Sermon V (continued, part 3)
HOW TO SUPPORT THE HEART UXDER ZION S TROUBLES. i
But what say you to pardon of sin ? interest in Christ ? the cc nant of promise ? and an eternity of happiness, in the presence
God after a few days are over ? O that ever a people entitled to si mercies as these, should droop under any temporal affliction, or
so much concerned for the frowns of men, and loss of trifles ! ^ have not the smiles of great men, but you have the favour of great God ; you are, it may be, cast back in your estates, but the by furthered in spirituals. You cannot live so bravely, plentifully, i easily, as before ; but still you may live as holy and heavenly as ev will you then grieve so much for these circumstantials, as to for your substantial? Shall light troubles make you forget weighty ui cies? Remember the church's true riches are laid out of the reach all its enemies : they may make you poor, but not miserable. W though God do not distinguish, in his outward dispensations, betw his own and others ? Yea, what though his judgments single (
the best, and spare the worst 't What though an Abel be killed love, and a Cain survive in hatred ; a bloody Dionysius die in his b
and a good Josiah fall in battle? What though the'belly of the wicl be filled with hidden treasures, and the teeth of the saints brol
with gravel-stones; yet still here is much matter of praise; forele ing love has distinguished, though common providence did n( and whilst pros}3erity and impunity slay the kicked, even slayi and adversity shall benefit and save the righteous.
Direction 5. Believe, that how low soever the church be plung under the waters ofadversity, it shall assuredly rise again. Fear n
for as sure as Christ arose the third day, notwithstanding the & and watch that were upon him ; so sure the church shall arise c
of all her troubles, and lift up its victorious head over ail its enemit
there is no fear of ruining that people who thrive by their loss and multiply by being diminished. O be not too quick to bury t church before she is dead ! stay till Christ hath tried his skill, life
you give it up for lost. The "bush may be all in a flame, but sh never be consumed, and that because of tlie good will of him tl dwelleth in it.
Direct. i\ Record the famous instances of God's care and tenderm over hi^ people informer straits. Christ hath not suffered it to devoured yet ; for above these 1700 years the Christian church ha hved in affliction, and yet it is not consumed ; many a wave of pi secution hath gone over it, and yet it is not drowned ; many desio to ruin it, and hitherto none have prospered ; this is not the fi
time that Hamans and Ahifhnnhfls liavf> ninttpri itc min • tKot
450 HOW TO SUFPOllT THE HEART UNDER ZION's TR(
Direction 7. If you can fetch no comfort from any ( arguments, then, in the last place, Try whether you 9ome comfort out of your very troubles. Surely this tro is a good argument of your integrity ; union is the gr< pathy ; if you had not some rich adventure in that shi] not tremble as you do, when it is in danger : besides, spirit may afford you this argument, that if you be se church's troubles, Jesus Christ is much more sensible o ous about it, than you can be ; and he will have an e upon them that mourn for it, Isa. Ivii. 18.
Seasmi 4. ' The fourth special season of expressing ou « gence in keeping our hearts, is the time of danger an * traction ; in such times the best hearts are but too a
' prized by slavish fear ; it is not easy to secure the heai < tractions in times of common distraction. If Syria bt ' with Ephraim, how do the hearts of the house of I * even as the trees of the wood, which are shaken wit * Isa. vii. 2. When there are ominous signs in the hea * earth distress of nations, with perplexity ; the sea and * ing, then the hearts of men fail for fear, and for lookii * things which are coming on the earth, Luke xxi. 25, : ' Paul himself may " Sometimes complain of fightings " there are fears without," 2 Cor. vii. 5.
But, my brethren, these things ought not to be so, sail of a more raised spirit : So was David, when his heart ^
good frame, Psal. xxvii. 1. "The Lord is my light, andn " whom shall I fear ? The Lord is the strength of my 1 <' shall I be afraid .?" Let none but the servants of sin of fear, let them that have delighted in evil, fear evil; in metuit, quantum nocuit. O let not that which God hat
as a judgment upon the wicked, ever seize upon the b righteous. "I will send (saith God) faintness into their " land of their enemies, and the sound of a shaking lea " them," Lev. xxvi. 36. O what poor-spirited men are at a shaking leaf! which makes a pleasant, and not a te and is in itself a kind of natural music : But to a guilty C(
■whistling leaves are drums and trumpets. "But God hi " us the spirit of fear, but of love, and of a sound mini 7. A sound mind as it stands there in opposition to the f is an unwounded conscience, not infirmed by guilt : An( make a man as bold as a linn T l-nnw it r-nnnnt hr^ coirl f-^f
1 I I
now TO KEEP TirE HEAUT FUOM PEAKS. 4
a de^ee of cautional, preventive fear as may fit you lor trouli and be serviceable to your souls ; there is a provident fear that opt our eves to foresee danger, and quickens to a prudent and law:
use of means to prevent it : Such was Jacob's fear, Gen. xxxii. 7, 10, &c. But it is the fear of diffidence I persuade you to keep yc hearts from ; that tvrannical passion which invades the heart times of danger; distracts, weakens, and unfits the heart for dut drives men upon unlawful means, and brings a snare with it. W then, tlie fourth case willl be this :
Case 4. Horc a Chriotian may keep his heart from distracti. and tormenting Jcars, in times of great and threatening danger
Now there are fourteen excellent rules, or lielps, for the keepi the heart from sinful fear, when immment dangers threaten i And the first is this,
Rule 1. Look upon all the creatures as in the hand of God, n.
ma)iag'es them in all their jnotions, limiting, restraining, and > iermining them all at his pleasure.
Get this truth well settled by faith in your hearts; it will ra vellously guard them against slavish fears. The first chapter Ezekiel contains an admirable scheme, or draught of providen< there you may see the living creatures who move the wheels, v the great affairs and turnings of things here below, coming ui Christ, who sits upon the throne, to receive new orders and instri tions from him, ver. 24, 25, 26. And in Rev. vi. vou read of whi black, and red horses, which are nothing else but the instrumei
which God employs in executing his judgments in the world, wars, pestilence, and death : But when these horses are prancii and trampling up and down the world, here is that may quiet c
L an
arts, that God hath the reins in his hand. Wicked men are son mes like mad horses, they would stamp the people of God unc
eir feet, but that the bridle of providence is in their lips, Jol 11, 12. A lion at liberty is terrible to meet, but who is afraid
, th.
the lion in the keeper"s hand ? Rule 2. Remember that this God, in whose hand all the creatw
re, is your Fatlier, and is much more tender over you, tlianyou a
can be, over yourselves : " He that toucheth you, toucheth t
•* apple of mine eye," Zech. ii. 8. Let me ask the most timorc woman, whether there be not a vast difference between the sight a drawn sword in the hand of a bloody ruffian, and the same swc m the hand of her own tender husband ? As great a difference the IS m lookmt? uoon crentures hv an pvp of i^pnup. and Innkinor nn th<
452 now TO keep the heart fuom feaes.
the general of that army were his friend, or father ? I h an excellent story of a religious young man, who bein; many other passengers in a great storm, and they be
"with fear, he only was observed to be very cheerful, been but little concerned in that danger : One of thei
the reason of his cheerfulness, ' O, (said he) it is bee
* of the ship is my father.' Consider Christ, first as t supreme Lord over the providential kingdom, and Head, Husband, and Friend, and thou wilt quickly Si
" unto thy rest, O my soul." This truth wiU make y( bling, and cause you to sing in the midst of dangers.
