Part 3
but you will find a tang of it in your duties : It is withtheheartafew minutes since plunged in the world, now at the feet of God, just as with the sea after a storm, which still continues working, muddy, and disquiet, thought he wind be laid, and storm over : Thy heart must have some time to fettle.
56 How to keep the HeartfromwanderinginDuty. There are few musicians that can takedowna lute or viol, and playpresentlyupon it, without some time to tune it; there are few Christians can presently fay, as Psalm lvii. 7. "OGod, my " heart is fixed, it is fixed." O when thou goest to God in any duty, take thy heart aside, and say, O my soul, I am now addressing myself to the greatest work that ever a creature was employed about : I am going into the awfulprefenceof God aboutbufiness of everlasting moment.
Oh my soul, leave trifing now, be composed, watchful, serious, this is no common-work ; it is God-work, foul-work, eternity-work. I am now going forth bearing feed, which will bring forth fruit to life or death in the world to come; pause awhileuponthy sins,wants, troubles; keep thy thoughts awhile on these before thou address thyself to duty. David first mused, and then spake with his tongue, Psal. xxxix. 3, 4. SoPfal. xlv. 1. " My heart is inditing," &c.
Help 2. Having composed thy heart by previous meditation, presently feta guard upon thy senses: Howoftenare poor Chri-
in danger of losing the eyes of their mind by those of theirbody; for this Job covenanted with his senses, chap. xxxi .
1. for this David prayed, Psal. cxix. 37. "Turn away mine "eyes frombeholdingvanity, and quicken thou me in thy way." This may serve to expound that mystical Arabian proverb, which advises to ' thut the windows that the house maybe
: It were excellent if you could fay in your on sets upon duty, as an holy man once did, when he came off from duty:
Claudimini, oculimei, claudimini, &c. ' Be shut, O mine eyes, * be shut: for it is impossible you should ever fee such beauty * and glory in any creature, as I have now seen in God. You had need avoid all occasions of distraction from without, for be sure you will meet enough from within. Intention of spirit in the work of God, locks up the eye and ear against vanity. WhenMarcellus entered the gates of Syracufe, Archimedes was fo intent about his mathematical scheme, that he took no notice of the soldiers when they entered his very study with drawn
; a fervent cannot be a vagrant heart. Help 3. Beg of God a mortified fancy. A working fancy, faithone, how much soever it be extolledamong men, is a great snare to the soul ; except it work in fellowship with rightreafon, and a sanctified heart : The phantasy is a power of the soul placed between the senses and the understanding, it is that which first stirs itself in the soul, and by its motions the other powers are stirred ; it is the common shop where thoughts are first forgedandframed, and as this is, so are they; if imaginations
How to keep the Heart from wandering in Duty. 57 be not first caftdown, it is impoffiblethat every thought of the heart should be brought into obedience to Christ, 2 Cor. x. 5.
This fancy is naturally the wildestandmost untameable power in the soul. Some Christians, especially such as are of hot and dry constitutions, have much to do with it.
And truly, the more spiritual the heart is, the more it is troubled about the vanity and wildness of it. Owhat a fad thing it is! that thy nobler foul must lackey up and down after a vain and roving fancy, that such a beggar should rideou horseback, and such a prince run after on foot; that it should call off the foul from attendance upon God, when it is most sweetly engaged in communion with him, to prosecute such vanities as it will start at such times before it ! beg earnestly of God that the power of sanctification may once come upon it. Some Cariftians have at rained such a degree of sanctification of their fancies, that they have hadfuch sweetness leftupontheir hearts by the spiritual workings of it in the night-season : When thy fancy is more mortified, thy thoughts will be more orderly and Fixed.
Help 4. If thou wouldst keep thy heart from those vain excursions, realize to thyself by faith, the holy and awful presence of God in duties.
If the presence ofagraveman will compose us to seriousness, how much more the presence of an holy God ? Thinkest thou thy soul durst be so gay and light, if the sense of a divine eye were upon it ? Remember the place where thou art is the place of his feet, Ifa. Ix. 13. act faith upon the omnisciency of God. " All the churches shall know that I am he that searcheth the " heart, trieth the reins, and I will give to every one of you " according to your works," Rev. ii. 23. "All things are na- "kedandopen to the eyes of him with whom we have tode," Heb. iv. 12. Realize his infinite holiness ; into what a serious, composed framedidthe fight of God, in his holiness, put the Spirit of the prophet ? If. vi. 5. Labour also to get upon thy heart due apprehenfions of the greatness of God, such as Abraham had, Gen. xviii. 27. " I thatambutdust and ashes have taken upon me to speak to God." And lastly, remember the jealousy of God, howtenderhe is over his worship, Lev. Χ. 3. "And Moses said to Aaron, This is that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and " before all the people I will be glorified."
Am an that is praying (faith Bernard) should behave him- ' self as if he were entering into the courtofheaven, where he VOL . VII .
48 How to keep the Heart from wandering in Duty. • fees the Lord upon his throne, surrounded with ten thousand * of his angels and faints mini string unto him.' When thou comest from a duty in which thy heart hath been toying and wandering, thou mayest say, Verily,God was in this place, and I knew it not. Suppose all the impertinencies and vanities which have past through thine heart in duty were written out, and interlinedwith thy petitions, couldeft thou have the face to present it to God ? Should thy tongue but utter all the thoughts of thy heart in prayer, would not menabhor thee ? Why, thy thoughts are vocal to God, Psal. cxxxix. 2. If thou wert petitioning the king for thy life, would it not provoke him to fee thee playing with thybandstrings, or catching at every fly that lights upon thy cloaths, whilst thou art speaking to him about such serious matters ? O think sadly upon that scripture, Psal. Ixxxvii. 7. " God is greatly to be feared in the assemblies of his " saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are round " about him." Why did God descend in thunderings and lightnings, and dark clouds upon Sinai? Exod. xix. 16-18. Why did the mountains smoke under him ? The people quake and tremble round about him, yea, Moses himself not exempted ? but to teach the people that great truth, Heb . xii. 28, 29.
" Let us have grace whereby we may serve him acceptably, " with reverence and godlyfear, for our God is aconfuming " fire!" Present God thus before thee, and thy vain heart will quickly be reduced to a more serious frame.. Help 5. Maintain a praying frame of heart in the intervals of duty. What is the reason our hearts are so dull, careless, and wandering, whenwecome to hear or pray, but because there have been fuchlong intermissions in our communion with God; byreasonwhereof the heart is out of a praying frame ? If that spiritual warmth, those holy impressions we carry from God in one duty, were but preserved to kindle another duty, it would be of marvellous advantage to keep the heart intent and serious with God.
To this purpose those intermediate ejaculations,betwixt stated and solemn duties, are of most sweet and excellent use ; by these one duty is, as it were, linked to another, and so the foul, as it were, wraps up itself in a chain of duties. That Christian seldom misses his mark in solemn duty, that shoots up many of these darts in the intervals of duty. It is an excellent commendation Christ bestows upon the spouse, Cant. iv. 11. "Thy " lips, O my spouse, drop as the honey-comb." Upon which textone gives this sweet note ; The honey-comb drops actually but sometimes, but it always hangs full of fwect drops ready
How to keep the Heart from wandering in Duty. 59. to fall : If our ejaculations were more, our lamentations upon.
this account would be fewer
Help 6. Endeavour to engage and raise thy affections to God in duty, if thou wouldst have thy distractions cured. A drooping eye, and a melting heart, are seldom troubled as others are upon this account : When the soul is intent upon any work, it gathers in its strength, and bends all the thoughts about it ; and when it is deeply affected, it will be intent: the affections command the thoughts to go after them ; deadness causes distraction, and distraction increases deadness : Could you but look upon duties as the galleries of communion in which you walk with God, where your souls maybe filled with those ravishing and matchless delights that are in his presence, your soul would not offer to stir from thence.
