Scriptures Opened and Cases of Conscience Resolved, Jeremiah · Passage 6:16
Jer. 6. 16.
Thus ſaith the Lord, ſtand ye in the way, and ſee and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye ſhall find reſt for your Souls.
Q. VVHat's the way to Soul-reſt.
A. It is Gods way; Its he that guides to the way of peace, concerning which two things may be inquired.Luk. 17. 9.
1. How Peace is had in Gods way.
2. What that Peace is that is ſo had.
1. Q. What is to be done to get reſt in Gods way?
A. It's had by ſtanding ſtill to find it, and by walking in it when we have found it.
1. By ſtanding, and ſearching to deſcry Gods way; as doubtful Travellers ſtand ſtill (as being at a ſtand) to obſerve Coaſt of the Countrey, look all about, ask of all about them, or that come near them, that ſo they may get the knowledg of the right way; So are we to look about into the whole Word of God when we doubt what to do, and make all enquiry Joh. 3. 59. Joh. 16. 19.to find out Gods way, Iſa. 8. 20. Mal. 4. 4. Beſides, the words here uſed Stand, ſee, ask, Seem to ſhew that God grants men a liberty to look all about; and if they can find a better way than his is, and a way that will bring them more reſt than his will, then let them take it, as Joſh. 24. 15. Ruth. 1. 15.
If any enquire further, How may we be directed in this ſearch the better to find out Gods way? The Text will herein reſolve us, by ſetting before us two marks and Characters of it: For it is,
1. The old path] as old as Moſes, yea as Adam, elder than all ſin and errour: For Gods way was firſt delivered to innocent Adam, before ſin entred into the world, yea that it might not enter and ſo his trouble might be prevented, and there might be no hinderance of his reſt; But man went out of Gods way, brake his law, loſt his eaſe; yet did God of old, even immediately after the ſin of man, reveal his Goſpel-truth for the recovery of that reſt, Mat. 11. 28. which man by his ſin and breaking the Law had loſt, Gen. 3. 15. The oldeſt way (older than the Devil who abode not in the truth, John 8. 44. and therefore was after it) is the way of truth, made known by the God of truth, and carrying a light in it, ſerving and ſufficing to diſcover every falſe way; concerning which we may ſay as our Saviour doth, From the beginning it was not ſo, Mat. 19. 8.
2. It is the good way] and that three ways, to wit, as being good, making good, and bringing good.
1. As being good] that is, good in it ſelf, and ſo it muſt needs be becauſe it is the way of God, Pſ. 18. 30. Rom. 12. Iſa. 39. 8.2. Micah 6. 8. Pſal. 119. 140. The word and way of Jehova is like the gold of Havilah, Gen. 2. 11. yea, good above the fineſt gold, Pſ. 119. 127.
2. Making good] for they that walk in the law of the Lord do no iniquity, Pſal. 119. 1, 2, 3, 9. The way of truth and of the God of truth keeps us from every falſe way, if we follow it, Pſal. 119. 104. The very end of Preaching the Word, and holding forth the way of God, is to make mens ways and doings good, Jer. 18. 11.
3. Bringing good] Job 22. 21, 22. Good comes by acquaintance with God, and laying up his word in our hearts, and turning to his way, v. 23. In doing of that which is good men poſſeſs that which is good, Deut. 6. 18. ſee 2 Chron. 31. 20, 21.
2. Peace is had in Gods way by Walking in it, Deut. 5. 32, 33. No man diſpatcheth a journey to do himſelf good by knowing the way but by going in it: If men ſay (as here they do) we will not Luk 12. 47. 48. John 13. 17.walk, v. 16. then there is no reſt; any more than a travelling Woman hath, but fear oneveryſide, which way ſoever they walk, v. 24, 25. Peace and Wickedneſs can never ſtand together, Iſa. 57. 20, 21. but as many as walk according to the rule of the Word, Peace ſhall be on them, Gal. 6. 16.
Thus how Reſt is had in Gods way.