" The Lord is King of all the earth, sing ye praise wit " ing;" " (or, as the Hebrew word is,) Every one tha *' standing," viz. of this heart-reviving and establishir the dominion of our Father over all the creatures.
Rule 3. Urge upon your hearts the express prohibH in this case: and let your hearts stand in azve of the vioh
He hath charged you not to fear, Luke xxi. 9- " ^ " hear of wars and commotions, see that ye be not ter] Phil. i. 28. " In nothing be terrified by your advers in Matth. x. 26, 28, 31. and within the compass of s
Saviour commands us thrice, not to fear man. Doth e
of proud dust and ashes make thee afraid .'' Doth the v make thee tremble .'' and shall not the voice of God : such a fearful and timorous spirit, how is it that thou fea obey the flat commands of Jesus Christ.? Methinks th
Christ should have as much power to calm, as the v
worm to terrify thy heart. Isa. li. 12, 13. "I, even ' " comforteth you : Who art thou, that thou shouldest " man that shall die, and of the son of man that shai
*' the grass, and forgettest the Lord thy Maker .'^'" W creatures sinfully, till we have forgotten God ; did what he is, and what he hath said, we should not be spirits: Bring thy heart, then, to this dilemma in tiir
if 1 let into my heart the slavish fear of man, I must
verential awe and iear of God; and dare I cast oft't Almighty for the frowns of a man .? Shall I lift up pro the great God .'' Shall I run upon a certain sin, to sh danger ? O keep thy heart by this consideration !
Rule 4. Remember horc much needless trouble yo^ have broufi'ht upon you formerhu and hoxo you have di
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HOW TO KEEP THE HEART FROM FEARS. 4
and all this to no purpose : You might have all this while enjoy
vour peace, and possessed your souls in patience. And here I a iiot but observe a very deep policy of Satan, managing a desi against the soul by these vain fears : I call them vain, in regard
the frustration of "them by Providence; but certainly they are i in vain, as to the end Satan aims at in raising them ; for herein acts as soldiers use do in the siege of a garrison, who on purpose wear out the besieged by constant watchings, and thereby unfit th( to make resistance when they storm it in earnest, do every ni^ give them false alarms, which though they come to nothing, ] doth notably serve this further design of the enemy. O when v
vou beware of Satan's devices .-^
Rule 5. Consider solemnly, That though the things you ft should really fall out, yet there Is raoie evil in your ozcnjiar, th in the thing feared ;
And that not only as the least evil of sin is worse than the great( evil of suffering ; but as this sinful fear hath really more torment a trouble in it, than is in that condition you are so much afraid of: i\
is both a multiplying and a tormenting passion ; it represents trt bles much greater than tliey are, and so tortures and wrecks the st much worse than when the suffering itself comes. So it was with
rael at the Red-sea, they cried out, and were sore afraid, tiJl they |; foot in the water, and then a passage was opened through the
waters, whicii they thought would have drowned them. Thus il with us ; we look through the glass of carnal fear, upon the wat( of trouble, the swellings of Jordan, cry out, O they are unfordab me must needs perish in them : But when we come into the midst
those floods, indeed we find the pronnse made good; *' God v
" make a way to escape,* 1 (.'or. x. 13. Thus it was with hles^ Bilney, when he would make a trial, by putting his finger to the Ci die, and not able to endure that, he cried out, ' What, cannoi
' bear the burning of a finger ? how then shall I be able to bear t
' burning of mv whole body to-morrow.^' And yet when that xm row came, he could go cheerfully into the.flames, with that scripti
in his mouth, Isa. xliii. 1, 2,' 3. '• Fear not, for I have redeem *' thee: I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine; when th " passest through the waters, I will be with thee; when thou wa
" est through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt."" Rule 6. Considt the many precious promises which are xcritt for your support and comfort in all dangers.
These are vour refu^res to which vou may flv and be safe ; " Wh
454 now TO KEEP THE HEART FROM FEARS.
" be well with them that fear the Lord." &c. " Coulc " lieve the promises, your hearts should be establishc XX. 29. Could you but plead them with God, as Jaco
xxxii. 12. " Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good," & relieve you in every distress.
Objection. But that promise teas made personally^ aj him, so are not these to me.
Answer. If Jacob's God be your God, you have as rest in them as he had. The church, a thousand ye transaction betwixt God and Jacob, applied that whi( to him, as if it had been spoken to themselves, Ho
" found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us.'" Rule 7. Qiiietyoiir tremhVmg hearts hy recording a
your past experiences of'tlie care andfaiilifidness ofi distresses.
These experiences are food for your faith in a wildern Psal. Ixxiv. 14. By this David kept his heart in tin 1 Sam. xvii. 37. and Paul his, 2 Cor. i. 10. It was sw ed by Silentiarius, when one told him that his enemies to take away his life, Si Dcus mei curani non habit, q God take no care of me, how have I escaped hither plead with God old experiences to procure new ones pleading with God for new deliverances, as it is in plej pardons. Now mark how Moses pleads on that accou Numb. xiv. 19. "Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity 0 " as thou hast forgiven them from Egypt until now." say as men do. Lord, this is the first fault, thou hast m led before to sign their pardon : But, Lord, because tl doned them so often, I beseech thee pardon them on
in new straits, Lord, thou hast often heai'd, helped, former fears ; therefore now help again, for with thee teous redemption, and thine arm is not shortened.
R ule 8. Be well satisfied that you are in the way c and that xvHl beget holy courage in times of danger.
" Who will harm you, if you be followers of that wh " 1 Pet. iii. 13. Or, if any dare attempt it, " you ma^ " mit yourselves to God in well-doing," 1 Pet. iv, 19. consideration that raised Luther's spirit above all fear : * of God (said he) I ever am, and ever shall be stout ;
■ sume this title, Cedo nidli, a good cause will bear up i
bravely. Hear the saying of a * heathen, to the sham
HOW TO KEEP THE HEART FROM I'EAKS.
speak freely that which his conscience commanded liim ; the (
' peror threatening then that he should die, he answered, Did I e * tell you that I was immortal ? Do you what you will, and I ^ * do what I ought; it is in your power to put me to death unjus
' and in me to die constantly.'
Righteousness is a breast-plate, the cause of God will pay all y expences; let them tremble whom danger finds out of the way of di
Rule 9Get your consciences sprinkled zvith the blood of Ch from all guilt, and that zcill set your hearts above alljear.
