Direct.XIII. Exercise your souls so frequently and diligently in this way of love, that the method of it may be familiar to you, and the means and motives still at hand, and you may presently be able to fall into the way, as one that is well acquainted with it, and may not be distracted and lost in generals, as not knowing where to fix your thoughts.—I know no methods alone will serve to raise the dead, and cause a carnal, senseless heart to love the Lord. But I know that many honest hearts, that have the spirit of love within them, have great need to be warned, that they quench not the Spirit; and great need to be directed how to stir up the grace which is given them: and that many live a more dull, or distracted, uncomfortable life, than they would do, if they wanted not skill and diligence. The soul is most backward to this highest work, and therefore hath the greater need of helps: and the best have so much need as that it is well if all will serve to keep up loving and grateful thoughts of God upon their minds. And when every trade, and art, and science, requireth diligence, exercise, and experience, and all are bunglers at it at the first, can we reasonably think that we are like to attain any high degrees, with slight, and short, and seldom thoughts?
Direct.XIV. Yet let not weak-headed or melancholy persons set themselves on those methods or lengths of meditation, which their heads cannot bear; lest the tempter get advantage of them, and abate their love, by making religion seem a torment to them; but let such take up with shorter, obvious meditations, and exercise their love in an active, obediential way of living.—That is the best physic that is fitted to the patient's strength and case: and that is the best shoe that is meetest for the foot, and not that which is the biggest or the finest. It is a great design of Satan, to make all duties grievous and burdensome to us; and thereby to cast us into continual pain, and fear, and trouble, and so destroy our delight in God, and consequently, our love. Therefore pretend not to disability for carnal unwillingness and laziness of mind; but yet mar not all by grasping at more than you are able to bear. Take on you as you are able, and increase your work, if God increase your strength. If a melancholy person crack his brain with immoderate, unseasonable endeavours, he will but disable himself for all.
Direct.XV. Keep clear, and hold fast the evidences of thy sincerity, that thou mayst perceive thy interest in the love of God, and resist the temptations which would hide his love to thee, and cause thee to doubt of it, or deny it.—Satan hath not his end when he hath troubled thee, and robbed thee of thy peace and comfort; it is worse that he is seeking to effect by this: his malice is more against God, than against thee; and more against God and thee, in this point of love, than in any other grace or duty. He knoweth that God esteemeth this most; and he knoweth if he could kill thy love, he kills thy soul. And he knoweth how natural it is to man, to love those that love him, and hate those that hate him, be they never so excellent in themselves. And therefore, if he can persuade thee into despair, and to think that God hateth thee, and is resolved to damn thee, he will not despair of drawing thee to hate God. Or if he do but bring thee to fear that he loveth thee not, he will think accordingly to abate thy love. I know that a truly gracious soul keepeth up its love, when it loseth its assurance; and mourneth, and longeth, and seeketh in love, when it cannot triumph and rejoice in love: but yet there are some prints left on the heart, of its former apprehensions of the love of God: and such souls exceedingly disadvantage themselves as to the exercises of love, and make it a work of wondrous difficulty. Oh! it will exceedingly kindle love, when we can see God's surest love-tokens in our hearts, and look to the promises, and say, They are all mine; and think of heaven, as that which shall certainly be our own: and can say with Thomas, "My Lord, and my God:" and with Paul, that "The life which I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, that loved me, and gave himself for me." Denial of our gracemay seem to be humility, but it tendeth to extinguish love and gratitude.
But, you will say, I must avoid soul-delusion and pharisaical ostentation on the other side; and few reach assurance; how then should we keep up the love of God?
Signs of the love of God.