It is with the heart in duty, as it is with those that dig for golden ore ; they try here, and finding none, try there ; and so go from place to place, till at last they hit upon the rich vein, and there they fit down. If thy heart could but once hit the rich vein in duty, it would dwell and abide there with delight andconftancy. " O how I love thy law, it is iny meditation "day and night ! " Psal. cxix. 97. The soul could dwell day andnightuponits knees,when once its delights, loves, and desires are engaged. What is the reason your hearts are so shuffling, especially in secret duties ? Why are you ready to be gone, almost as soon as you are come into the presence of God, but because your affections are not engaged?
Help 7. Mourn over the matter to God, and call in assistance from heaven, when vain thoughts assault thy heart in duty.
When the messenger of Satan buffeted Paul by wicked injections, as is supposed, he goes to God, and mourns over it before him, 2Cor. xii. 8, never, flight wandering thoughts in duty as small matters : follow every vain thought with a deep. sigh, turn thee to God, with such words as these ; Lord, I came hither to speak with thee, and here abutydevil and a vain heart conspiringtogetherhave set upon me. OmyGad ! what an heart have I ? Shall Ineverwaitupon thee without distraction ! whea shall I enjoy an hour of free communion with thee ? Help me, my God, this once; do but display thyglorybefore mine eyes, and my heart shall quickly be recovered : Thou knowest I came hither to enjoy thee, and shall I go away without thee ? See, how the heart of thy poor child works towards thee ! strives to get near thee, but cannot : My heart is a-ground, " come thou north-wind, blow south-wind; " O for a fresh galenowfrom
60 How to keep the Heart from wandering in Duty. thy Spirit, to set my affections a-float ! Couldst thou but thus affectionately bewail thy distractions to God, thou mightest obtain help and deliverance from them : He would say to Satan, and thine imperious lusts, as Ahafuerus said of Haman, What, wil he force the queen before my face ? Who are these, that set upon my child in my work and presence ?"
Help 8. Look upon the success and sweetness of thy duties, as very much depending upon the keeping of thy heart close with God in them
two things, the success and sweetness of duty, are as dear to a Christian as his two eyes; and both of these must necessarily be loft, if the heart be loft in duty. Job xxxv. 13. Surely, God heareth not vanity, neither doth the Almighty regard it." The promise is made to an heart engaged, Jer. xxix. 13. " Then thall ye seck me, and find me, when yes hall
" search for me with all your hearts. " Well, then, when thou findest thy heart under the power of deadness and distraction, say to thy soul, O what do I lose by a careless heart now! my praying times are the choicest parts, the golden spots of all my time: Could I but get up this heart with God, I might now obtain such mercies as would be matter for a song to all eternity.
Help 9. Look upon it as a great discovery of the sincerity or hypocrisy of your hearts, according as you find them careful, or careless, in this matter .
Nothing will fstartle an upright heart more than this : What, shall I give way to a customary wandering of heart from God! Shall the spot of the hypocrite appear upon my soul ? They indeedcandrudge on in the round of duty, never regarding the frames of their hearts, Ezek xxxiii. 31, 32. but shall Ido fo ? Whenmencome into the presence chamber, and the king is not there, they bow to the empty chair. O never let me be satisfied with empty duties ! never let me takemyleave of a duty, " until mine eyes have seen the king, the Lord of hosts."
Help 10. Lastly, It will be of special use to keep thine be art with God in duties, to confider what influence all thy duties have into thy eternity.
are your feed-times, and what you fowin your duties in this world, you must look to reap the fruits of it in another world, Gal. vi. 7, 8. If you sow to the flesh, of that you shall reap corruption; but if to the Spirit, life everlasting. O my soul, answer seriously, wouldst thou be willing to reap the fruit of vanity, in the world to come ? Darast thou say, when thy thoughts are roving to the ends of the earth in dury, when
How to keep the Heart from revengeful Motions . 61 thou scarce mindest what thou sayest orheareft; now, Lord, I am sowing to the Spirit ; now I am providing, and laying up for eternity ; now I am seeking for glory, honour, and'immortality ; now I am striving to enter in at the strait gate; now I am taking the kingdom of heaven by an holy violence ? O such aconfideration as this should make the multitudes of vain thoughts that press in upon the heartinduty, to flysevenways before it. And thus I have shewn you how to keep your hearts in the times of duty.
Season 7. The seventh season calling for more than common diligence to keep the heart, is, when we receive injuries, and ' abuses from men. Such is the depravedness and corruption ' of man in his collapsed state, that homo homini lupus, oneman ' is become a wolf, a tyger, to another : They are, as the prophet complains, Hab. i. 14. " As the fishes of the sea, and as " the creeping things, that have no ruler over them;" and as •wicked men are cruel and oppressive one to another, so they ' conspire together to abuse and wrong the people of God, as 'the same prophet complains, ver. 13. "The wicked devour-
" eththe man that is more righteous than he." Now when • we are thus abused and wronged, it is hard to keep the heart * from revengeful motions ; to make it meekly and quietly to commit the cause tohimthatjudgeth righteously ; to exercise no other affection butpitytowards them that abuse us. Surely the spirit that is in us lusteth to revenge, but it must not be ' fo; you have choice helps in the gospel to keep down your * hearts from such sinful motions against your enemies, and to sweeten your imbittered spirits.' The seventh case, then, shall be this,
Case 7. How a Christian may keephisheart from revengeful motions, under the greatest injuries and abuses from men.
The gospel, indeed, allows a liberty to vindicate our intocency, and assert our rights, but not to vent our corruptions, and invade God's right. When, therefore, thou findest thy heartbegintobe inflamed by revengeful motions, presentlyapplythe following remedies; and the first is this,
Remedy 1. Urge upon thy heart the severe prohibitions of revenge by the law of God. Remember that this is forbidden fruit, how pleasant and luscious soever it be to our vitiated appetites. O, faith nature, revenge is sweet : O but, faith God, the effects thereof shall be bitter. How plainly hath God interdicted this flesh-pleasing sin, Prov. xx. 22. " Say not, I will recom- " pence evil." Prov. xxiv. 29. " Say not I will do to to him as
" he hath done to me." Rom.xii. 17. "Recompence to no
62 How to keep the Heart from revengeful Motions. " man evil for evil. " And ver. 19. "Avenge not yourselves, "but rather give place to wrath." Nay, that is not all; but Prov. xxv. 21. " If thine enemy hunger, feed him ; if he " thirst, give him drink." The word feed him, as critics observe, signifies tofeedchearfully, and tenderly, as birds do their young ones : The scripture is a great friend to the peace and tranquillity of human society, which can never be preserved, if revenge be not deposed. It was wont to be an argument urged by the Christians to prove their religion to be supernatuaraland pure, that forbids revenge, which is so sweet to nature; and verily it is a thousand pities such an argument should be loft. Well, then, awe your hearts with the authority of God in these scriptures, and when carnal reason faith, mine enemy deserves to be hated, let conscience reply, but doth God deserve to be disobeyed ? Thus, and thus, hath he done, and so he hath wronged me; but what hath God done, that I should wrong him ? If he dare be fo bold to break the peace, shall I be fo wicked to break the precept ? If he fears not to wrong me, shall not I fear to wrong God ? O let the fear of God's threatnings repress such sinful motions.
Remedy 2. Set before your eyes the most eminent patterns of meekness and forgiveness, that your jouls may fall in love with them.