It is guilt upon the conscience that softens and cowardizes
spirits: " The righteous are bold as a lion," Prov. xxviii. 1. was guilt in Cain's conscience that made him cry, " Every one t
" meets me shall slay me," Gen. iv. 14. A guilty conscienc( more terrified with conceited dangers, than a pure conscience is v real ones. A guilty sinner carries a witness against himself in own bosom. It was guilty Herod cried out, " John Baptist isri " from the dead." Such a conscience is the deviPs anvil, on wt he fabricates all those swords and spears, with which the guilty ; ner pierces and wounds himself; guilt is to danger wliat fire i; gun-powder ; a man need not fear to walk among many barrel powder if he have no fire about him.
Rule 10. Exercise holy trust in times of great distress. Make it your business to trust God with your lives and comfc and then your hearts will be at rest about them. So did David, P
Ivii. 3. " At what time I am afraid, I will trust in thee ;" q. Lord, if at any time a storm rise, I will make bold to shelter me fi it under the covert of thy wings. Go to God by acts of faith trust, and never doubt but he will secure you, Isa. Ixii. 3. " Tl " wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee,
" cause he trusteth in thee." God takes it well when thou con
to him thus; " Father, my hfe, my liberty, or estate, are hur
" after, and I cannot secure them ; O let me leave them in thy ha " The poor leaveth himself with thee ;" and doth his God fall hi No, " thou art the helper of the fatherless," Psal. x. 14. that 1 thou art the helper of the destitute one, that hath none to go to HI|God. And that is a sweet scripture, Psal. cxii. 7. " He sliall noi ^ET a afraid of evil tidings, his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lor
he doth not say, his ear shall be privileged from the report of tidings, he may hear as sad tidings as other men, but his heart si be privileged from the terror of those tidings, " his heart is fix(
Rule 11. Consult the honour of religion more, and your perse
HOW TO KEEP THE HEART FHOM FEAH?.
456*
your fears before them do ! It was a noble saying of Neh
vi. 11. " Should such a man as I flee? And who, bei " would flee ?" Were it not better you should die, t world should be prejudiced against Christ by your exj alas ! how apt is the world, who judge more by what
your practices, than by what they understand of your conclude from your timorousness, that how much soei mend faith, and talk of assurance, yet you dare trust to no more than they when it comes to the trirJ. O let n<
lay such a stumbling-block before the blind world.
Rule 12. He that iv'tll secure his heart from fear^ mm the eternal interest of' his soul in the hands of Jesus CI When this is done, then you may say, Noiv world o You will not be very solicitous about a vile body, wl once assured it shall be well to all eternity with your pi
*' Fear not them (saith Christ) that can kill the body, a *' have no more that they can do." The assured C smile with contempt upon all his enemies, and say. Is t that you do ? What say you. Christians ? Are you assui souls are safe, that within a few moments of your diss shall be received by Christ into an everlasting habitati( you be sure of that, never trouble yourselves about the and means of your dissolution.
"Objection. 0, but a violent death is terrible to naturi
Ansiver. But what matter is it, when thy soul is whether it were let out at thy mouth, or at thy throa thy familiar friends, or barbarous enemies, stand abo
body, and close thine eyes .'' Alas ! it is not worth tli much to do about ; Nihil corpus sentit in nervo cum t coelo, thy soul shall not be sensible in heaven how thy 1 on earth ; no, it shall be swallowed up in life.
Rule 13. Learn to queJich all slavish creature-fears^ cntialfear of God.
This is a cure by diversion : It is a rare piece of C dora to turn those passions of the soul which most into spiritual channels ; to turn natural anger into spirii tural mirth into holy cheerfulness, and natural fear into a and awe of God. This method of cure Christ presci forementioned place. Mat. x. like to that which is in
IS. fear not their fear ; but how shall we help it.'^ V\ ** tifv the Lord of hosts himself, and let him be vour ft
HOW TO KEEP THE IFEART FROM FEAttS.
Rule 14. Lastly, Poitr out those fiars to God in prayer, zckkk
^evil and your oxen unbelief pour in upon you in tini^,<t of dan^ Prayer is the best out-let to fear ; where is the Christian that <
not set" h\s probatum est to this direction ? I will give you the grea example in the world to encourage you in the use of it, even the
ample of Jesus Christ, Mark xiv. '35>. When the hour of his c ger and death drew nigh, he gets into the garden, separates f the disciples, and there wrestles mightily with God in prayer, e unto an agony : in reference to which the apostle saitli, Heb. i ** Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offeretl up pra;
*• and supplications, with strong cries and tears, to him that was ; " to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared.'' •was heard as to strength and support to carry him through it, tho not as to deliverance, or exemption from it.
Now, O that these things might abide with you, and be redi to practice in these evil days, that many trembling souls mai established by them.
Season 5. * The fifth season to excite this diligence in keeping * heart, is a time of straits and outward pinching wants ; altho
* at such times we should complain to God, and not of God,
* throne of grace being erected for a time of need, Heb. iv. 16.) * when the waters of relief run low, and want begins to pinch h
* how prone are the best hearts to distrust the fountain ! when * meal in the barrel, and the oil in the cruse are almost spent, * faith and patience are almost spent too. Now it is difficult to I ' down the proud and unbelieving heart in an holy quietude * sweet submission at the foot of God : It is an easy thing to tal
* trusting God for daily bread, while we have a full bam or pu Hft'* but to say as the prophet, Hab. iii. 17. " Though the figHB * should not blossom, neither fruit be in the vine, kc. yet \n\i 1 HB ' joice in the Lord T surely this is not easy.' The fifth case th fore shall be this : I Case 5. Hozc a Christian may keep Jiis heart Jrom distrusting (
Hit or repining against him, zchen outxcard wants are eitlu^-J'elt orfea Hf This case deserves to be seriously pondered, and especially t<
studied now, since it seems to be the design of providence to err the people of God of their creature-fulness, and acquaint them i those straits which hitherto they have been altogether stranger;
Now, to secure the heart from the fore-mentioned dangers tending this condition, these following considerations, through Hll' blessinor of the Spirit, may prove effectual. And the first is tlij
458 HOW TO KEEP THE HEAUT FilOM FEAR«.
familiarly acquainted with them. Hear what blessed I not of himself only, but in the name of other saints red
exigencies, 1 Cor. iv. 11. " Even to this present hour w " ger and thirst, and are naked and buffeted, and hav " dwelling-place." To see such a man as Paul going ii the world with a naked back, and empty belly, and not a his head in, one that was so far above thee in grace and that did more service for God in a day, than perhaps th in all thy days, and yet you repine as if hardly dealt with forgot what necessities and straits even a David hath sul
great was his straits and necessities.'' 1 Sam. xxv. ^
" pray thee (saith he to Nabal) whatsoever cometh to
" thy servants, and to thy son David." Renowned IVJ forced to dig in the town ditch for a maintenance. F; worth (as I have been credibly informed) was forced to s< lay on to buy bread. But what speak I of these ? Beh( than any of them, even the Son of God, " who is th
" things, and by whom the worlds were made ;"" yt would have been glad of any thing, having nothing t<
xi. 12, 13. *' And on the morrow, when they were
*' Bethany, he was hungry ; and seeing a fig-tree afar *' leaves, he came if haply he might find [any thing] tl Well then, hereby God hath set no mark of hatred neither can you infer the want of love from the wa When thy repining heart puts the question, Was th sorrow like unto mine ? Ask these worthies, and they \ though they did not complain and fret as thou dost, y( driven to as great straits as thou art.