Answ.1. Though I am not come to the point of trying and discerning grace, I shall give you this much help in the way, because it is so useful to the exercises of love. (1.) If you have not enjoying, delighting love, yet try whether you have not desiring, seeking love. Love appeareth as truly in desiring and seeking good as in delighting in it. Poor men show their love of the world, by desiring and seeking it, as much as rich men do in delighting in it. What is it that you most desire and seek? (2.) Or if this be so weak that you scarce discern it, do you not find a mourning and lamenting love? You show that you loved your money, by mourning when you lose it; and that you loved your friend by grieving for his death, as well as by delighting in him while he lived. If you heartily lament it as your greatest unhappiness and loss, when you think that God doth cast you off, and that you are void of grace, and cannot serve and honour him as you would, this shows you are not void of love. (3.) If you feel not that you love him, do you feel that you would fain love him, and that you love to love him? If you do so, it is a sign that you do love him? When you do not only desire to find such an evidence of salvation in you, but when you desire love itself, and love to love God. Had you not rather have a heart to love him perfectly, than to have all the riches in the world? Had you not rather live in the love of God, if you could reach it, than to live in any earthly pleasure? If so, be sure he hath your hearts. The will is the love, and the heart; if God have your will he hath your heart and love. (4.) What hath your hearts if he have them not? Is there any thing that you prefer and seek before him, and that you had rather have than him? Can you be content without him, and let him go, in exchange for any earthly pleasure? If not, it is a sign he hath your hearts. You love him savingly if you set more by nothing else than by him. (5.) Do you love his holy image in his word? Do you delight and meditate in his law? Psal. i. 2. Is it in your hearts? Psal. xl. 8. Or do you pray, "Incline my heart unto thy testimonies?" Psal. cxix. 36. If you love God's image in his word, (the wisdom and holiness of it,) you love God. (6.) Do you love his image on his children? If you love them for their heavenly wisdom and holiness, you so far love God. He that loveth the candle for its light, doth love the light itself and the sun: he that loveth the wise and holy, for their wisdom and holiness, doth love wisdom and holiness themselves. The word and the saints being more in the reach of our sensible apprehensions, than God himself is, we ordinarily feel our love to them, more sensibly than our love to God; when indeed it is God, in his word and servants, that we love, 1 John iii. 14; Psal. xv. 4. (7.) Though for want of assurance you feel not the delights of love, have you not a heart that would delight in it, more than in all the riches of the world, if you could but get assurance of your interest? Would it not comfort you more than any thing, if you could be sure he loveth you, and could perfectly love him and obey him? If so, it is not for want of love that you delight not in him, but for want of assurance. So that if God have thy heart, either in a delighting love, or a seeking and desiring, or a lamenting, mourning love, he will not despise it or reject it. "He is nigh to them that be of a broken heart," Psal. xxxiv. 18. "A broken and contrite heart is his sacrifice, which he will not despise," Psal. li. 17. The "good Lord will have mercy on every one that prepareth their hearts to seek him, though they do it not according to the preparation of the sanctuary," 2 Chron. xxx. 18, 19. By these evidences, you may discern the sincerity of love in small degrees: and so you may make love the occasion of more love, by discerning that goodness of God which is manifested to you in the least.
2. But suppose you cannot yet attain assurance; neglect not to improve that goodness and mercy of God which he revealeth to you in the state that you are in. Love him, but as Infinite Goodness should be loved, who "so loved the world as to give his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life," John iii. 16. Love him, as the most blessed and merciful God, who made you and all things, and hath given to the world a universal pardon, on condition of their penitent acceptance, and offereth them everlasting life, and all this purchased by the blood of Christ. Love him, as one that offereth you reconciliation, and entreateth you to be saved: and as one that delighteth not in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn and live: and as one that would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth, though he will save none but the penitent, that do acknowledge the truth. And when you love him sincerely on these accounts, you will have the evidence of his special love to you.