This is the way to cut off those common pleas of the flesh for revenge: As thus, no man would bear such an affront : Yes, such and such have borne as bad and worse. I shall be reckoned a coward, a fool, if I pass by this : No matter, as long as I follow the examples of the wisest, and holiest of men; never did any suffer more, and greater abuses from men, than Christ did, and never did any carry it more peaceably, and forgivingly, Ifa. liii. 7. "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet " he opened not his mouth; he was brought as a lamb to the laughter," &c. This pattern of our Lord the apostle sets before you for your imitation, 1 Pet. ii. 21, 22, 23. For even hereunto are you called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps : Who when he was reviled, reviled not again ; when he suffered, *" he threatened not, but committed himself to him thatjudg- " eth righteously." To be of a meek, forgiving spirit, is Christ-like, God-like; "then shall you be the children of your Father, which is in heaven ; for he maketh his fun to " rise upon the evil and upon the good, and sendeth rain on " the just and unjust," Matth. v. 45 How eminently, also, did this Spirit of Christ rest upon his apostles ? Never were.
How to keep the Heart from revengeful Motions. 63 there such men upon earth for true excellency of spirit. None were ever abused more, or suffered their abuses better. " Being
" reviled(fay they) we bless ; being persecuted, we suffer it; " being defamed, we intreat," I Cor iv. 12, 13 Mr Calvin, though a man of a quick spirit, yet had attained such a degree of this Christ-like forgiveness, that when Luther had used some opprobrious language of him, the good man said no more but this, ' Although he should call me devil, yet I will *acknowledge him to be an eminent servant of Jesus Christ. '
I have often heard it reported of holy Mr. Dod, that when one, enraged at his ciose, convincing doctrine, picked a quarrel with him, smote him on the face, and dashed out two of his teeth; this meek servant of Christ spit out the teeth and blood into his hand, and said, See, here,you have knocked out two of my teeth, and that without any just provocation ; but on condition I might do your soul good, I would give you leave to dash out all the rest. Here is the excellency of a Christian's spirit, above all theattainments of moral heathens : Though they were excellent at many other things, yet they could never attain this forgiving spirit. It is the first office of justice, said Tully, to hurt no body, unless first provoked by an injury ; whereupon Lactantius, O'quam fimplicem veramquefententiam, duorum verboram adjectione, corrupit ! What a daintyfentence spoiled theorator, by adding those two last words ! Strive then for this excellency of spirit, which is the proper excellency of Christians; do some singular thing that others cannot do, and then you will have a testimony in their consciences. When Moses out-did the magicians, they were forced to confess the finger of God in that business.
Remedy 3. Confider well the quality of the person that hath wronged thee ; either he is a good man, or a wicked man, that hath done thee the injury : If he be a good man, there is light and tenderness in his conscience, and that will bring him at last toa fenfeof the evil he hath done; however, Christ hath forgiven him greater injuries than these, and why shouldst not thou ? Will not Christ upbraid him, with any of those wrongs done to him, but frankly forgive him all ; and wilt thou take him by the throat for some petty abuse that he hath done to thee ?
Or is he a wicked man ? If so, truly you have more need to exercise pity, than revenge towards him, and that upon a double account : For, (1.) He is beside himself, so indeed is everyunconverted sinner, Luke xv. 17. Should you go into Bedlam, and there hear one rail at you, another mock you, and a third
64 How to keep the Heart from revengeful Motions. threaten you ; would you say, I will be revengeduponthem? No, you would rather go away pitying them. Alas, poor creatures! they are out of theirwits, and know not what they do. Besides,
(2.) There is a day coming, if they repent not, when they will have more misery than you can find in your hearts to with them; you need not study to revenge,God's vengeancesleepeth `not, and will shortly take place upon them, and is not that enough ? Have they not an eternity of misery coming ? If they repent not, this must bethe portion of their cup ; and if ever they do repent, they will be ready to make you reparation.
Remedy 4. Keep down thy heart by this consideration, that by revenge thou canst butfatisfy a lust, but by forgiveness thou Shalt conquer a lust.
byrevengethou shouldst destroyoneenemy, I will shew thee how, by forgiving, thou shalt conquer three, thine own lust, the devil's temptation, and thine enemy's heart ; and is not this a more glorious conquest ? If by revenge thou overcome thine enemy, yet (as Bernard (aith) Infelix victoria, ubi fuperans virum fuccumbit vitio : Unhappy victory, when, by overcoming another man, thou art overcome by thine own corruption. But this way you may obtain a glorious conquest indeed. What an honourable, and dry victory, did David this way obtain over Saul, 1 Sam. xxiv. 16, 17. " And it came to
" pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words, " that Saul lifted up his voice, and wept; and he said toDa- " vid, thou art more righteous than I."
It must be a verydilingenuous nature indeed, upon which meekness and forgiveness will not work ; a stony heart, which this fire will not melt. To this sense is that, Prov. xXV. 21 . " If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him " drink ; for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his " head." Some will have it a fin-punishing fire, but others a heart-melting fire. To be sure it will either melt his heart, or aggravate his misery. Augustine thinks that Stephen's prayer for his enemies was the great means of Paul's conversion.
Remedy 5. Seriously propound this question to thy own heart, bave Igotany goodby the wrongs and injuries received, or have
I not ? If they have done you no good, turn the revenge upon yourselves : O that I should have such a bad heart, that can get no good out of such troubles ! O that my spirit should be so unlike to Christ's! The patience and meekness of other Christians, have turned all the injuries thrown at them into precious stones ; the spirits of others have been raised in blessing
How to keep the Heart from revengeful Motions. 65 God, when they have been loaded with reproaches from the world, they have bound them as an ornament to their necks.
Superb us fio (said Luther) quodvideo nomen pessimum mihi crefcere. I could even be proud upon it, that I have a bad name among wicked men. To the same purpose Jerom said sweetly, Gratias ago Deomeo quod dignus sum quem mundus oderit ; I thank my God that I am worthy to be hated of the world. Thus their hearts were provoked by injuries to magnify God, and bless him for them; if it work contrary with me, I have cause enough to be filled with self-difplicency.
If you have got any goodby them ; if the reproaches and wrongs you have received, have made you search your hearts the more, watch your ways the more narrowly ; if theirwrongingyou, has made you fee how you have wronged God, then let me say for them, as Pauldidhimself, Pray forgive them this wrong.
What, can you not find an heart to forgive one that hath been instrumental of fomuchgoodto you ? That is strange ! what though they meant it for evil ? yet if God hath turned it to good, you have no more reason to rage against the instrument than he had who received a wound from his enemy which only brake, and let outthatimposthume which otherwise had been his death.
Remedy 6. It is of excellent use to keep the heart from revenge, to look up, and eye the first cause by which all our troubles are ordered.
This will calm and meekenour spirits quickly : never did a wicked tongue try the patience of a faint, more than David's was triedbythatrailing Shimei ; yet the spirit of this goodman was not at all poisoned with revenge, though he goes along cursing, and casting stones at him, all the way. Yea, though Abishai offered David, if he pleased, the head of that enemy ; yettheking said, " What have I to do with you, ye sons of " Zureiah ? So let him curse, because the Lord hath faidun४८to him, curse David: who then shall say, Wherefore haft " thou done fo?" It maybe,God uses him as his rod, to lam me, because I, by my fin, madehisenemies toblafpheme him ; and shall I be angry with the rod ? How irrational were that ? This also was it that quieted Job; he doth not rail, and vow revenge upon the Chaldeans and Sabeans, but eyes God as the orderer of those troubles, and is quiet; " The Lord hath ta- " ken away, blessed be his name, Job i. 21 .
Objection, But you will say, To turn aside the right of am an, VOL. VII. I
66 How to keep the Heart from revengeful Motions. tofubvert am an in his cause, the Lordapproveth not, Lam. ii. 36. Answer. True : but though it fall not under his approving, yet it doth under his permitting will, and there is a great argument for quiet submission in that ; nay, he hath not only the permitting, but the ordering of all those troubles. Did we fee more of an holy God, we shouldshew less of a corrupt nature in such trials. 1 Remedy 7. Confiderhow you daily wrong God, and you will not be so easily inflamed with revenge against others that have wronged you.
