A Staff of Comfort to Stay the Weak, Part 4
Of a godly mans tentations, and of one called vntounto the state of grace.
Ob. WHen I was baptised, I made a straight couenant then to become a true and faithfull seruant to Christ; but yet, alas, I did sinne and offend my God, through my wretched nature, contrary to my promise.
The best are offenders.Answ. There is not a iust man vponupon earth, that doth good and sinneth not. Eccles. 7.20. Who can say, I hauehave made my hart clean, and am pure from my sin? Prou. 20.9. If wee say wee hauehave no sinne, wee deceiue our selues, and the truth is not in vsus, 1. Iohn 1.8. For there is no man that sinneth not, 2. Chron. 6.36. What is man that hee should bee cleane, and he that is borne of a woman, that he should be righteous? Iob 15.14. In many things wee sinne all, Iames 3.2.
Obiect. Oh but I am much grieued, that I cannot yet ouer-master wholly my corruptions so, as I would; I daily pray against them, and yet am not set free.
Answ. Grace is sufficient.My grace (saith God to Saint Paul in the the like case) is sufficient for thee, either to preuent thy sinning, or to pardon the offence, 2. Cor. 12.9. And know for thy comfort, that thus striuing, it is no more thou, but sin in thee, Rom. 7.19. From which body of death, thorow Christ Iesus thou shalt be deliuered, Rom. 7.24.25.
Obiect. But besides my nature prone to ill, I hauehave since I entred into a more conscionable profession of my Christianity, contrary to promise, and a very bold protestation before diuers, that if euer trouble should come for my religion, I would stand out to the faces of the aduersaries; and though other should fal away of a dastardly feare, yet I would stand out to the death. Neuerthelesse, alas, at my first examination by base persons; before I was brought to any of authority, I, like a cowardly wretch, denied my profession; euen my Lord and Sauiour, with swearing and cursing.
Answ. The godly of weakenes sometime fal fearefully in time of tentation.This fearefully befell the Apostle Peter, eueryevery way, and in eueryevery degree, as thou speakest of thy selfe, Matth. 26.33.35.70.72.74. Luke 22.33. But hee remembring the words of Iesus, being heartily sorry, and bitterly weeping for his sinnes, vers. 75. the Lord was reconciled to him, affording him his fauour with the rest, to bee still one of his blessed Apostles; by whom hee afterwards wrought mightily in word and deed; neuer mentioning to him his so feareful a denyal of him: So albeit that thou hast fallen with him, yet if thou doest also in sort repent with him, be assured the Lord will receiue thee to mercy, for hee is one and the same for euer.
Obiect. Ah, but such is my exceeding weakenesse (the Lord be mercifull vntounto mee) that I fall this way and that way, by this and that occasion so often, though not wilfully, yet for want of strength to resist & bridle my sudden passions, as I feare vtterly to be cast off at the length.
Though the godly fall, they shall not be cast off.Answ. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not bee vtterly cast downe; for the Lord vp holdeth him with his hand, Psalm. 37.23.24. & 145.14. For hee that commeth vntounto Christ, in no wise hee will cast out; because it is his fathers will, that of all which hee hath giuen him, he should lose nothing, but should raise him vp at the last day, Ioh, 6.37.39.
Obiect. Yea, but when I so sinne, I infinitely displease God, I cannot then, but looke for damnation, though I bee sorry from my very soule, when I doe amisse in the very least measure, that may bee.
Answ. Gods mercy doth preuent damnation.Consider that the Lord pardoneth iniquitie, & passeth by transgression, in his infinite mercy, and retaineth not his anger for euer, because hee delighteth in mercy, Mich. 7.18.
Obiect. I cannot thinke, though I turne, that hee will turne towards me, and shew me mercy, wil he (think you)?
Answ. Surely hee will turne againe, hee will hauehave compassion, Mich. 7.19.