Consid. 2. If' God leave you not in this necessitous co'i out a promise, you have no reason to repine or despona
This is a sad condition indeed to which no promise remember Mr. Calvin, upon these words, Isa. ix. 1. *'
" the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation the doubt, in what sense the darkness of the captivity great as the lesser incvirsions made by Tiglath Pileser. tivity the city was destroyed, and the temple burnt wi was no comparison in the affliction ; but yet the darl not be such, and the reason (saith he) is this, Huic cer sionem esse additam, cum i7i priorbus mdla esset ; i. e. certain promise made to this, but none to the other.
It is better to be as low as hell with a promise, thai
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HOtr TO KEEP THE HEAUT f KOM BEPIXIXG, SrC. 4
" Lord shall want nothing that is good." Ps. xxxiii. 18, 19. " T •' eve of the Lord is upon the righteous, to keep them alive in
" mine."' Ps. Ixxxiv. 11. "No good thing will he with-hold from tb( " that walk uprightly." Rom. viii. 32. " He that spared not J " own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not w
" him also freely give us all things.'" Isa. xli. 17. "When the p< " and the needv seek water, and there is none, and their ton^ " faileth for thirst, I the Lord \*-ill hear them, I the God of Isr " will not forsake them." Here you see, first, their extreme wai water beinoput even for the necessaries of Hfe. (2.) Their cert relief, / the Lord will hear them ; in which it is supposed that tl crv unto him in their straits, and he hears their cry.
Having therefore these promises, why should not your distrust hearts conclude like David\ Psal. xxiii. 1. " The Lord is
" Shepherd, I shall not want." Objection. But these promises imply conditions : if they icere solute, they would afford more satisfaction.
Solution. What are those tacit conditions you speak of but the (1.) That either he will supply or sanctify your wants : (2.) That ^ shall have so much as God sees fit for you. And doth this trot
vou t Would vou have the mercy whether sanctified or no.^ Whet God sees it fit for you or no.-* Methinks the appetites of saints a earthlv things should not be so ravenous, to seize greedily upon ;
enjovment, not caring how thev have it.
But oh, when wants pinch, and we see not whence supplies she come, then your faith in the promise shakes, and we, like mum
ing Israel cry, " He gave bread, can he give water also r" O ur lieving hearts ! When did his promise fail ? Whoever trusted th and was ashamed ? INIay not God upbraid thee with thine unreal
able infidelity; as Jer. ii. 31. " Have I been a wilderness unto vo
&C. Or as Christ said to the disciples, " Since I v.as with you, lac
" ye any thing .'" Yea, may you not upbraid yourselves, may you say with good old Polycarp, These manv years I have served Ch and found him a good master. Indeed he mav denv what your y tonness, but not vrhat your real wants call for. He will not rej the cry of your lusts, nor yet despise the cry of vour faith ; tho he will not indulge and humour your wanton appetites, vet he wil]
violate his own faithful promises. These promises are vour bes curity for eternal life ; and it is strange if thev should not satisfy
for daily bread : remember ye the words of the Lord, and solace ]
HOW TO KEEt THE HEART FROM REPINING,
i60
nothing : though thou art a little troublesome, I will ; thee to be evil. If upon such grounds as these they c themselves under such grinding and racking pains, and their diseases by them, how much rather should the mises of God, and the sweet expenences which have go by step with them, make you to forget all your wants, you in every strait.
Consid. 3. If it he bad now, if viight have been wor,
denied thee the comforts qf' this life^ He might have denie peace, and pardon also, and then thy case had been wqful
know God hath done so to millions in the world : hov
wretched objects may your eyes behold every day, that fort in hand, nor yet in hope, are miserable here, and eternity ; that have a bitter cup, and nothing to sweeten much as an hope that it will be better. 13ut it is not
though you be poor in this world, " yet I'ich in faith, an " kingdom which God hath promised," Jam. ii. 5. O lear tual riches over against temporal poverty. Balance all troubles with your spiritual privileges. Indeed if God ha( souls the robes of righteousness to clothe them, the hide feed them, the heavenly mansions to receive them ; if yo left destitute as well as your bodies, you might well be this consideration hath enough to bring the consideriuj under any outward strait. It was bravely said by Luthe began to pinch him, ' Let us be contented with our hi he,) for do not we feast with angels upon Christ the bi
" And blessed be God (saith Paul) who hath abounde " spiritual blessings," Eph. i. 3.
Consid. 4. This affiiction, though great, is not such
but God hath Jar gi-eater, zcith which he chastises the d of his soul in this world: and should he remove this those, you would account your present state a very comf and bless God to be as now you are.
What think ye, sirs ? Should God remove your pres supply all your outward wants, give you the desire of your 1 ture comforts, but hide his face from you, shoot his arro souls, and cause the venom of them to drink up your s])i he leave you but a few days to the buffeting of Satan, phemous injections; should he hold your eyes but a few
ing with horrors of conscience, tossing to and fro till th( the dav : should he lead von throno-h the chambers of
» I » ».« .
now TO KEEP THE HEART FROM EEPIXIXG, &C. ^
sense and feeling, that he hath worse rods than these for unsubc sive and froward children.
Consid. 5. If it he had norc, it vnll he hetter shortly. O keep thy heart by that consideration : the meal in the barre almost spent ; well, be it so, why should that trouble me, if I am most beyond the need and use of all these things. The traveller h spent almost all his money, but a shilling or two left : well, saith though mv money be almost spent, yet my journey is almost finisl too ; I am near home, and then I shall be fully supplied. If th be no candles in the house, yet it is a comfort to think that it is most dav, and then there will be no need of candles. I am afn Christian, thou misreckonest thyself when thou thinkest thy pn sion is almost sf>ent, and vou have a great way to travel : many yt to live, and nothjng to live u|X)n ; it may not be half so many thou supposest ; in this be confident, if thy provision be spent, eit fresh supplies are coming, though thou seest not from whence,
thou art nearer thy journev"'s end than thou reckonest thyself to Desponding soul, doth it become aman or woman travelling upon road to the heavenly city, and almost arrived there, within a i
day's journey of his Father's house, where all his wants shall be s plied, to take on thus alxiut a little meat, drink, or clothes which fears he shall want by the way ? It was a noble saying of the fo
Martyrs, famous in the Ecclesiastical story, when turned out nakec a frosty night to be starved to death, with these words they comfor
one another, 63/aa-j; o /^j/awv, ^r. The winter indeed is sharp £ cold, but heaven is wanti and comfortable ; here we shiver for cc
but Abraham's bosom will make amends for all.