You are daily grieving, andwronging God, and yet he bears, forgives, and will not take vengeanceuponyou; and will you be so quick in avenging yourselves upon others ? O what a
and terrible rebuke is that ! Mat. xviii. 32, 33. " O thou " wicked and flothful servant ; I forgave thee all that debt be- " cause thou defirest me, shouldst not thou also have had com- " passion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee ?" None should be so filled with bowels of pity, forbearance, and mercy, to such as wrong them, as those should be that have experienced the riches of mercy themselves : methinks the mercy of God to us should melt our very bowels into mercy over others; it is impossible we can be cruel to others, except we forget how kind Christ hath been to us. Those that have found mercy, should shew mercy : if kindness cannot work, methinks fear should. " If ye forgive notmen their trespasses, " neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses," Matth. vi. 15.
Remedy 8. Lastly, Let the consideration of the day of the Lord, whichdraweth nigh, with-hold your hearts from anticipating it by acts of revenge. Why are you so quick ? Is not the Lord at hand, to avenge all his abused servants ? "Be patient, therefore, my brethren, " unto the coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman " waiteth, &c. Be je also patient, for the coming of the " Lord draws nigh: Grudge no tone against another, brethren, " left ye be condemned. Behold the Judge standeth at the " door," Jam. v. 7, 8, 9. This text affords three arguments against revenge : (1.) The Lord's near approach. (2.) The example of the husbandman's patience. (3.) The danger we draw upon ourselves by anticipating God's judgment ; Vengeance is mine, faith the Lord; he will distribute justice more equally, and impartially, than you can : they who believe they have a
How to keep the Heart from revengeful Motions. God to right them, will not somuchwrongthemselves, as avenge their own wrongs .
Objection 1. But flesh and blood are not able to bearfuchabuses.
Solution. If you resolve to consult flesh and blood in such cases, and do no more but what that will enable you to do; never pretend to religion: Christians must do singular, and supernatural things.
Object. 2. But if I put up such abuses, I shall be reckoned a fool, and every one will trample upon me.
Sol. (1.) You maybe reckoned so among fools, but God and good men, will account it your wisdom, and the excellency of your spirits. (2 ) It must be abase spirit indeed, that will trampleuponameek, and forgiving Christian : and thus learn to keep your hearts from revenge under all provocations.
Season 8. The next season in which we are in danger of • losing our hearts, is, when we meet with great crosses, and provocations; then sinful passion is apt to transport the heart. • It is the fault of many good men to be of hasty and quick • spirits, when provoked, though they dare not concoct anger ' into malice; for that would be a note of wickedness : yet are
' they very incident to sudden anger, which is a sign of weak- * ness.' * Beza, in the life of Calvin, observes, ' that he was of 6 a keen and hasty spirit; and he that writes the life of the great Cameron †, saith, that his anger was soon Air red towards ' his near and familiar friends, but then he would easily depose ، it, and acknowlege his weakness.' Alas ! when provocations and trials of our patience come, we know not what spirit we are of. The eight case, therefore, is this, Cale 8. How the heart maybe kept meek and patient under great crosses andprovocations.
There are three forts of anger, natural, holy, and sinful anger. (1.) Natural, which is nothing else but the motion of the irafcible appetite towards an offensive object ; and this in itself is no fin, they are pro passions, rather than passions; the infelicities, rather than the sins of nature, as Jerom calls them. Reason, faith Plutarch, is the driver, the soul is the chariot, and the two horses that draw it on in all its motions, are the concupifcibleandirascible appetites; whilst these are rightly managed by reason, they are not only lawful, butveryuseful to the soul. God would not haveustobe stupid and insensate, though 12
in Vit. Cal. p. 100. † Icon Cameron is, !
68 How to keep the Heart from revengeful Motions. he would have us to be meek, and patient. In Eph. iv. 26. he allows the natural motion, but forbids the sinful exorbitancy.
(2.) Holy anger, which is a pure flame, kindled by an heavenly spark of love to God, and in scripture is called zeal, which is, as one faith, the dagger which love draws in God's quarrel. Such was Lot's against the Sodomites, and that of Moses against the idolatrous Ifraelites. When Servetus con. demned Zuinglius for his harshness, his answer was, In aliis manfuetus ero, in blafphemiis in Chriftum, non ita ; In other cases I will be mild, but in the cause of Christ, not fo. That which the world calls moderation and mildness here, is in God's account stupidity and cowardliness ; neither of these are that which I am now persuading you to keep your hearts against.
But, (3.) There is a sinful passion, that is the thing which endangers you. Now anger becomes sinful when it is either causeless, Matth. v. 22. or excessive ; and that either in measure, or time, exceeding the value of the impulsive cause, be it more transient, or abiding; yet it is a sin, and it is matter of humiliation before God. Now the means to keep the heart from it under provocations, are these:
Means 1. Get low and humble thoughts of yourselves, and then you will have meek spirits, and peaceable deportments towards others.
The humble, is ever the patientman ; pride is the root of passion; a lofty will be a surly spirit : bladdersblown up with wind, will not lie close together; but prick them, and you may pack a thousand in a little room : "Only by pride cometh con- " tent i on," Prov. xiii. 10. When we over rate ourselves, then we think we are unworthily treated by others, and that provokes ; and here, by the way, take notice of one great benefit of acquaintance with your own hearts, even the meekening and calming of your spirits Christian, methinks,thou wouldst know
much of thyself, that it is impossible any should lay thee lower, or have baser thoughts of thee, than thou hast of thyself. Some render the original of that text, Hab. ii. 5. thus : " The proud man is as he that tranfgreffeth by wine ;" and drunkards, you know, are quarrelsome. Oget more humility, and that will bring you more peace.
Means 2. Be often fweetening your spirits in communion with God, and they will not safily be intermitted with wrath towards men.A quiet conscience never produced an unquiet conversation : the peace of God doth βραζευειν, rule in the heart, as an umpire,
How to keep the Heart from revengeful Motions. 69 in appeasing strifes ; for so much that word, Col. iii. 15. imports, Wrath and strife are hugely opposite to the frame and temper of a spiritual heart, because inconsistent with the delight and contentment of thatdove-like spirit which loves asedateandquiet breast. O ! faith the soul that feeds upon the sweet communion of the spirit, shall the sparks of provocations now catch in my passions, and raise such a smoke in my soul, as will offend, and drive away the Comforter from me ? This is fo effectual a remedy against passion, that I durst almost venture, ina Christian of a hastynature, to make long suffering a sign of communion with God. Seest thou such a Christian quiet and calm under provocations, it is very like his soul feeds upon such sweetness in God as he is loath to leave; and on the other side, seest thou a Christian turbulent and clamourous, doubtless, all is not well within ; his spirit is like a bone out of joint, which cannot move without pain and trouble.
Means 3. Get due apprehenfions of the evil nature and effects offinful anger : Ira furor brevis; anger is a short madness, (faith one ;) Ira animae febris, (faith another;) anger is the fever of the soul; It is the interregnumand eclipse of reason, (faithathird).
The effects of it are also very fad. (1.) " It grieves the Spirit of God," Eph. iv. 30. banishes him from that breast in which itrages, andtumultuates : God is the God of peace; the presence and comforts of God are only enjoyed in a calm . It is a golden note one gives upon the forecitedtext,God doth notusuallybless with peace of conscience,
make no conscience of peace. (2.) It gives advantage to the devil, Eph. iv. 26, 27. Satan is an angry anddiscontented spirit, and finds no rest but in restless hearts ; he lives like the salamander, in fires of contention ; he bestirs himself when the spirits are in a commotion; sometimes he fills the heart with revengeful thoughts, sometimes he fills the lips, and inflames the tongue with indecent language ; even a meek Moses sometimes speaks unadvisedly with his lips. (3.) Itdif-tunesthe spirit for duty ; upon this account the apostle diffuades husbands and wives from jarring carriages and contentions, that their prayers be not hindered, 1 Pet. iii. 7. All acts of worship must be suitable to the object of worship ; but God is the God of peace, the God of love. (4.) To mention no more, itdifparages the Christian religion. How would Plato and Pythagoras shame us, if they were now living ? Christ was a lamb for meekness, and doth it become his followers to be like prayers
70 How to keep the Heart from revengeful Motions. lions ? O keep your hearts, or you will at once lose not only your own peace, but the credit of religion .