Direct.XVI. Improve thy sense of natural and friendly love, to raise thee to the love of God.—When thou seest or feelest what love a parent hath to children, and a husband to a wife, or a wife to a husband, or faithful friends to one another; think then,—What love do I owe to God! Oh how inconsiderable is the loveliness of a child, a wife, a friend, the best of creatures, in comparison of the loveliness of God! Unworthy soul! canst thou love a drop of goodness in thy friend; and canst thou not love the ocean of goodness in thy God? Is a spark in the creature more amiable than the fire that kindled it? Thou canst love thy friend for all his blemishes, his ignorance, his passions, and manifold imperfections: and canst thou not love thy God, who hath none of these, nor any thing to discourage or damp thy love? Thou lovest, and deservedly lovest thy friend, because he loveth thee, and deals friendly with thee: but oh how much greater is the love of God! Did ever friend love thee as he hath loved thee? Did ever friend do for thee as he hath done? He gave thee thy being, thy daily safety, and all the mercies of thy life! He gave thee his Son, his Spirit, and his grace! He pardoned thy sins, and took thee into his favour, and adopted thee for his son, and an heir of heaven! He will glorify thee with angels in the presence of his glory! How should such a friend as this be loved! How far above all mortal friends! Their love and friendship is but a token and message of his love. Because he loveth thee, he sendeth thee kindness and mercy by thy friend: and when their kindness ceaseth, or can do thee no good, his kindness will continue, and comfort thee for ever. Love them therefore as the messengers of his love; but love him in them, and love them for him, and love him much more.
Direct.XVII. Think oft, how delightful a life it would be to thee, if thou couldst but live in the love of God: and then the complacency will provoke desire, and desire will turn thy face towards God, till thou feel that thou lovest him.—The love of a friend hath its sweetness and delight: and when we love them, we feel such pleasure in our love, that we loveto love them. How pleasant then would it be to love thy God!—O blessed, joyful life, if I could but love him as much as I desire to love him! How freely could I leave the ambitious, and the covetous, and the sensual, and voluptuous, to their doting, delusory, swinish love! How easily could I spare all earthly pleasures! How near should I come to the angelical life! Could I love God as I would love him, it would fill me with continual pleasure, and be the sweetest feast that a soul can have. How easily would it quench all carnal love! How far would it raise me above these transitory things! How much should I contemn them, and pity the wretches that know no better, and have their portion in this life! How readily should I obey, and how pleasant would obedience be! How sweet would all my meditations be, when every thought is full of love! How sweet would all my prayers be, when constraining love did bring me unto God, and indite and animate every word! How sweet would sacraments be, when my ascending, flaming love, should meet that wonderful, descending love which cometh from heaven to call me thither, and in living bread and spiritual wine is the nourishment and cordial of my soul! How sweet would all my speeches be, when love commanded them, and every word were full of love! How quiet would my conscience be, if it had never any of this accusation against me, to cast in my face, to my shame and confusion, that I am wanting in love to the blessed God! Oh could I but love God with such a powerful love as his love and goodness should command, I should no more question my sincerity, nor doubt any more of his love to me. How freely then should I acknowledge his grace, and how heartily should I give him thanks for my justification, sanctification, and adoption, which now I mention with doubt and fear! Oh how it would lift up my soul unto his praise, and make it my delight to speak good of his name! What a purifying fire would love be in my breast, to burn up my corruptions! It would endure nothing to enter or abide within me, that is contrary to the will and interest of my Lord; but hate every motion that tendeth to dishonour and displease him. It would fill my soul with so much of heaven, as would make me long to be in heaven, and make death welcome, which is now so terrible. Instead of these withdrawing, shrinking fears, I should desire to depart and to be with Christ, as being best of all. Oh how easily should I bear any burden of reproach, or loss, or want, when I thus loved God and were assured of his love! How light would the cross be! And how honourable and joyful would it seem, to be imprisoned, reviled, spit upon, and buffeted for the sake of Christ! How desirable would the flames of martyrdom seem, for the testifying of my love to him that loved me at dearer rates than I can love him! Lord, is there no more of this blessed life of love to be attained here on earth? When all the world reveals thy goodness; when thy Son hath come down to declare thy love, in so full and wonderful a manner; when thy word hath opened us a window into heaven, where afar off we may discern thy glory; yet, shall our hearts be clods, and ice? O pity this unkind, unnatural soul! this dead, insensible, disaffected soul! Teach me, by thy Spirit, the art of love! Love me, not only so as to convince me that I have abundant cause to love thee above all, but love me, so as to constrain me to it, by the magnetical, attractive power of thy goodness, and the insuperable operations of thy omnipotent love.