Obiect. But my iniquities hauehave subdued mee, and my sinnes are gone ouer my head.
Answ. The Lord will subdue them, and cast them all in the depths of the sea, Mich. 7.19.
Obiect. Yea, it may be so, if I had not beene a backeslider, since I receiued a louelove of the truth.
The backeslider is not made hopelesse of mercy, if he returne.Answ. Go and proclaime these words (saith the Lord) Returne thou backesliding Israel, and I will not cause mine anger to fall vponupon thee; for I am mercifull (saith the Lord) and will not keepe anger for euer: onelyonly acknowledge thine iniquitie, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, Ier. 3.12.13. and I will heale your backesliding, and will louelove you freely, for mine anger is turned away, Osea. 14.4.
Obiect. This and such like promises, are made to the posterity and children of the Patriarke Abraham: What is this to mee, who am of the Gentiles, and not of the Iewes? except I were one of Abrahams children, I can take no cōfort by this promise or any other made to the godly among the Iewes.
The promises of saluation made to Abrahams posterity, belong to vsus beleeuing Christians.Ans. Knowest thou not, that hee is not a Iew that is one outward; but hee is a Iew that is one within, hauing the circumcision of the heart in the spirit. Rom. 2.28.29. and also this know, that hee that beleeueth in Christ, is the sonne of Abraham, Luke 19.9. Gal. 3.7.29. And the promise dooth belong also to the Gentiles, as many of them, as the Lord our God shall call, Act. 2.39. And in eueryevery Nation, hee that feareth God, and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him, Act. 10.35. The word of saluation is sent to eueryevery one that feareth God, Act. 13.26. Euen vntounto the Gentiles, Act. 28.28. The righteousnesse of God, is now by the faith of Christ vntounto all, and vponupon all that beleeue, for there is no difference, Rom. 3.22. The partition wall being now broken, Ephes. 2.14. So as those, which in times past, were not a people, are now the people of God, which had not obtained mercy; but now hauehave obtained mercy, 1. Pet. 2.10. Ephes. 2.12.
Obiect. I am glad to heare this, yet there be so many crooked by-paths, & such turnings to the right hand and to the left, as I feare for want of wisedome and knowledge, and one to instruct me in the right way, to bee misled.
The Lord is the guide of the godly.Answ. God giueth to a man, that is good in his sight, wisedome, and knowledge, and ioy, Eccles. 2.26. Hee will instruct him and teach him the way hee shall choose, Psalm. 25.12. And in the way that he shal goe, he will guide him with his eye, Psal. 32.8. Yea hee shall heare a word behinde him, saying: This is the way, walke thou in it, when he is turning to the right hand, and when hee is turning to the left, Esa. 30.21.
Obiect. I feele my selfe heauily loaden with the burden of my sinnes, and am full of anguish of heart desiring to be deliuered.
Ans. Come vntounto me (saith Christ) all ye that labour & are heauy laden,Christ can supply all our necessities. and I will giuegive you rest, Mat. 11.28.
Obiect. I am naked without rayment, poore and destitute of the graces of God.
Answ. Christ hath a robe of righteousnesse for thee, Reuel. 19.8. and hee will make thee rich, Reue. 3.18. and decke thee with ornaments, Ezech. 16.11.
Obiect. I am filthy with sinne.
Answ. Hee will wash thee, and spread his skirts ouer thee, and couer thy filthynesse, Ezech. 16.8.
Obiect. I am blacke, foule, and vncomly.The foule are made faire in Christ.
Answ. The Lord will make thee beautifull, and perfect it through his comlines which he will put vponupon thee, Eze. 16.14. And though thou hast lien among the pots; yet shalt thou bee as the wings of a Doue couered with siluer, and her feathers with yellow gold, Psal. 68.13.
Obiect. I am of a troubled spirit, ah, deepe are my wounds: the Lord hath slaine me, and the arrowes of God sticke in me.