2. Qu. What is that Reſt and Peace that is ſo had?
A. To this I anſwer, that it is a Peace of Heart and Conſcience, or a Soul-reſt, founded on the knowledg and belief of the word and way of God, with the ordering of our way and walk according to his word and will, Pſ. 119. 165.
1. Its founded on the faithful knowledg of the Word of God (ſuppoſing ſuch a walking in conformity thereunto as is before mentioned). In the knowledg of any truth, there ariſeth to the lovers of truth much quietneſs of mind, and heart-rejoycing, *foreign much more doth the truth of God which is more certain, more ſweet and more excellent, give content to an holy heart, as it did to David, Pſ. 119. 14, 16, 29, 30. to Chriſts Diſciples, John 16. 18, 19, 29, 30, and to Paul, 1 Cor. 2. 2. Phil. 3. 8. Now when Faith doth further fix upon, not only the truth but the goodneſs of the Word (eſpecially of the word of promiſe) that is an exceeding great ſtay, and ſettledneſs to the ſhaking heart, as we ſee in the words of the Lord delivered by Hezechia, on which they leaned when they were ready to fall and faint, 2 Chron. 32. 7, 8. ſo alſo in the words of Azariah, 2 Chron. 15. 7, 8. whereby alſo David took heart in the utmoſt extremity, 1 Sam. 30. 6.
In this way, that is, the faithful knowledge of Gods way, followed with walking therein, much and manifold Reſt and Comfort ariſeth to the heart and conſcience; as namely,
1. By Illumination, and that Light which guideth our feet into the way of peace, Luk. 1. 78. and thereby ſetteth the heart in a ſtate of peace, Act. 20. 24. Bonds and afflictions made no Commotions in Pauls heart becauſe he was in that way, and ſtill finiſhing the courſe of his Miniſtery, which he received from the Lord Jeſus. More particularly, Divine Light quieteth us: 1. By reſolution when we are in the dark in our judgments, and full of perplexing thoughts; thus it was with the afflicted Prophet that was ſo grieved in heart, and puzzled with wicked Pſal. 7. 3. verſ. 21.mens Proſperity, whom the Sanctuary cured and fully quieted, Pſal. 73. 16, 17. 28. 2. By conviction and revocation, when by corruption and tentation, we are ruſhing into ways and works of darkneſs. Thus was Davids heart ſtil'd and fil'd with reſt, and rejoycing when Abigila took him off from his furious purpoſe, and ſet him right, 1 Sam. 25. 31, 32, 33. See the like, Joſh. 22. 33.
2. By Juſtification, through the Revelation of the Righteouſneſs of God made ours by Faith, that is, ſuch a Faith as works by Love, which is the old and good and great way of Salvation, in which whoſoever walk, peace ſhall be (ſure) on them and in them, Gal. 6. 16. with chap 5, 6. Rom. 5. 1. Luk. 7. 50.
3. By Sanctification, which is through the truth, Joh. 17. 17. and the knowledg and acknowledgment of Gods way, which is the way of Holineſs, Iſa. 35. 8. which whoſoever walk in, they ſhall have great quietneſs of mind both in life and in death, Pſal. 25. 12, 13. Iſa. 38. 3. Beſides, that 2 Cor. 1. 13.when turbulent luſts are mortified (which is done in the way of God revealed in the word, Pſal. 119. 133.) there is much Serenity in the Soul, as there was in Davids, 1 Sam. 25. 32, 33. yea every act of Holineſs is followed with an inward peace and acquieſcence, Pſal. 119. 165.
4. By the comfortable State of things as to mens outward condition; for when things go well, and there is a reſt of State, there is much more reſt in the heart; and all goes well when men walk in Gods way, 2 Chron. 14. 5, 6, 7. and 15. 5. 15. Jer. 22. 15.Iſ. 30. 15. 2 Chron. 16. 9.
5. There's an unſpeakable Soul-reſt, by the aſſurance of that bleſſed State in heaven, the aſſurance and enjoyment whereof is obtained in a way of Holineſs, Rom. 6. 22. 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8. Job. 19. 25. Tit. 2. 12, 13. Pſal. 16. 9, 10, 11.