Direct.XVIII. In thy meditations upon all these incentives of love, preach them over earnestly to thy heart, and expostulate and plead with it by way of soliloquy, till thou feel the fire begin to burn.—Do not only think on the arguments of love, but dispute it out with thy conscience, and by expostulating, earnest reasonings with thy heart, endeavour to affect it. There is much more moving force in this earnest talking to ourselves, than in bare cogitation, that breaks not out into mental words. Imitate the most powerful preacher that ever thou wast acquainted with: and just as he pleadeth the case with his hearers, and urgeth the truth and duty on them, by reason and importunity, so do thou in secret with thyself. There is more in this than most christians are aware of, or use to practise. It is a great part of a christian's skill and duty, to be a good preacher to himself. This is a lawful and a gainful way of preaching. Nobody here can make question of thy call, nor deny thee a licence, nor silence thee, if thou silence not thyself. Two or three sermons a week from others, is a fair proportion; but two or three sermons a day from thyself, is ordinarily too little. Therefore, I have added soliloquies to many of these directions for love, to show you how, by such pleadings with yourselves, to affect your hearts, and kindle love.
And oh that this might be the happy fruit of these directions with thee that art now reading or hearing them! that thou wouldst but offer up thy flaming heart to Jesus Christ our great High Priest, to be presented an acceptable sacrifice to God! Or, if it flame not in love as thou desirest, yet give it up to the Holy Spirit to increase the flames. Thou little knowest how much God setteth by a heart. He calleth to thee himself, "My son, give me thy heart," Prov. xxiii. 26. Without it, he cares not for any thing that thou canst give him: he cares not for thy fairest words without it: he cares not for thy loudest prayers without it: he cares not for thy costliest alms or sacrifices, if he have not thy heart. "If thou give all thy goods to feed the poor, and give thy body to be burned, and have not love, it will profit thee nothing. If thou speak with the tongue of men and angels, and hast not love, thou art but as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. If thou canst prophesy and preach to admiration, and understand all mysteries and knowledge, and hast faith to do miracles, and have not love, thou art nothing," 1 Cor. xiii. 1-3. Thou hast but a shadow, and wantest that which is the substance and life of all. Come then, and make an agreement with God, and resolve now to offer to him thy heart. He asketh thee for nothing which thou hast not: it is not for riches or lands that he seeketh to thee; for then the poor might say as Peter, "Silver and gold have I none:" give him but such as thou hast, and it sufficeth. He knoweth that it is a polluted, sinful heart; but give it him, and he will make it clean. He knoweth that it is an unkind heart, that hath stood out too long; but give it him yet, and he will pardon and accept it. He knoweth that it is an unworthy heart; but give it him, and he will be its worth: only see that you give it him entirely and unreservedly; for he will not bargain with the devil, or the world, for the dividing of thy heart between them. A half-heart and a hollow heart, that is but lent him till fleshly interest or necessity shall call for it again, he will not accept. Only resign it to him, and do but consent that thy heart be his, and entirely and absolutely his, and he will take it and use it as his own. It is his own by title: let it be also so by thy consent. If God have it not, who shall have it? Shall the world, or pride, or fleshly lust? Did they make it, or did they purchase it? Will they be better to thee in the time of thy extremity? Do they bid more for thy heart thanGod will give thee? He will give thee his Son, and his Spirit, and image, and the forgiveness of all thy sins: if the greatest gain, or honour, or pleasure will win it and purchase it, he will have it: if heaven will buy it, he will not break with thee for the price. Have the world and sin a greater price than this to give thee? And what dost thou think that he will do with thy heart? and how will he use it, that thou art loth to give it him? Will he blind it, and deceive it, and corrupt it, and abuse it, and at last torment it, as Satan will do? No; he will more illuminate it, and cleanse it, and quicken it, Psal. li. 10; Eph. ii. 1; Jer. xxiv. 7. He will make it new, and heal and save it, Ezek. xxxvi. 