Christ Iesus is the cure of the soule.Answ. Christ Iesus is the Physician of the soule, Mat. 9, 12. The Lord killeth and maketh aliue, Deut. 32.34. Hee healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth vp their wounds, Psal. 147.3. Hee maketh soare and bindeth vp, hee woundeth, and his hands make whole, Iob. 5.18. Come (saith the Prophet Osea) let vsus returne vntounto the Lord, for he hath torne and he will heale, hee hath smitten, and hee will binde vsus vp, Chap. 6.1. For hee is the father of mercies, and the GOD of comfort, 2. Cor. 1.3.
Obiect. But it may bee long, ere the Lord thus in mercy looke vponupon me.
Answ. After two dayes will hee reuiue thee, and in the third day hee will raise thee vp, and thou shalt liue in his sight, Osea 6.2.
Obiect. I thirst after his mercies, and hunger after righteousnes: Oh I shall not be satisfied.
Answ. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, for they shal bee satisfied,The hungry and thirsty shall be satisfied. Matth. 5.6. I will (saith the Lord) poure water vponupon him that is thirsty, and floods vponupon the dry ground, Esay 44.2. They shal be abundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of Gods house (saith the Prophet) and he will make them that trust in him, drinke of the riuers of his pleasures; for with the Lord is the fountaine of life, Psal. 38.8.9. And of the water of Life, Christ Iesus giueth to all that will aske of him, Iohn 4.10. And whosoeuer drinketh thereof, shal neuer bee made athirst, but it shall bee in him a well of water springing vp to eternall life, Ver. 14.
Obiect. I cannot pray, but in great weakenesse.
Ans. The godly hauehave a help in prayer.Though we know not, what we should pray for, as we ought; yet the spirit helpeth our infirmities, and maketh intercession for vsus, with groanes that cannot be expressed, Ro. 8.26.
Obiect. There is no assurance to be heard, though we doe pray.
Answ. The faithfull hauehave assurance to be heard of God. Prou. 10.24. 1. Iohn 5.14. Matth. 7.7.If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall aske what you will (saith our Sauiour) and it shall bee done vntounto you, Iohn 15.7. & 14.13. Whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name, hee will giuegive it you, Iohn 16.23. Therefore (saith he againe) whatsoeuer yee desire when yee pray, beleeue that yee shall receiue, and yee shall hauehave them, Mark. 11.24.
Obiect. But my faith is exceeding weake in Prayer.
A weake faith (if true) preuaileth with God. Mark. 11.23.Answ. If yee hauehave faith, as a graine of mustard seed, yee shall say to this mountaine; remooue hence to yonder place, and it shall remooue; or to this Sycamine tree, bee thou pluckt vp by the root, and be thou planted in the sea, and it shal obey you; and nothing shall bee impossible vntounto you, Mat. 17.20. Luke 17.6. Therefore pray with the Apostles, saying, Lord increase our faith, Luke 17.5. And cry, as the childs father in the Gospell, Lord I beleeue, helpe my vnbelief, and the Lord will heare thee, as he did him, Marke 9.24.
Obiect. Satan sore assaulteth my faith, I feare it will faile me.
Answ. But Christ prayeth, that this faith faile not, Luke 22.32.
Obiect. This was Christs speech to Peter, and the Apostle; but I doubt whether he will pray for mee also, as well as for them.
Answ. I pray not (saith our Sauior) for these alone, but for them also that shall beleeue in me through their word, Iohn 17.20.
Obiect. I am very ignorant, and doe want this heauenly wisedome and knowledge, which I see and admire in many, very silly and simple men to see too.
Wisdome is of God. Prou. 2.1.-5. Iob 38.36. Eccles. 2.26. Dan. 1.17. & 2.21.Ans. If any of you lacke wisedome (saith St. Iames) let him aske of God, that giueth to all men liberally and vpbraideth not, and it shall be giuen him. For the Lord giueth wisedome, out of his mouth commeth knowledge and vnderstanding, Pro. 2.6. It is true that there is a spirit in man, but the inspiration of the almighty giueth them vnderstanding, Iob 32.8.