Objection 1. But I may diejbr xcavt. Solution (1.) Who ever did so? When were the righteous f saken ? (3.) If so, your journey is ended, and you are fully suppli
Objec. 2. But I am not sure of that ; zcere I sure of heaven, were another matter.
Sol. Are you not sure of that ? Then vou have other matters trouble yourselves about than these : methinks these should be 1
least of all your cares : I do not find that souls perplexed and tr< bled about the want of Christ, pardon of sin, kc. are usually v( anxious, or solicitous about these things. He that seriously puts su questions as these, What shall I do to be saved ? How shall I kn
my sin is pardoned ? doth not usually trouble himself with, " Wl H^* shall I eat, what shall I drink, or wherewithal shall I be clothed
462 HOW TO KEEP THE HEART FROM REPINING, 5
again ? Disingenuous child ! reason thus with thyself; if want of what is good and needful for me, it must eithe: my Father knows not my wants, or hath not wherewit them : or else regards not what becomes of me. Wl: shall I charge upon him ? Not the first ; for, Mark v
" Father knows what I have need of;" my condition is him : nor the second, " For the earth is the Lord's, an *' of it," Psal. xxiv. 1. His name is God all-sufficient^ Not the last, for, " as a father pities his children, so the
" them that fear him," Ps. ciii. 13. "The Lord is exceed
*' and of tender mercy," Jam. v. 11. " He hears the y " when tlicy cry," Jolsxxxviii. 41. and will he not hear " sider, saith Christ, the fowls of the air," Matth. vi. ^ fowls at the door, that are every day fed by hand, but the air that have none to provide for them. Doth he fe« his enemies, and will he forget his children .? He heard of Ishmael in distress. Gen. xvi. 17. O my unbelieving thou yet doubt .'' Remember Hagar and the child.
Consid. 7. Your poverty is not your sin, but your a^ ifhy sinful means you have not brought it upon yow) if it be but an aJfUction, it may be borne the easier for
It is hard indeed to bear an affliction coming upon i and punishment of sin ; when men are under trouble u count, they use to say, O ! if it were but a single afflic from the hand of God by way of trial, I could bear it. brought it upon myself by sin, it comes as the punishi
the marks of God's displeasure are upon it ; it is the that troubles and galls more than the want without.
But it is not so here, and therefore you have no reas< down under it.
Objection. But though there be no sting of guilt, yet t
•wants not other stings : Asjirst, the discredit ofreligic comply with mine engagements in the world, and t/iet is like to suffer.
Solution. It is well you have an heart to discharge yet if God disable you by providence, it is no discredit fession, because you do not that which you cannot do, is your desire and endeavour to do what you can and <
and in this case God's will is, that lenity and forbeara cised towards you, Deut. xxiv. 12, 13.
Obiect. 2. But it srieves me to behold the necessities o1
now TO KEEP THE IIEAttT FROM WAXUERIXG IN DUTY.
Sol. Every condition in the world hath its clo^s and attend temptations ; and were you in a prosperous condition, you mi there meet with more temptations and fewer advantages than you i have : For though I confess poverty hath its temptations as Avel prosperity, yet I am confident prosperity hath not these excellent vantages that poverty hath : For here you have an opportunity discover the sincerity of your love to God, when you can live u
him, and find enough in him, and constantly follow him, even w all external inducements and motives fail. And thus I have she
you how to keep your hearts from the temptations and dangers tending a pooT and low condition in the world, when want pine and the heart begins to sink, then improve and bless God for tl helps to keep it.
Season 6. ' The sixth season of expressing this diligence in keef * the heart, is the season of dutv ; when we draw nigh to Go<
' public, private, or secret duties, then it is time to look to the hei * for the vanity of the heart seldom discovers itself more than at s ' times. How oft doth the poor soul cry out, O Lord ! how * would I serve thee, but vain thoughts will not let me; I cam
* open my heart to thee, to delight my soul in communion with tl * but my corruptions have set upon me ; Lord, call off these ^ ' thoughts, and suffer them not to prostitute the soul which is
' poused to thee before thy face.' The sixth case then is this.
Case 6. Hoxc the Jieart may be kept Jrom distractions by t thoughts, in the time of duty.
There is a twofold distraction or wandering of the heart in du
(1.) Voluntary and habitual. Psalm Ixxviii. 8. " Thev set not tl " hearts aright, and their spirit was not steadfast with God." 1 is the case of formalists, and proceeds from the want of an holy h and inclination of the heart to God ; their hearts are under power of their lust, and therefore it is no wonder they go after tl lust, even when they are about holy things, Ezek. xxxiii. 31. i Involuntary and lamented distractions, Rom. vii. 21 — 24. " I i
" then a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with e " O wretched man that I am," &c. This proceeds not from the w of a holy bent and aim, but from the weakness and imperfectiot grace. And in this case the soul mav make the like complaint agai its own corruptions that Abijah did against Jeroboam, 2 Chron. :
6, 7. '■' Yet Jeroboam the son of Nebat is risen up against " lord, when Rehoboam was young and tender-hearted, and co '* not withstanfl him. and tbprp twp oriitViprt^l nntr* him vnin m
461 HOW TO KEEP THE IIEAUT FllOJI WAXDERtXG IN :
set apai't some time for solemn preparation to meet G(
You come reeking hot out of the world into God's pi you will find a tang of it in your duties : It is with the minutes since plunged in the world, now at the feet o as with the sea after a storm, which still continues worki and disquiet, though the wind be laid, and the storm heart must have sometime to settle. There are few mi
can take down a lute or viol, and play presently upon some time to tune it ; there are few Christians can pi
as Psal. Ivii. 7. " 0 God, ray heart is fixed, it is fixed thou goest to God in any duty, take thy heart aside, my soul, I am now addressing myself to the greatest wc a creature was employed about : I am going into the aw of God about business of everlasting moment.
Oh my soul, leave trifling now, be composed, watch; this is no common-work ; it is God-work, soul-work, et( I am now going forth bearing seed, which will bring f life or death in the world to come ; pause a while up( wants, troubles ; keep thy thoughts a while on these address thyself to duty. David first mused, and then
his tongue, Psalm xxxix. 3, 4. So Psal. xlv. 1. " My diting," &c. Help 2. Having composed the heart by previous med sently set a guard upon thy senses : How often are poo
in danger of losing the eyes of their mind by those of the this Job covenanted with his senses, chap. xxxi. 1. for this
ed, Psal. cxix. 37. " Turn away mine eyes from behoL
*' and quicken thou me in thy way." This may serve that mystical Arabian proverb, which advises to ' shut t
* that the house may be light :' it were excellent if you < your outsets upon duty, as an holy man once did, when
from duty : Claudimmi, oculi mei, claudimini, (Sj-c. ' * mine eyes, be shut : for it is impossible you should e^ * beauty and glory in any creature, as I have now seen in had need avoid all occasions of distraction from without,
you will meet enough from within. Intention of spirit of God, locks up the eye and ear against vanity. Whe entered the gates of Syracuse, Archimedes was so intei mathematical scheme, that he took no notice of the sc they entered his very study with drawn swords ; a/er be a va^7-ant heart.