Means 4. Confider how sweet a thing it is to a Christian to conquer his corrupcions, and carry away the spoils of them. " He that is flow to anger is betterthanthe mighty ; and he " that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city," Prov. xvi. 32. Is there any content in venting a passion ? How much more in mortifying it ? When thou comest, ina calm mood, or upon a death-bed to review thy life, how comfortable then will it be, to reflect upon the conqests thou hast got by the fear of God, over the evil propenfions of thineownheart ! It was a memorable saying of Valentinian the emperor, when he came to die: •Amongst all my conquests (said he) there is but one that now comforts me; and being asked what that was, he • answered, I have overcome my worst enemy, mine own • naughty heart.' Means 5. Shame yourselves by setting before you those eminent patterns that have been most excellent for meekness.
Above all, compare your spirits with the Spirit of Christ ; " Learn of me (faith he), for I am meek and lowly," Matth. xi. 29. Christ was meek and lowly, but I am proud and passionate; it was the high commendation of Moses, Numb. xii. 3. "Now the man Moses was meek above all the men of the " earth : and this was the man that knew God to face." It is faidof Calvin and Urfin, that they both were of choleric natures, but yet hadfo learned the meekness of Christ, as not to utter one word, under the greatest provocation, unbeseeming religion. When I read the pretty stories of the very heathens, that never had the advantages that we have, how the Pythagoreans, whatever feuds had been among them in the day, would huth all, by sending to each other this message, The fun is almostfet ; and that of Plato to his scholar, I would beat thee, if I were not angry. When I read what lenity and tenderness Lycurgus shewed to an insolent fellow that had struck out one of his eyes ; I am ashamed to see how much Christians are out-shot by heathens ; who, by meer moral arguments and precepts, had thus meekened their spirits, and conquered their passions. The dim light of nature could teach Seneca to say, That anger will hurt amanmorethan the offence; for there is a certain bound in the offence, but I know not how far mine anger will carry me. is a shame that these men who come so far behind us in means and advantages, should so far out-ftripusinmeekness and patience.
Means 6. Lally, Avoid all irritating occasions.
How to keep the Heartfromyielding to Sin. 71 He that will not hear the clapper, must not pull the rope : " Grievous words stir up anger," faith Solomon, Prov. xv. 1. Do not only pray, and resolve against it, but get as far as you can out of the way of it; it is true spiritual valour, to run as fast, and far as we can, out of fin's way: If you can but avoid anger in its first rise, there is no great fear of it afterwards; for it is not with this fin as it is with other fins ; other fins grow to their full strength by degrees, their first motions are the weakest ; but this sin is born in its full strength, it is
at first ; withstand it then, and it falls before you. Thus learn to keep your hearts when provocations arise.
Seafony. The ninth season of exerting our greatest diligence, • Is, the critical hour of temptation, wherein Satan lays close siege to the fort-royal of a Christian's heart, and often fur prizes it for want of watchfulness : to keep the heart now, is ⚫no less a mercy thanaduty; few Christians are so well skilled
' in detecting fallacies, and retorting the arguments by which • Satanuses to draw them to fin, as to come off safe in those ' encounters. " Watch and pray (faith our Lord) lest ye enter • into temptation," Mark xiv. 38. Even an eminent David, and awise Solomon, havesmarted for their carelessness, at such a time as this . The ninth case therefore shall be this,
Case 9. How a Christian, when strongly follicited by the devil to fin, may keep his heart from yielding to the temptation.
Now there are fix special arguments by which Satanfubtilly infinuates and winds in the temptation ; in all which I shall offer thee some help for the keeping of thy heart; and the first is this:
Argument 1. The first argument is drawn from the pleasure of fin: O (faith Satan) here is pleasure to be enjoyed : the temptation comes with a smiling countenance, and charming voice : what, art thou so phlegmatic and dull a soul, as not to feel the powerful charms of pleasure ? Who can with-hold himself from such delights ?
Now thine heart maybekeptfrom the danger of this temptation, by retorting this argument of pleasure upon the tempter; which is done two ways.
1. Thou tellest me, Satan, that sin is pleasant; be it so : But are the gripes of conscience, and the flames of hell so too ?
Is it pleasant to feel the wounds and throbs of conscience ? If fo, why did Peter weep so bitterly ? Matth. xxvi. 75. Why did David cry out of broken bones ? Psal. li. I hear what thou fayeft of the pleasure of fin, and I have read what David hath
faidof the terrible effects of sin in his Psal. to bring to remembrance, Psal . xxxviii. ver. 2. " Thine arrows stick fast in me, " and thy hand presseth me fore:" ver. 3. " There is no " soundness in my flesh because ofthineanger; neither is there any rest in my bones,because of my fin:" ver.4. " mine iniquities are gone over mine head as an heavy burden; " they are too heavy for me :" ver. 5. " My wounds stink, " and are corrupt, because of my foolishness :" ver. 6. " I am troubled, I amboweddown greatly, I go mourning all " the day long :" ver. 7. " My loins are filled with a loath- " some disease, and there is no foundness in my flesh " ver. 8. " I am feeble and fore broken, I have roared by reafonof the " disquietness of my heart. Here I see the true face of sin; if I yield to thy temptation, I must either feel thesepangs of conscience, or the flames of hell.
2. What talkest thou of the pleasure of fin, when, by experience, I know there is more true pleasure in the mortification, than can be in the commission of fin ? O how sweet is it topleaseGod, to obey conscience, to preserve inward peace ! To be able to say, in this trial, I have discovered the sincerity of my heart ; now I know I fear the Lord, now I fee that I truly hate fin. Hath fin any such delight as this? This will choak that temptation.
Arg. 2. The second argument is drawn from the secrefyof fin: O (faith Satan) this fin will never disgrace thee abroad, none shall know it.
This argument may be retorted, and the heart secured thus : thou fayeft, none shall know it; but, Satan, canst thou find a place void of the divine presence for me to fin in ? Thus Job secured his heart from this temptation, Job xiii. 4. " Doth he " not see my ways, and count all my steps ?" Therefore he makes a covenant with his eyes, ver. 1. After the same manner Solomon teacheth us to retort this temptation, Prov. v. 20, 21. " And why my son wilt thou be ravished with a strange " woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger ? For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponder- " eth all his goings." What if I hide it from the eyes of all the world for the present ? I cannot hide it from God; and the time is at hand, when all the world shall know it too; for the word assures me, Luke viii. 17. "That what nowisdone in secret, shall " be proclaimed as upon the house-top." Besides, is not my conscience as a thousand witnesses ? Do I owe no reverence to myself? Could the heathen man say, Turpe quid aufurus, tefine teste time ; When thou art temptedtocommit fin, fear thyself
How to keep the Heart from revengeful Motions. 73 withoutanyother witness : And shall not I be afraid to finbeforemineownconfcience, which always hath are proof in its mouth, or a pen in its hand, to record my most secret actions?
Arg. 3. The third argument by which Satan temptethto inistakenfrom the gain and profit arising out of it: whyfo nice and scrupulous? it is but to stretch conscience a little, and thou mayest make thyself: now is thy opportunity !