Obiect. I finde such corruptions in me, and heereby iudge my selfe so cursed a creature, as I often dare not bee bold to draw neere into Gods presence.
Answ. We hauehave a great high Priest that is passed into the heauens,Through Christ we may boldly goe to God. Iesus the son of God, who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, we may therfore go boldly vntounto the throne of grace, Heb. 4.14.15.16.
Obiect. I am fearfully tempted by Sathan, sometime to presume, sometime to despaire, and sometime to cast off religion, and to become a worldling, now to one thing, now to another, he scarce lets me rest. Surely, if I were Gods childe; I should not bee so tempted of that hellish spirit.Sathans daily tempting, a signe of our deliuerance from him. Matth. 3.17. Marke 1.11.
Answ. Thou dost not conclude well, for this is a sure signe, that hee hath not possession of thee: for where the strong man is, all is in peace, Luk. 11.21. Also Christ Iesus, the euer dearly beloued and only Sonne of the Father, was tempted by the diuell, Matth. 4. who, though at Christs cōmand he departed from him, Ver. 10.11. Yet did hee then leaue him, but for a little season, Luk. 4.13.
Obiect. There is no way to driue him away.
Answ. Yes, resist the diuell (saith Saint Iames) and hee will flee from you, Chap. 4.7.
Obiect. His power is mighty to doe what he will, and goeth vp and downe, seeking like a roaring Lion whom to deuoure.
Answ. His power is limitted, Iob. 1.12. & 2.6. and without leaue can hee not enter into an heard of filthy swine, Mat. 8.31.Satan can do no more but what God will.
Obiect. There bee many inchanters, witches, practisers of sorceries, diuiners, and lot-casters, to doe vsus mischiefe: these bee strong and powerfull limbes of the diuell, and doe much hurt, their cursed doings are not to be auoided.
Answ. Witches cānot worke their wills vponupon the godly.Haman and his consorts cast lots and took counsell at his wise-men, to bring a mischiefe vpō good Mordecay and the other Iewes, but preuailed not, Ester, 3. & 7.10. Balac hired the witch Balaam, to curse Gods people, but hee could not doe it, Numb. 23.13. For surely there is no inchantment against Iacob, neither is there any diuination against Israel, Vers. 23.
Obiect. I finde plaine contraries within mee, mooning to good, and moouing to that which is euill, and this continually: for if I decline neuer so little awry to the world, or pleasures, then their commeth som one place of Scripture or other, to my minde, which causeth my conscience to checke me, and maketh me to feare; and if I bee earnestly deuoted to the best things, as to the reading of Gods holy word, meditatiō of heauenly things, Fasting & Prayer; then il motions arise vp in my hart, & my senses carry me away, and so interrupt this godly course, as I am much grieued herewith, and know not what to thinke or iudge of this my estate.
Answ. The striuing of flesh and spirit, a note of our happy state.This is the flesh lusting against the spirit, & the spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary the one to the other, so that thou canst not do the things that thou wouldest, Gal. 5.17. Also this remembring of some Scripture when thou art amisse, to reclaime thee, is a token that the Lord hath put his Law into thy inward parts, and written it in thy heart, Ier. 31.33. To make thee feare him, that thou maiest not depart from him, Ier. 32.40. As also that God keepeth his promise made, Esa. 30.21. To giuegive thee a word of direction, when thou art going wrong; thy state therefore is most blessed.
Obiect. I hauehave (God be blessed) a competent meanes to liue vponupon, and somewhat to spare now and then: yet when the poore craueth any thing of me, I am not so ready to giuegive, because I thinke it but cast away vponupon them.