I I » I rj • ' . .
HOW TO KEEP THE HEART FROM WAXDEEIKG IK DITTY. 4
shop where thoughts are first forged and framed, and as this is, are they ; if imaginations be not first cast down, it is impossible tl every thought of the heart should be brouglit into obedience Christ, 2 Cor. x. 5. The fancy is naturally the wildest and m untameable power in the soul. Some Christians, especially such
are of hot and drjconstitutions, have much to do with it.
And truly, the more spiritual the heart is, the more it is troubl about the vanity and wildness of iu O what a sad thing it is I tl thy nobler soul must lackey up and down after a vain and roving fan that Svich a beggar should ride on horse-back, and such a prince r after on foot ; that it should call off the soul from attendance u[ Go<l, when it is most sweetly engaged in communion with him, prosecute such vanities as it will start at such times before it ! beg e nestly of God tiiat the power of saactification may once come upon Some Christians have attained such a degree of sanctification of th fancies, that they have had much sweetness left upon their hearts the spiritual workings of it in the night-season : When thy far is more mortified, thy thoughts will be more orderly and fixed.
Help 4. I/' thou Koiildst keep thy heart Jrom those vain cxcursio realize to thyself hy faith, tlie holy and axpil presence of God
duties.
If the presence of a grave man will compose us to seriousnt how much more the presence of an holy God ? Thinkest th
thy soul durst be so gay and light, if the sense of a divine ( w ere upon it ? Remember the place where thou art is the pi; of his feet, Isa. Ix. 13. act faith upon the omnisciency of Gi
*' All the churches shall know that I am he that searcheth 1
*' heart, trieth the reins, and I will give to every one of y " according to your works,"" Rev. ii. 23. " Ail things are i " ked and open to the eyes of him with whom ,we have to d Heb. iv, 12. Realize his infinite holiness ; into what a serio comjK>sed frame did the sight of God, in his holiness, put the sp: of the prophet ? Isa. vi. 5. Labour also to get upon thy heart d apprehensions of the greatness of God, such as Abraham h; Gen. xviii. 27. '• I that am but dust and ashes have taken upon " to speak to God." And lastly, remember the jealousy of G( how tender he is over his worship. Lev. x. 3. " And Closes said " Aaron, This is that the Lord spake, saving, I will be sanctified " them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be e . « rifled.''
IK * A man tliat i^ nr;ivincr ^<j»itK T?f»rna^r^^ clirtiild li*»}invp himself
466 HOW TO fiEEP THE HEART FllOM ^VA^'DElll^'G IN
duty were WTitten out, and interlined with thy petitio
thou have the face to present to God ? Should thy toi
ter all the thoughts of" thy heart in prayer, would not thee ? Why thy thoughts are vocal to God, Psal. ex thou wert petitioning the king for thy life, would it not to see thee playing with thy bandstrings, or catching that lights upon thy clothes, whilst thou art speaking 1 such serious matters ? O think sadly upon that scrip
Ixxxvii. 7. " God is greatly to be feared in the assei *' saints, and to be had in reverence of all them tha
*' about him ?" Why did God ascend in thundering nings, and dark clouds upon Sinai ? Exod. xix. 16 — ll tlie mountains smoke under him ? The people quake round about him, yea, Moses himself not exempted ?
the people, that great truth, Heb. xii. 28, 29. " Let u
" whereby we may serve him acceptably, with revereni " fear, for our God is a consuming fire !'' Present God thee, and thy vain heart will quickly be reduced to a frame.
Help 5. Maintain a praying frame of heart in the duty. What is the reason our hearts are so dull, care dering, when we come to hear or pray, but because the such long intermissions in our communion with God whereof the heart is out of a praying frame ? If t
■\rarmth, those holy impressions we carry from God i were but preserved to kindle another duty, it would b lous advantage to keep the heart intent and serious wii
To this purpose those intermediate ejaculations betwi solemn duties, are of most sweet and excellent use; by tl is as it were linked to another, and so the soul, as it we itself in a chain of duties. That Christian seldom misse
solemn duty, that shoots up many of these darts in th( duty. It is an excellent commendation Christ besto
spouse. Cant. iv. 11. "Thy lips, O my spouse, drop a " comb." Upon which text one gives this sweet note ; comb drops actually but sometimes, but it always hangs drops ready to fall ; If our ejaculations were more, our upon this account would be fewer.
Help 6. Endeavour to engage and raise thy affectic duty, IftJwu wouldest have thy distractions cured.
A droDninff eve. and a meltinsr heart, are seldom troul
i I I 1.1.
HOW TO KEEP THE HEART FROM WANDERING IN DUTY.
Pinay be filled with those ravishing and matchless delights that t
' 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 gold ore ; they try here, and finding none, try there ; and so go frc
place to place, till at last they hit upon the rich vein, and there th sit down. If thy heart could but once hit the rich vein in duty, would dwell and abide there with delight and constancy. " O how
" love thy law, it is my meditation day and night !" Psal. cxix. ^ The soul could dwell day and night upon its knees, when once delights, loves, and desires are engaged. What is the reason yo hearts are so shuffling, esjDecially in secret duties ! Why are y readv to be gone, almost as soon as you are come into the preseu of God, but because your affections are not engaged ?
Help T. Mourn over tlic matter to God, aiid call in assistan from heaven, ichen vain thoughts assault thy heart in duty.
When the messenger of Satan buffeted Paul by wicked injectioi as is supposed, he goes to God, and mourns over it before him, 2 C( xii. 8. never slight wandering thoughts in duty as small matter
follo^v every vain thought with a deep sigh, turning thee to God \vi such Avords as these : Lord, I came hither to speak with thee, ai
here a busy devil and a vain heart conspiring together have set up me. O my God ! what an heart have I ? Shall I never wait up
thee without distraction I when shall I enjoy an hour of free coi munion with thee ? Help me, my God, this once ; do but disjjU thy glory before mine eye, and my heart shall quickly be recoverec Thou knowest I came hither to enjoy thee, and shall I go away wit out thee ? See how the heart of thy poor child works towards the
j^rives to get near thee, but cannot : My heart is aground, " cor
Ipfthou northwind, blow south-wind,"" O for afresh gale now fro ^y Spirit, to set my affections a-float I Couldst thou but thus affe
tionately bewail thy distractions to God, thou mightest obtain he and deliverance from them : He would say to Satan and thine ir perious lusts, as Ahasuerus said of Haman, What, will he force tl queen before ray face ? Who are tliese that set upon my child
y work and presence ?
Help 8. Look upon the success and szceetness of thy duties, <
much depending upon the keeping of thy heart close zeith God i m.