The heart may be kept from falling into this dangerous snare, by retortingthe temptation thus : But what profit will it be, if am an should gain thewholeworld, and lose his own soul ? Or what shall am an give in exchange for his soul ? Shall I hazard thee for all the good that is in this world ? There is an immortal spirit dwelling in this fleshly tabernacle, of more value than all earthly things, which must live to all eternity, when this world shall lie in white ashes. Afoul for which Je-
his precious and invaluable blood. I was sent into this world to provide for this foul; indeed God hath also committed tome the care of mybody, but, (as * one happily expresses it) with this difference;am after commits two things to a servant, the child and the child's cloaths; will the master thank the servant, if he plead, I have kept the cloaths, but I have neglected the life of the child?
Arg. 4. The fourth argument is drawn from the smallness of the fin; it is but a little one, a small matter, a triffe ; who wouldstandupon such niceties ?
This argument maybe retorted three ways.
1. But is the majesty of heaven a little one too? If I commit this fin, Imustoffend and wrong a great God, Ifa. xl. 15,
16, 17,22. 2. Is there any littlehellto torment littlefinners in? Are not the least sin hers there filled with the fulness of wrath ? O there isgreatwrath treasured up for such as the world counts little sinners.
3. The less the fin, the less theinducement to commit it : What, shall I break with God for a trifle ? Destroy my peace, woundmyconfcience, grieve the Spirit, and all this for nothing ? Owhat madness is this !
Arg. 5. A fifth argument is drawn from the grace of God, and hopes of pardon: Come,God will pass by this as an infirmity, he will not be extreme to mark it.
But stay, my heart; VOL. VII. K *Gospel-Glass, P. 3.
74 How to keep the Heart from revengeful Motions. 1. Where do I find a promise of mercy to presumptuous fin ners ? Indeed for involuntary surprisals, unavoidable and lamented infirmities, there is a pardon of course; but where is the promise to a daring sinner, that fins upon presumption of pardon ? Pause awhile, my soul, upon that scripture, Numb. xv. 27,---30. " And ifa foul sin through ignorance, then he " shall bring a she-goat, of the first year for a fin offering, &c. " But the soul that doth oughtpresumptuously, the fame re- " proacheth the Lord, and that foul shall be cut off from a- " monghis people."
2. If God be a God offomuch mercy, how can I abuse so good a God ? shall I take so glorious an attribute as the mercy of God is, and abuse it unto fin ? Shall I wrong him because he is good ? Or should not rather the goodness of God lead me to repentance ? Rom. ii. 3. "There is mercy with " thee that thou mayest be feared," Psal. cxxx. 4.
Arg. 6. Lastly, Sometimes Satan encourages to fin from the examples ofgoodandholy men;thus, and thus they have finned and been restored, therefore this may consist with grace, and thou be saved nevertheless. The danger of this temptation is avoided, and the heart secured,by retortingthe argument these three ways :
1. Though goodmenmaycommitthe same sin materially, which I am tempted to, yet did ever any good man venture to fin, upon such a ground and encouragement as this ?
2. Did God record these examples for my imitation, or for my warning ? Are they not set up as sea-marks, that I might avoid the rocks upon which they split ? 1 Cor. x. 6. " Now " these were our examples, to the intent that we should not " lust after evil things, as they also lusted ."
3. Am I willing to feelwhatthey felt for fin ? O, I dare not follow them in the ways off in ! quia meveftigia terrent ; Left God should plunge me into the deeps of horror, into which he caftthem .
Thus learn to keep your hearts, in the hour of temptation, from fin.
Season 10. The tenth special season to keep the heart with all diligence, is the timeofspiritual darkness and doubting, when it is with the soul, as it was with Paul in his dangerous voyage, neither fun, nor moon, nor star appears for ma- ' ny days : When by reason of the hidings of God's face, the • prevalency of corruption, and the in evidence of grace, the • foul is even ready to give up all its hopes and comforts for * loft; to draw fadanddefperate conclusions upon itself; to
How to keep the Heart from yielding to Sin. 75 call its former comforts vain delusions ; its grace hypocrisy.
When the serene and clear heavens are overcast with dark clouds, yea, filled with thunders, and horribletempefts, when * the poor pensive foul fits down andweeps forth this fad la- ' mentation, " My hope is perished from the Lord !" Now to
keep the heart from sinking in such a day as this, to enable * it to maintain its own sincerity, is a matter of great difficul 6 ty. The tenth case then will be this :' Case 10. How the people of God, in dark anddoubtingfeafons, may keep their hearts from entertaining such fad conclusions about their estates, as destroy their peace, and unfit them for their duty.
There are two general heads, to which the groundsofdoubting our finceritymay be reduced. (1.) God'scarriage towards the soul, either in the time offome extraordinary affliction, or of some long and sad desertion. Or, (2.) The soul's carrriage towards God : And here it usually argues against the truth of its own graces, either (1.) From its relapses into the fame
from which, it hath formerly risen with shame and sorrow. Or, (2.) From the sensible declining of its affections from God. Or, (3.) From the excess of the affections towards creature-comforts and enjoyments. Or, (4.) From its enlargements in public, and often straitnings in private duties. Or, (5.) From some horrid injections of Satan, with which the soul is greatly perplexed. Or, lastly, From God'sfilence, and seeming denial of its long depending suits and prayers. These are the common grounds of those sad conclusions : Now in order to the establishment and support of the heart in this condition, it will be necessary,
1. That you be acquainted with somegeneraltruths, which have a tendency to the settlement ofa trembling and doubting foul.
2. That you be rightly instructed about the forementioned, particulars, which are the grounds of your doubting.
The general truths requisite for poor doubting fouls to be acquainted with, are these :
1. That every working and appearance of hypocrisy doth not presently prove the person in whom it is, to bean hypocrite. You must carefully distinguish between the presence and predominancy ofhypocrify : There are remains ofdeceitfulness in the best hearts ; David and Peter had fadexperience of it ; yet the
frame andgeneralbentof the heart being upright, it didnotdenominate them hypocrites. K2
76 How to keep the Heart from yielding to Sin. 2. That we ought as well tohearwhat can befaidforus as against us . It is the fin of upright hearts sometimes to use an over-rigid, and merciless severity against themselves : They do not indifferently confider the case of their own fouls : It is in this case, as Solomon speaks in another, Prov. xiii. 7. " There is that maketh himself rich, and yet hath nothing ; " and there is that maketh himself poor, and yet hath great " riches." It is the damning fin of the self-flattering bypocrite, to make his condition better than it is: And it is the fin and folly offome uprightones, to make their conditionworfe thanindeedit is. Why shouldyoube such enemies to your own peace ? To read over the evidences of God's love to your fouls, as am an doth a book which he has a mind toconfute ? Why do you study to find evasions, to turn off those comforts which areduetoyou ? It is said of Joseph, that he was minded to put away his espoused Mary, not knowing that that holy thing which was conceived in her, was by the Holy Ghost: And this maybe your case. And a third truth is this :
3. That many a faint hath charged and condemned himself for that, which God will never charge him with, narcondemn bimfor. "Whyhaft thou hardenedourheartsfromthyfear," (faith the church) Ifa. Ixiii. 17. and yet the versebeforema nifests, that their hearts were not so hardened: GodlyBrad. ford wrote himself an hypocrite, a painted sepulchre; yet doubtless God acquitted him of that charge.
4. Every thing which is aground of grief to the people of God, is notafufficient ground of questioning their sincerity.
There aremanymore things to trouble you, than there is to
you : If upon every flip and failing through infirmity, you should question all that everwaswroughtuponyou, your life must be made up of doubtings and fears : You can never attain a settled peace, nor live that life of praise and thankfulness, the gospel calls for.
5. The soul is not at all times fit to pass judgment upon its own condition . To be sure in the dark day of desertion,when the soul is benighted ; and in the stormy day of temptation, when the soul is ina hurry, it is utterly unfit to judge its e-
" Examine your hearts upon your beds, and be still," Psal. iv. This is rather a season for watching and resisting, than for judging and determining.