26; 2 Cor. v. 17; Tit. iii. 3, 5, and ii. 14. He will advance and honour it, with the highest relations, employments, and delight; for Christ hath said, John xii. 26, "If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour." He will love it, and govern it, and comfort it, and the heart that is delivered to him shall be kept near unto his own: John xvi. 27, "For the Father himself loveth you," saith Christ, "because ye have loved me." Whereas if thou deliver not thy heart to him, it will feed on the poison of luscious vanity, which will gripe and tear it when it is down; it will be like a house that nothing dwelleth in but dogs, and flies, and worms, and snakes; it will be like one that is lost in the wilderness, or in the night, that tireth himself in seeking the way home, and the longer the worse; despair and restlessness will be its companions for ever. Let me now once more in the name of God bespeak thy heart. I will not use his commands or threatenings to thee now, (though these as seconds must be used,) because that love must have attractive arguments, and is not raised by mere authority or fear: if there be not love and goodness enough in God, to deserve the highest affections of every reasonable creature, then let him go, and give thy heart to one that is better. Hear how God pleadeth his own cause with an unkind, unthankful people, Mic. vi. 2, 3, "Hear, O ye mountains, the Lord's controversy. O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me." What is there in him to turn away thy heart? Let malice itself say the worst, without notorious impudence, against him: what hath he ever done that deserveth thy disaffection and neglect? What wouldst thou have to win a heart that is not in him? For which of his mercies or excellencies is it, that thou thus contemnest and abusest him? What dost thou want that he cannot, yea, or will not give thee? Doth not thy tongue speak honourably of his goodness, while thy heart contradicteth it, and denieth all? What hast thou found that will prove better to thee? Is it sin or God that must be thy glory, rest, and joy, if thou wilt not be a fire-brand of restlessness and misery for ever? What sayest thou yet, sinner? Shall God, or the world and fleshly pleasures, have thy heart? Art thou not yet convinced which best deserveth it, and which will be best to it? Canst thou be a loser by him? Will he make it worse, and sin make it better? Or wilt thou ever have cause to repent of giving it up to God, as thou hast of giving it to the world and sin? I tell thee, if God have not thy heart, it were well for thee if thou hadst no heart.—I had a thousand times rather have the heart of a dog, or the basest creature, than that man's heart that followeth his fleshly lusts, and is not unfeignedly delivered up to God, through Christ.
If I have not prevailed with your hearts for God, by all that I have said, your consciences shall yet bear me witness, that I showed you God's title, and love, and goodness, and said that which ought to have prevailed; and you shall find ere long, who it is that will have the worst of it: but if you resolve and give them presently to God, he will entertain them, and sanctify, and save them; and this happy day and work will be the angels' joy, Luke xv. 7, 10; and it will be my joy, and especially your own everlasting joy.
To trust in God.
Grand Direct.XII. Trust God with that soul and body which thou hast delivered up and dedicated to him; and quiet thy mind in his love and faithfulness, whatever shall appear unto thee, or befall thee in the world.
I shall here briefly show you, 1. What is the nature of this trust in God.[118]2. What are the contraries to it. 3. What are the counterfeits of it. 4. The usefulness of it. And then, 5, I shall give you some directions how to attain and exercise it.
