paſtorem ovium aut regem populorum? ecce paratum eſt cor meum: Lord ſaith he, ſhall I be a Keeper of ſheep again, or Lord ſhall I be a King over Iſrael? Lord, my heart is ready, my heart is ready, willing to embrace each condition: This is another thing: the rod is a Teacher, the rod hath a voice. Beſides,
In the fourth place: There is a reſt God hath prepared for his people in the moſt reſtleſs condition: ſo he ſaith in the 13. Verſe, that thou mighteſt give him reſt in the day of evil: there is a ſhaddow of Gods wing, and the people of God in the worſt condition, they can lie down under this ſhaddow with great delight: Look into that precious Scripture, Hoſ. 14.8. I am like a green firtree, ſaith God the Lord; like a fir-tree; Why? in two things: it is foreign, denſam umbram habens: ſo the Septuagint renders it: a tree that yields a thick ſhaddow: and it is a tree likewiſe that is alwaies green, perpetuo virens, never caſts its leaves as other trees do in the Winter; ſo ſaith the Lord, ſuch is my defence, you may lie down under my ſhaddow in quiet: and he gives them reſt in the day of evil. And,
In the fifth place; he comforts himſelf with this: the Lord knows that the thoughts of man are but vanity; with that he comforts himſelf, that all theſe deſigns ſhall come to nothing, all their thoughts are but vanity: the Lord hath appointed that he will take the wiſe in his own craftineſs, and his hand ſhall not perform his enterpriſe: the Lord hath ſaid, by iniquity ſhall no man be eſtabliſhed: the Lord hath ſaid, he will not ſuffer the hypocrite to rule, leaſt the people be enſnared, that is the expreſſion, Iob 34.3. Now let their deſigns be what they will be; with this he comforts himſelf, yet notwithſtanding the Lord knows the thoughts of men to be but vanity. That is another ground of comfort.
And then; In the ſixth place, that I may draw to a concluſion; that while they labour for their own exaltation, God is preparing for their deſtruction: that is another thing that he comforts himſelf with; for ſo he ſaith, till the pit be digged for the ungodly; till the pit be digged; all this while I do not envy their riſing ſaith he, but rather pitty their ruine: Impatientia humana non vult habere Dei patientiam. Ierom.Jerom: for God is preparing a pit all the while: that is another great ground of comfort in the worſt of times; for my Brethren, there is a judgement written that muſt be executed, and many times (as Auſtin well obſerves upon the place) faelicitas peccatorum fovea eſt ipſorum: Auſtin.even their very proſpering in an evil way, is the pit in which they find their ruine: that is another thing by which he comforteth himſelf.
Seventhly, (That I may draw to an end) though for the preſent the Lord ſeems to neglect the condition of his people; yet he comforts himſelf with this: that God ſeemed to neglect for the preſent, but ſaith he, he will bring forth judgement to righteouſneſs; it is true indeed, Gods judgement for his people ſeems now to have left them, it is hid: but ſaith he, the Lord will appear for their ſafety, and he tels them plainly; that will he executes Iudgement for his people; Iudgement ſhall return to righteouſneſs; it is true indeed, there will come a time, when the Saints ſhall rule the world, there will come ſuch a time, I am afraid it is not at hand yet: I am afraid ſo, for that place in Dan. 7. I rather chuſe to expound it by that in Iſa. 60.12. That Kingdom and Nation that will not ſerve thee ſhall periſh: not a Gentile, but a Jewiſh Nation: but I ſay, there will come ſuch a time, when Judgement ſhall return to righteouſneſs, and then that propheſie of Lactantius ſhall be fulfilled, Oriens dominabitur, & Occidens ſerviet: Lactant.there will come ſuch a time, and with this now he comforteth himſelf, that though the Judgements of God ſeem to lie hid, and be deferred, yet it ſhall not be ſo alwayes, but Iudgement ſhall return to Righteouſneſs. And then,
In the laſt place, he comforts himſelf: the Lord will bring upon them their own iniquity: their own iniquity; that is, they ſhall fall in their own devices, they ſhall be daſhed in peices upon the ſtumbling block of their inventing: he takes the wiſe in their own craftineſs: and he burneth them like Bees in their own hive…: and ſo you ſhall find in Daniel 7.25,26. where, the little horn is ſaid to ſpeak great words againſt the moſt High, and to wear out the Saints, and to change times and laws; What then? why then it is ſaid, the Iudgement ſhall ſit, and dominion ſhall be taken from him, and to conſume, and deſtroy, even to the time of the end: for ſaith he, Our God will bring upon them their own iniquities: Theſe were now the thoughts wherewith he comforted himſelf, and by which he did overcome all thoſe troubleſom and tumultuous thoughts that were in his Spirit.
My Brethren, I ſhould ſpeak ſomething to the Application of it; I ſhall ſay no more but this, becauſe I ſee I have treſpaſſed.
You have heard, that the great afflictions of good men in troubleſom times, is more from thoughts within, then from dangers without. You have heard, that anſwerable unto theſe thoughts God provideth conſolations which do ſuſtain, and cheer the heart.
My Exhortation to you is;
Vſe.
Live in the faith, and walk in the ſtrength of theſe truths: labour I ſay to live in the faith, and to walk in the ſtrength of theſe truths: that there are conſolations that can quiet the heart of man in the midſt of the greateſt ſtruglings and tumults of Spirit that can be. And that afflictions never do you harm, but when they invade your Spirits by your own thoughts.
Conſider I beſeech you theſe things, and then let thy affliction be never ſo great, and though your thoughts be never ſo tumultuous, yet there are conſolations, there are I ſay conſolations of God, which will certainly be a means to delight your ſouls.
And ſo much now ſhall ſerve for a brief opening of this Scripture unto you. Comfort and encourage one another with theſe words.