Mercy to the poore, is very acceptable vntounto God. Pro. 14.21. & 11.17.Answ. Oh no, hee that hath pittie vponupon the poore, lendeth vntounto the Lord; and that which hee hath giuen, wil he pay him againe, Pro. 19.17. Blessed is hee that considereth the poore, the Lord will deliuer him in time of trouble, the Lord wil preserue him, and keepe him aliue, and hee shall bee blessed vponupon the earth, Psal. 41.1.2.
Obiect. I doe feare to want my selfe.
Answ. Hee that giueth vntounto the poore, shall not lacke, Prou. 28.27.
Obiect. But a man may be too liberall.
Answ. Psal. 112.9. 2. Cor. 9.9. Pro. 11.17. & 21.26.Hee that hath a bountifull eye, shal be blessed, for hee giueth of his bread to the poore, Pro. 22.9. GiueGive and it shall bee giuen vntounto you, euen a good measure, and pressed down, shaken together and running ouer, shall men giuegive into your bosome, Luke, 6.38. There is that scattereth and yet increaseth; for the liberall soule shall be made fat, and hee that watereth, shall be watered also himselfe, Pro. 11.17.24.25.
Obiect. The poore are very vnthankefull.
Answ. Cast thy bread vponupon the waters, for thou shalt finde it after many dayes, Eccles. 11.1.
Obiect. Men doe not praise nor esteeme of him, that is merciful: he that gathereth riches and storeth vp treasure, though he care not for the poore, hee is made much off.
Answ. Oh, giuegive not thy almes to be praised of men, but let it bee in secret; and thy father that seeth in secret, will reward thee openly, Matth. 6.2.4. As for such as spare more than is meete, surely it tendeth to pouerty, Prou. 11.24.
Obiect. I dwell amongst shamelesse sinners, woe is me, Esa. 3.8.9.surely their deserued plagues are comming, and I shall not escape free from the same.
Answ. Surely a woe is vntounto them; it shall bee ill with the wicked: But (saith the Lord) say yee to the righteous,The godly shall escape, when vengeance commeth vponupon the wicked. it shall bee well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings, Esa. 3.10.11. And so carefull is the Lord for the safety of his people, as hee will hauehave all Israel on the shore, safe, before the wrath returne to drown the Egypttians, Exod. 14. and Lot out of Sodome before he burne it with fire, Gen. 19.2. Pet. 2.5.6.7. and Noah in the Arke before the flood came, Gen. 6. & 7. Yea before destruction, he sends his Angell to marke those in the forehead, that sigh and cry for all the abominations, giuing a charge to the instruments of his wrath, not to come neere to any of these, Ezech. 9.4.6.
Obiect. It greeueth mee to be as one alone, among so many mockers of religion, I cannot go to any neighbour that I hauehave, for spirituall comfort.
The godly are often left alone.Answ. Noah was with his family alone, in his generation, Gen. 6. Lot alone in Sodome, whose righteous heart was eueryevery day vexed, with the vncleane conuersation of the people, 2. Pet. 2.7. Eliah was, as it were alone in Israel: so as this is no otherwise with thee, then it was with these holy and righteous persons. But know, that a godly man is neuer alone, and that more are with him than against him, 2. King. 6.16. 2. Chron. 32.7.
Obiect. I dwell far from the Church, and without any nigh neighbours louing me, but rather hating me for my profession: and yet I carry my family (all that can vnderstand) with me, leauing my house without any defence (in a manner), which makes me feare often a mischiefe to bee done mee, before I can returne againe.
Answ. The Angell of the Lord pitcheth round about them that feare him, and deliuereth them,Gods protection is ouer such as seeke to serue him. Psa. 91.10.11 Zach. 2.5. Psalm. 34.7. The Lord maketh an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on eueryevery side, Iob. 1.10. Neither shall any (saith the Lord to Israel, and so now to the Israel of God) desire thy land, when thou shalt goe vp to appeare before the Lord thy God, Exod. 34.24.