1. To trust in God, is, upon the apprehension of the all-sufficiency, goodness, and faithfulness of God, to quiet our hearts in the expectation of the safety or benefits from him which we desire, rejecting the cares, and fears, and griefs that would disquiet them, if they had not the refuge of these hopes.[119]It containeth in it a crediting the word or nature of God, or judging it to be a sufficient ground of our security and expectation: and then security and expectation built upon that ground, make up the rest of the nature of trust. Looking for the benefit, and finding a complacency and quietness of mind in the ground discovered, and ceasing all other cares and fears, which would else disquiet us. Aquinas and other school-men often call affiance,spes roborata, a confirmed hope. There is a twofold trust in God: one is, for that which he hath not promised to do, but yet we think that we find reason sufficient, from his nature itself, and relations, to expect: this may be more or less certain and strong, as our collection of the will of God, from his nature, is more or less sure and clear. The other is, when we have not only God's nature, but his promise also to trust upon: and this giveth us a certainty, if we certainly understand his promise. To the last sort I may reduce that trust in God for particular benefits, when we have only a promise in general, which maketh not the particulars known and certain to us: as the promise, that all shall work together for our good, doth give us but a probability of health or outward protection and deliverances, because we are uncertain how far they are for our good. All that is promised is sure; but whether this or that be good for us, must be otherwise known. But those general promises which contain particulars as surely known as the promise itself, do make every one of the particular benefits as sure, by promise, as the general: as, the promise of the pardon of all our sins, ascertaineth us of the pardon of every sin in particular. Where there is a promise, we trust God's faithfulness as well as his nature; but where there is none, we trust his nature only. As a child doth quietly trust his parents, without a promise, that they will not kill, or torment, or forsake him. But because man is apt to make false collections of God's will from his nature, he hath given us such clear expressions of it in his word, as may bring us above uncertain probabilities, and are sufficient for faith to ground upon (supposing God's properties) for our government and peace. And it is certain that all collections of God's willwhich are contrary to his word, are the errors of the collector.
In what I have said in this direction, I desire you chiefly to observe these three things: 1. That God's nature and love are the sufficient, general security to the soul. 2. That his promise is the sufficient, particular security. 3. And that our unfeigned self-dedication to him, is our sufficient evidence of our interest in his love and covenant, which may warrant our special trust and expectations.
II. The contraries to trust in God, are: 1. Privative: not trusting him: not seeing the ground of just security in his love and promise: not crediting what is seen: not ceasing disquietness and distrustful cares and fears. 2. Positive distrust: supposing the all-sufficiency, goodness, and promises of God, are not sufficient grounds of our expectation and security; and thereupon disquieting our minds with sinful fears, and griefs, and cares, and shifting endeavours for ourselves some other way. And this hath various degrees: in some it is predominant; in others not. 3. Opposite or adverse: when we trust ourselves, or friends, or wealth, or something else instead of God, either against him, without him, or in co-ordination with him.
III. The counterfeits of this trust are these: 1. When indeed we trust in our wit, or power, or shifts, or friends, or in some means or creatures only, or in co-ordination with God; but pretend and think that we do it but in subordination to him, and that our primary trust is in him alone. The detection of this is by trying how we can trust God alone, when he giveth us a promise and no probable means. 2. Pretending to trust God alone in the neglect of those means which he hath appointed us to use, and in the neglect of those duties which he hath made the condition of his promises; and this trust is but a self-deceiving cover for sin and sloth. 3. Pretending to trust God in the use of self-devised, sinful means; when he hath promised a blessing to no such means, but threatened them with a curse. 4. Thinking we trust God, when it is some false revelation of the devil, or some delusion of deceivers, or some dream, or fancy, or brain-sick, proud conceit of our own, which indeed we believe, and ground our trust upon: as those do that are deluded by false prophets and false teachers, and fantastical fancies of their corrupted imaginations. 6. When men in presumption and carnal security will rashly venture their souls in the darkness of uncertainty, (as well as in the neglect of a holy life,) and cast away all the sense of their miserable state; and all the necessary fear and care that tended to their recovery; and persuade themselves that they are in no great danger, or that their care will do no good, and call all this a trusting God with their salvation. 7. A pretending to trust God for that which is contrary to his nature: as to love the wicked with complacency, or to take them into heaven. 8. A pretending to trust God for that which is contrary to his word: as to save the unregenerate and unholy; and so "not believing him" itself, is taken for a believing in him, or trusting him. 9. Pretending to believe and trust him for that which neither his nature or his word did ever declare to be his will, in matters which he hath kept secret, or never gave us any revelation of; such is that which some call a particular faith: as to believe in prayer that some particular never promised shall be granted, because we ask it, or because we feel a strong persuasion that it will be so.