These two things, the success and sweetness of duty, are as dear a Christian as his two eyes ; and both of these must necessarily 1
408 HOW TO KEEP THE HEART FKOM WANDERIXG IN
of all my time : Could I but get up this heart with G
now obtain such mercies as would be matter for a son nity.
Help 9. Looh upon if as a great discover^/ of the sine crisi/ qf your hearts, according as youjind them carej in this matter.
Nothing will startle an upright heart more than this I give way to a customary wandering of heart from G( spot of the hypocrite appear upon my soul? They indec on in the round of duty, never regarding the frames oi
Ezek. \xxiii. 81, 32. but shall I do so ? When men (
presence-chamber, and the king is not there, they bow chair^ O never let me be satisfied with empty duties !
take my leave of a duty " until mine eyes have seen t " Lord of hosts."
Help 10. Lastly, It will be of special use toJicep thine 1 in duties, toconsiderrchat injluenceall thy duties have int
These are your seed-times, and what you sow in y this world, you must look to reap the fruits of it in a Gal. vi. 7, 8. If you sow to the flesh, of that you s ruption ; but if to the Spirit, life everlasting. O my so riously, wouldst thou be willing to reap the fruit of vanit to come ? Darest thou say, Avhen thy thoughts are rovi of the earth in duty, when thou scarce mindest what t hearest ; now, Lord, I am sowing to the Spirit ; now I and laying up for eternity ; now I am seeking for glor^^ immortality ; now I am striving to enter in at the str;
1 am taking the kingdom of heaven by an holy violeri consideration as this should make the multitudes of vair
press in upon the heart in duty, to fly seven ways be
thus I have shewn you how to keep your hearts in the '
Season 7. ' The seventh season calling for more thar * gence to keep the heart, is, when we receive injurie , from men. Such is the depravedness and corruption
* collapsed state, that homo homini lupus, one man is be
* tyger, to another : They are, as the prophet complair * " As the fishes of the sea, and as the creeping things * ruler over them ;'' and as wicked men are cruel and ( ' to another, so they conspire together to abuse and m * pie of God, as the same prophet complains, ver. 13. * dpvniirefh thp man th^t is mnrp rio-htpniis than hp.
now TO KEEP THE HEART FBOM REVENGEFUL MQTIOXS.
* thus against your enemies, and to sweeten your embittered spir The seventh case then shall be this.
Case 7. Hozo a Christian may keep his heart fiom revengy
motions, under the gi-eatcst injuries and abuses from men.
The gospel, indeed, allows a liberty to vindicate our innocei and assert our rights, but not to vent our corruptions, and in\
God's right. When therefore thou findest thy heart begin to hi flamed by revengeful motions, presently apply the following re dies ; and the first is this,
Remedy 1. Urge upon thy heart the severe prohibitions qfrcveng
the la-iV qfGod. Remember that this is forbidden fruit, how pleasant luscious soever it be to ourvitiated appetites. 0,saith nature, reve is sweet : O but, saith God, the effects thereof shall be bitter. \ plainly hath God interdicted this flesh-pleasing sin, Prov. xx.
" Say not I will recompense evil." Prov. xxiv. 29. " Say not I " do so to him as he hath done to me."" Rom. xii. IT. " ^^z " pence to no man evil for evil." And ver. 19. " Avenge not yc " selves, but rather give place to Avrath."" Nay, that is not all ; Prov. XXV. 21. " If thine enemy hunger, feed him ; if he th
*' give him drink.'' The word /trd him, as critics observe, sign to feed cheerfully, and tenderly, as birds do their young ones : ' scripture is a great friend to the peace and tranquillity of hui society, which can never be preserved if revenge be not deposed, was wont to be an argument urged by the Christians to prove t rehgion to be supernatural and pure that forbids revenge, which i sweet to nature ; and verily it is a thousand pities such an argun should be lost. Well, then, awe your hearts with the authorit' God in these scriptures, and when carnal reason saith, mine enc deserves to be hated, let conscience reply, but doth God deservt be disobeyed 1: Thus and thus hath he done, and so he hath wron
me; but what hath God done that I should wrong bim 'i If he c be so bold to break the peace, shall I be so wicked to break the ]
cept 'i If he fears not to wrong me, shall not I fear to wrong G^ O let the fear of God's threatenings repress such sinful motions.
Remedy 2. Set before your eyes tfie most eminent patten: meekness and forgiveness, that your souls may fall in love xcith th
This is the way to cut off those common pleas of the flesh for venge : As thus no man w ould bear such an affront : Yes, such ; such have borne as bad and worse. I shall be reckoned a cowan
fool, if I pass by this : \o matter, as long as I follow the example the wisest and hdlipst n{' mpn • novor A\A ^.i^t e.iff^.. .n^^,, o,,^ „^.^.
470 HOW TO KEKl' THE HKAIIT FllOJI llEVENGEFUL M(
■" ing US an example that we should follow his steps : V
*' was reviled, reviled not a^ain ; when he suffered, h "not, but committed himself to him that judgeth right be of a meek, forgiving spirit, is Christ-like, God-like ;
" you be the children of your Father which is in he£ " niaketh his sun to rise upon the evil and upon the goc " eth rain on the just and unjust," Matth. v. 45. Ho also did the Spirit of Christ rest upon his apostles ? Nev such men upon earth for true excellency of spirit. No abused more, or suffered their abuses better. " Being
*' they) we bless ; being persecuted, we suffer it ; bei *' we entreat," 1 Cor. iv. 12, 13. Mr. Calvin, thougt quick spirit, yet had attained such a degree of this Christ ness, that when Luther had used some opprobrious lano the good man said no more but this, ' Although he sh * devil, yet I will acknowledge him to be an eminer * Jesus Christ.' I have often heard it reported of holy Mr. Dod, th; enraged at his close, convincing docti'ine, picked a quar smote him on the face, and dashed out two of his teetl: servant of Christ spit out the teeth and blood into his ha See, here, you have knocked out two of my teeth, and any just provocation ; but on condition I might doyoui would give you leave to dash out all the rest. Here is th
of a Cliristian's spirit, above all the attainments of mor Though tliey were excellent in many other things, yc never attain tiiis forgiving spirit. It is the first office of Tully, to hurt no body, unless first provoked by an injury Lactantius, O quam simplicem veramque sententiam, di ram adjectione, corrupit ! What a dainty sentence spc tor, by adding those two last words ! Strive then for th o^ spirit, which is the proper excellency of Christiar singular thing that others cannot do, and then you wil timony in their consciences. When Moses out-did th( they were forced to confess the finger of God in that bi
Remedy 3. Consider well the quality of the person that ed thee : either he is a good man, or a wicked man, th; thee the injury : If he be a good man, there is light an in his conscience, and that will bring him at last to a evil he hath done ; however, Christ hath forgiven him inripR tlinn tViPBP nnri wliv slionl^lct nnt tlinii ? Will C]
I I I
HOW TO KEEP THE HEART FROM REVENGEFUL MOTIONS.