6. That every breach of peace with God, is not a breach of covenant with God. The wife hath many weaknesses and failings, often grieves and displeases her husband; yet in the main is faithful, andtrulyloveshim: These failings may cause
How to keep the Heart from yielding to Sin. 77 kim to alter his carriage, but not to withdraw his love, or deny his relation. " Return, O backfliding Israel, for I am
"married unto you."
7. Lastly, Whatever yourfin, or trouble be, it should rather drive us to God, than from God. " Pardon my fin, for it is " great," Psal. xxv. 11. Suppose it be true, that thou hast so and so sinned, that thou art thus long and sadly deserted : Yet it is a false inference, that therefore thou shouldst be discouraged,as if there were no help for thee in thy God. When you havewelldigested these seven establishing truths, if still the doubt remain, then confider, what may be replied to the particular grounds of these doubts. As,
1. You doubt, and are ready to conclude, the Lord hath no regard or love for your souls, because of some extraordinary affliction which is come upon you : But I would not have thy soul so to conclude, till thou be able fatisfactorily to an
three questions.
Question 1. If great troubles and afflictions be marks of God'shatred, why should not impunity and constant prosperity be tokens of his love ? For contrariorum contraria eft ra tis& confequentia ? of contrary things, there is a contraryrea fonandconfequence: But is this so indeed ? or faith not the
quite otherwise ? Prov. i. 32. " The prosperity of " fools destroys them." So Psal. xxxvii. 5.
Quest. 2. Dare I draw the fame conclusion upon all others that have been as much, yea more afflicted than myself? If this argument conclude against thee, then so it doth against every one in thy condition ; yea, the greater the affliction of any child of God hath been, the more strongly the argument
: And then woe to David, Job, Heman,Paul, and all that have been afflicted as they were.
Quest. 3. Had God exempted you only from those troubles, which all other his people feel, would not that have been a greatergroundofdoubting to you than this ? Especially since the scripture faith, Heb. xii. 8. " Ifyebe without chaftenings, "whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not "sons."
Ohhow is our Father putto it by froward children ! If he afflicts, then one cries, he loves me not: If he exempt from afflictions, others question his love upon that ground. Surely you have otherworkto do, under the rod, than this.
2. Or do you rashly infer, the Lord hath no love for you, because he hides his face from you ; that your condition is miserable, because dark and uncomfortable ? Before you draw
78 How to keep the Heart from yielding to Sin. such rash conclusions, see what answer you can give to these four following queries .
Query 1. If any action of God towards his people will bear afavourable, as well as a harsh and severe construction, wby fhouldnot his people interpret it in the best sense ? And is not this such ? May he not have a design of love, as well as of hatred, in this dispensation ? May he not depart for a season, and not for ever; yea, that he might not depart for ever ? You are not the first that have mistaken God's ends in desertion. Ifa.xlix. 14. " Sion said, the Lord hath forsaken me, my God " hath forgotten me:" Was it so, indeed ? Nothing less. Ver. 15. " Can a mother forget," &c.
Query 2. Doyoufind the marks of an absolute, total, and final desertion upon your own spirits, that you are so apt to conclude yours to befuch? Do you find your hearts inclined to forsake God ? Have you lost your conscientious tenderness in point of fin ? If so, sad characters appear upon you indeed; but if in this dark hour you are as tender of fin as ever, as much resolved to cleave to God as ever ; I cannot, I will not forsake God, let him do what he will with me : O no, I cannot. If your hearts work thus, it can be but a partial, limited, and temporary desertion ; by this he still keeps his interest in your hearts, a sure sign he will return, and visit you again.
Query 3. Is sense and feeling a competent judge of God's actions and designs ? Or may am an safely rely upon its testimony, after so many discoveries of the fallibilityofit ? Is this afoundargument ? If God had any love for my soul, if it were notquitegone, Ishouldfeel it now, as well as informer times ; but I cannot feel it, therefore it is quite gone. Do you not know the fun still keeps on his course in the heavens, even in dull and close weather, when you cannot see it ? And may it not be fo with the love of God ? Read Ifa. 1. 10. May not I as well conclude in winter, when the flowers have hid their beautiful heads under ground, they are quite dead, and gone, because I cannot find them in December, where I saw them in May?
Query 4. Think you the Lord cares not to break his children'she arts, and his own promise too ? Hath he no more regard to either ? If he return no more, these must be the confequents, Ifa. Ivii. 16, 17. Heb . xiii. 5 .
Well, then, from God's carriage towards you, either in af fliction, or desertion, no such discouraging,heart-sinking conclusions can be inferred. Next, let us fee whether they may
How to keep the Heart from desperate Conclusions. 79 not be inferred from our carriage towards God ; and here the principal grounds of doubting are such as these :
1. I have fallen again into the same sin from which I have formerly risen with repentance and resolution ; therefore my sinning is customary sinning ; a spot that is not the spot of God's children. Hence the upright foul trembles ; upon this it is ready to affirm, that all its former humiliations for, and oppositions unto fin, were but acts ofhypocrify. But stay, poor trembling heart.
Query 1. If this be so, how comes it to pass that Christ put such a favourable construction upon the disciplesfleeping the third time, when he had as often reproved them for it ? Matth. xxvi. 40,41. and how is it that we find in scripture somanypromises made to God's people, not only upon their first sins, but upon their backflidings also ? Jer. iii. 22. Hos. xiv. 4
Query 2. Is not your repentance and care renewed as often as your guilt is renewed ? Yea, the oftener you fin, the more you are troubled; it is not so in customary sinning, the rise whereof * Bernard excellently discovers. 1. (Saith he) When am an accustomed to good, finneth grievously, it seems insupportable, yea, he seems to descend alive into hell. In process of time it seems notinsupportable, but heavy ; and betwixt insupportable and heavy, there is no small descent.
3.Next it becomes light, his consciencesmitesbut faintly, and he feels not the fstripes of it. 4. Then there is not only a total insensibleness of it,but that which was bitter anddifpleafing, is now become sweet, and pleasing, in some degree. 5. Then it is turned into custom, and not only pleases, but daily pleases. Lastly, Custom is turned into nature ; he cannot be pulled away from it, but defends and pleads for it : This is customary sinning,this is the wayofthewicked; but the quite contrary is your condition.
Query 3. Are youfure, fromfcripture grounds, that good men may not rel pse again, and again, into the famefin ? It is true, as for gross sins, they do not use to relapse into them : David committed adultery no more : Paul persecuted the church no more : Peter denied Christ no more : But I speak of ordinary infirmities. Job's friends were good men, yet (faith he) chap. xix. 3. "These ten times have ye reproach- " ed me." So, then, no such conclusions follow from this first ground of doubting.
* Lib. de Confc. p. 109.
80 How to keep the Heart from desperate Conclusions.
2. The second ground is the declining and withering of our affections to spiritual things. O! (faith the upright foul) i fever Ihadbeenplanted arightfeed,I should have been as a green olive-tree in the house of my God ; but my branches wither, thereforemyroot is naught. But stay, Query 1. May you not be mistaken about the decay. of grace, and fading of your affections ? What if they are not to quick and ravishing as at first, maynotthatbe recompenfed in the spirituality and solidity of them now? Phil. i. 9. "I "pray God your love may abound more and more in alljudg- " ment:" It maybe morefolid, though not foferverous ; or do you not mistake,by looking forward towhatyou would be, rather than backward to what once you were? It is a good note of Ames, wedifcern the growth of grace, as the growth of plants, which we perceive rather Grevissequam crefcere, to have. grown, than to grow.