Luke XV. 17. Should you go into Bedlam, and there hear one
at you, another mock you, and a third threaten you ; would you I will be revenged upon them ? No, jou would rather go away p ing them ! Alas, poor creatures ! they are out of their wits, know not what they do. Besides,
(2.) There is a day coming, if they repent not, when they have more misery than you can find in your hearts to wish the
you need not study to revenge, God's vengeance sleepeth not, will shortly take place upon them, and is not that enough ? H they not an eternity of misery coming ? If they repent not, this n be the portion of their cup ; and if ever they do repent, they wil
ready to make you reparation.
Remedy 4. Keep doxc'ii thij heart hy this consideration, that hy venge thou canst but satisfy a lust, hut by Jbrgivencss thou shalt i quer a lust.
Suppose by revenge thou shouldst destroy one enemy, I w ill si thee how, by forgiving, thou shalt conquer three, thine own lust,
deviPs temptation, and thine enemy's heart ; and is not this a n glorious conquest ? If by revenge thou overcome thine enemy,
(as Bernard saith) Iiifelix victoria, iibi s^iperans virum secuii vitio: Unhappy victory, when, by overcoming another man, tl art overcome by thine own corruption. But this way you may tain a glorious conquest indeed. What an honourable and victory, did David this way obtain over Saul, 1 Sam. xxiv. 16,
; *' And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speak
[ *' these words, that Saul lifted up his voice, and wept ; and he s
to David, thou art more righteous than I.'^
It must be a very disingenuous nature indeed, upon which mc ness and forgiveness will not work ; a stony heart, which this will not melt. To this sense is that, Prov. xxv. 21. " If tl
" enemy hunger, feed him ; if he thirst, give him drink ; for ir " doing thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head." Some have it a sin-punishing fire, but others a heart-melting fie. To sure it will either melt his heart, or aggravate his misery. Aug
tme thinks that Stephen's prayer for his enemies wlis the great me of Paul's conversion. •" " Remedy 5. Seriously propound this question to thy oxen heart, h I got any good by the xcrongs and injuries received, or have I n If they have done you no good, turn the revenge upon yourselv O that I should have such a bad heart, that can get no good (
472 now TO KEEP THE HEATlT FllOM REVENGEFtTL 510
bad name among wicked men. To the same purpose sweetly, Gratia ago Deo meo quod digmis S7im qucm inun I thank my God that I am worthy to be hated of the w( their hearts were provoked by injuries to magnify Go( him for them ; if it work contrary with me, I have caui be filled with self-displeasancy.
If you have got any good by them ; if the reproaches you have received, have made you search your heai watch your ways the more narrowly ; if their wrong! made you see how you have wronged God, then let me i as Paul did himself, Pray forgive them this vvrong.
What! can you not find an heartto forgive one thj instrumental of so much good to you ! That is strange !
they meant it for evil ? yet if God hath turned it to goc no more reason to rage against the instrument than he ceived a wound from his enemy which only brake, and imposthume which otherwise had been his death.
Remedy 6. It is of excellent rise to Iceep the heart fror look up^ and eye the first cause hy which all our troubles
This will calm and meeken our spirits quickly : never
tongue try the patience of a saint, more than David's that railing Shimei ; yet the spirit of this good man mpoisoned with revenge, though he goes along cursing,
stones at him, all the way. Yea, though Abishai offei he pleased, the head of that enemy; yet the king sj
*' have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah ? So let hi " cause the Lord hath said unto him, curse David : wl
*' say, Wherefore hast thou done so ?" It may be, God his rod, to lash me, because I, by my sin, made his ene pheme him ; and shall I be angry with the rod ? H
were that.'' This also was it that quieted Job; he c
and vow revenge upon the Chaldeans and Sabeans, b
as the ordcrer of those troubles, and is ([uiet ; " Thi
*' taken away, blessed be his name," Job i. 21. Objection. But you will say. To turn aside the right subvert a man in his cause^ the Lord approveth not, L
Anstcer. True : but though it fall not under his ap it doth under his permitting will, and there is a great . quiet submission in that ; nay, he hath not only the pe the ordering of all those troubles. Did we see more of V7ri clir>iilrl cli^-mr l^cic r\V n nnrriint nntiirp in siwli trinls.
now TO KEEP THE HEART FROM ]tEVEXGEFIIt MOTIONS. 4
•* slotliful servant ! I forgave thee all that debt because thou desir " me, shouldst not thou also have had compassion on thy fell
" servant, even as I had pity on thee ?"" None should be so fii with bowels of pity, forbearance, and mercy, to such as wrong th( as thooC should be that have experienced the riches of mercy th< selves : methinks the mercy of God to us should melt our very bov
into mercy over others; it is impossible we can be cruel to othi except we forget how kind Christ hath been to us. Those that h found mercy, should shew mercy : if kindness cannot work, ] thinks fear should. " If you forgive not men their trespasses, neit
*' will your Father forgive you your trespasses," Mat. vi. 15. lleuiedy 8. Lastly, Let the consideration of the day of' the Lc Tchich draiceth nigh, withhold your hands from anticipating it acts of revenge.
Why are you so quick ? Is not the Lord at hand, to avenge
his abused servants ? " Be patient therefore, my brethren, unto " coming of the Lord. Behold the husbandman waiteth, &:c.
" ve also patient, for the coming of the Lord draws nigh : Gru " not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned. " hold the Judge standeth at the door," Jam, v. 7, 8, 9This I affords three arguments against revenge : (1.) The Lord"'s near
proach. (2.) The example of tlie husbandman's patience. The danger we draw upon ourselves by anticipating God's jii ment; Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord; he will distribute jus more equally, and impartially, than you can : they wlio believe t have a God to right them, will not so much wrong themselves avenge their own wrongs.
Objection ]. Butjlesh and blood are not able to bear such ahu Solution. If you resolve to consult flesh and blood in such ca and do no more but what that will enable you to do ; never pret to religion: Christians must do singular and supernatural things
Object. 2. But if I put tip such abuses, I shall be reckoned a J and every one zcill trample upon me.
Sol. (1.) You may be reckoned so among fools, but God and g men will account it your wisdom, and the excellency of your spii
(2.) It must be a base spirit indeed that will trample upon a m and forgiving Christian : and thus learn to keep your hearts from
venge under all provocations.
Season 8. ' The next season in which we are in danger of losing ' hearts is, when we meet with great crosses and provocations ; tl ' sinful passion is apt to transport the heart. It is the fault of m;
474 HOW TO KEEP THE HEAllT FROM REVEKGEFUL M(
* that he was of a keen and hasty spirit ;' and he that v of the great Cameron, *saith, ' that his anger was soc
' wards his near and famihar friends, but then he wou
* pose it and acknowledge his weakness.' Alas ! when and trials of our patience come, we know not what spir The eighth case therefore is this,
Case 8. Hoxv the heart may be kept meek and patient crosses and provocations.
There are three sorts of anger, natural, holy, and sinf% Natu7'al, which is nothing else but the motion of the ir