Query 2. But grant it befo indeed, as you affirm, must it needs follow, that the root of the matter is not in you ? David's last ways are distinguished from his first, 2 Chron. xvii. 3. andyetboth first and lastaholyman. The church of Ephefus is charged by Christ for leaving her first love, and yet a golden candlestick, many precious faints in that church, Rev. ii. 2, 3,4. 3.A third ground ofthesefad conclusions, is,the excess of your affections to some creature-enjoyments. I fear, I love thecreaturemorethan God; and iffo, myloveisbut hypocritical: I sometimes feel stronger, and more sensible motions of my heart to earthly comforts, than I do to heavenly objects, therefore my foul is not upright in me. But stay, foul,
Query 1. May notamanlove God morefolidly, and strongly, than the creature, and yet his affections to the creature be sometimes moved more violently, and sensibly, than towards God ? As rooted malice argues a stronger hatred, than a sudden, though more violent passion : So we must measure our love, notbyaviolent motion of it,now and then, but by the depth of the root, and constancy of its actings. Because Davidwas so passionately moved for Abfalom, Joab concludes, that if he had lived, and all the people died, " it would have " pleased him well," 2 Sam. xix. 7. But that was argued more like a soldier,than a logician. Query 2. If you indeed love the creature for itself, if you make it your end, and religion but a means, then the conclusion is rightly drawn upon you. But if you love the creature J
How to keep the Heart from desperate Conclusions. 81 in reference to God, and fee nothing in it feparatedfromhim, though sometimes your affections offend in the excess ; this is confiftentwith sincere love to God. To love the creature inordinately,(..)to put it in God's room, and make it am an's end; this is the love ofa carnal heart; to love it immoderately,that is, to let out more affection to it than we ought, is sometimes the fin of the best hearts.
Query3. Have not manyfoulsfeared, as you do, that when Chriftandcreaturesshallstand as competitors in some eminent trial, they should forsake Christ rather than the creature; and yet when brought to that dilemma, have been able to cast all the world at their heels for Christ ? Many of the martyrs had such fears, and they were satisfied; the prevalencyoflove is best seen at parting; there maybe more love to Christ in thy soul, than thou art now aware of; and if God bring thee to such a pinch, thou mayest see it.
4.A fourth ground of these sad conclusions, is from hence, that we find our hearts sometimes more straitned in private, than in public duties. Of if my soul werefincere, its actings indutywouldbe uniform. I fear I am but a Pharisee upon this ground. It is sad, indeed,we shouldatanytime find our hearts straiternedin private. But,
Query 1. Do not all thine enlargements in duty, whether public, or private, depend upon the Spirit, who is the Lord of influences ; and according as he gives out, or helds back those influences, so art thou enlarged, or traitened? And what iffometimes he pleasestogive that in a public, which he with-holds in a private duty, as long as thy soul is satisfied in neither,without communion with God, and the straitness of thy heart is indeed its burden ? Deth that argue theetobean hypocrite?
Query 2. Dost thou not make conscience of private duties, and jet thyself as before the Lord in them ? Indeed, if thou live in the coustant neglect, or c.reless performance of them ; if thou art curious about public, and careless about private duties,that would be afad sign: butwhenyou have confcientiouflyperformed,and oftenmetwith God in them, it will not followthatyou are in sincere,because that communion is some times interrupted. Besides, Query 3. May there not be something, at sometimes, in a public, which is wanting in a private duty, to raise and advantage thine affections ? God may sometimes make use of themeltingaffectionsofthemwithwhomthou he a rest, orprayVOL. VII. L
82 How to keep the Heart from desperate Conclusions. eft, as petty instruments to move thy affections ; this advantage is wanting in private; therefore from hence(the case so standing) no such inference can be drawn.
5. Anothergroundisfrom those horrid injections of Satan with which the foul is greatly perplexed ; by these I may fee what an heart I have : Can grace be where those are ?
Yes,grace may be where such thoughts are, though not where they are lodged,and consented to. Dostthou cry out under the burden ? Enter thy protest in heaven against them,
to keep up holy and reverend thoughts of God; then it is violence, not avoluntaryprostitution.
6. The last ground of these sad conclusions, is,the Lord's long silence, and seeming denial of our long depending suits, and prayers. O if God had any regard to my foul,he would have heard my cries before now ! But I have no answer from him, therefore no interest in him. But stay,doubting foul,
Query 1. Have not manyfaintsstumbledupon this stone, before thee ? Psal. xxxi. 22. "I said in my haste, I am cut off " from beforethineeyes : nevertheless thou heardest the voice " of my supplication." So the church, Lam. iii. 44. "Thou " coverest thyself with a cloud, that our prayers should not " pass through." Jonah ii. 4. "Then said I, I am castoutof thy fight." And may notyoubemistaken in this matter, as :well as they ?
Query 2. Though God's abhorring, and final rejecting prayer, bean argument ofbis abhorring the person that prays ;yet dare we conclude fo from a mere suspension of the answer ? God may bear long with his own elect, that cry unto him day and night, Luke xviii. 7.
Query 3. Can you deny but that there aresomefigns appearing in yourfouls, even whilst Godfufpends his answer, that argue your prayers are not rejected by him ? As, (1.) Though no an-
1wer come, yet you are still resolved to wait : You dare not say as that profane wretch did, 2 Kings vi. 33. " This evil is " of the Lord, why should I wait for him any longer ?" (2.) You can clear and justify God still,and lay the reason and cause of his silence uponyourselves. So did David, Psal. xxii.
" O my God, I cry in the day time, and thou he a rest " not; andinthenight, and am not silent,but thou art holy," &c. (3.) The suspension of God's answer makes you inquisitive intoyourownhearts, what evils are there that obstruct your
2, 3 prayers. So the church, Lam. iii. 8. " He shutteth out my
" prayer :" And how doth this work ? You may fee,ver. 40. " Let us search and try our ways." Well, then, neither
How to keep the Heart from Backfliding. 83 from hence may you conclude that God hath no love for your souls.
And thus I have shewn you how to keep your hearts, in a dark and doubting season,from those desperate conclusions of unbelief. Godforbidany false heart should encourage itself from these things ; it is our unhappiness Caution. that when we give faints and sinners their proper portions, that each of them are so prone to take up the other's part.
Season11.The eleventh special seasoncallingforthisdiligence to keep your hearts, is, when sufferings for religion come to 'an height, then look to your hearts, Matth. xxiv. 8, 9, 10.
" All these arethebeginningofforrows, and they shall deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you ; and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's fake ; and then shall manybeoffended." When sufferings for religion grow hot, then blessed i she that is not offended in Christ, troubles are *then at an height. (1.) When a man's nearest friends and ' relations forsake and leave him, Mic. vii. 5,6. 2Tim. iv. 16.
When a man is engaged alone. (2.) When it comes to resisting to blood, Heb. xii. 4. (3.) When temptations are presented to us in our sufferings, Heb, xi. 37. (4.) When eminent persons forprofessionturn aside, anddefertthecause ' of Christ, 2 Tim. ii. 19. (5.) When God hides his face in asufferinghour, Jer. xvii. 17. (C.) When Satan falls upon ' us with strong temptations, to question the grounds of our ' sufferings, or the soul's interest in Christ : Now it is hard to keep the heart from turning back, and the steps from declining God's ways." The eleventh question,then, shall be this : Case 11. How the heart may be kept from relapsing under the greatest sufferings for religion? If the bitterness of sufferings at any time cause thy soul to distaste the way of God, and take up thoughts of forsaking it; staythineheart under that temptation, bypropounding these eight questions solemnly to it,
Question 1. What reproach and dishonourshall I pour up on Christ, and religion, by deserting him at such a time as this ? This will proclaim to all the world, that how much soever I have boasted of the promises, yet, when it comes to the trial, I dare hazard nothing upon the credit of them: And how will this open the mouths of Christ's enemies to blaspheme ? O better had I never been born, than that worthy name shouldbeblafphemed thro' me ! Shall I furnish the thi L2
84 How to keep the Heart from Backfliding. umphsofthe uncircumcised? Shall I make mirth in hell!Q