Of particular faith.
Quest.But is not such a particular faith and trust divine and solid?—Answ.To expect any particular mercy which God's nature, or word, or works do tell us that he will give, is sound and warrantable: and to expect any particular thing which by inspiration, prophecy, or true extraordinary revelation shall be made known to us; for this is a word of God: but all other belief and expectation is but self-promising and self-deceiving. And wise men will not easily take themselves for prophets, nor take any thing for an inspiration, or divine, extraordinary revelation, which bringeth not the testimony of cogent evidence.
IV. There are three great uses and benefits of this trust in God, which highly commend it to us, and make it necessary. 1. It is necessary to our acknowledgment and honouring of God. It is a cordial, practical confession of his power, and wisdom, and goodness, and truth: for where any one of these is wanting, there is no ground of rational trust. And the greater the danger or assault against us is, the more God is acknowledged and honoured by our trust; for then we declare, that no creature or impediment can disappoint his will: but that his power is above all power, and his wisdom above all wisdom, and his goodness and fidelity constant and invincible. Whereas distrust is a denying of God in some of his attributes, or a suspecting of him. 2. It is necessary to ourselves, for the quiet, and peace, and comfort of our minds, which else will be left unavoidably to continual disquietness and pain, by vexatious fears, and griefs, and cares, unless stupidity or deceit should ease them. 3. It is necessary to prevent the errors and sinful miscarriage of our lives. For if we trust not in God, we shall spend all our thoughts and labours in the use of sinful means; we shall be trusting idolatrously to the creature, and we shall be shifting for ourselves by lies or any unlawful means, and lose ourselves by saving ourselves, as from God, or without God.
Hence it is, that trust in God is so frequently and earnestly commanded in the Scriptures, and such blessings promised to it, as if it were the sum of godliness and religion. Jer. xvii. 5, 7, "Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.—Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is." Prov. xvi. 20, "Whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he." Psal. ii. 12, "Blessed are all they that put their trust in him." So Psal. lxxxiv. 12; xxxiv. 8, "O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him." See Psal. xxxii. 10; lvii. 1; lxxxvi. 2; xxii. 4, 5, 8. Safety, stability, comfort, salvation, all mercies are promised to them that trust in God, Psal. xxxiv. 22; xxxvii. 3, 5, 40; xci. 2, 4; cxxv. 1; Isa. 1. 10. So faith in Christ is called trust, Matt. xii. 21; Eph. i. 12, 13. And idolaters and worldlings are described by trusting in their idols and their wealth, Psal. cxv. 8; cxxxv. 18; Amos vi. 1; Mark x. 24; Prov. xi. 28; xxviii. 26.
Direct.I. Let thy soul retain the deepest impression of the almightiness, wisdom, goodness, and faithfulness of God, and how certainly all persons, things, and events are in his power; and how impotent all the world is to resist him, and that nothing can hurt thee but by his consent.—The principal means for a confirmed confidence in God is to know him, and to know that all things that we can fear are nothing, and can do nothing, but by his command, and motion, or permission. I am not afraid of a bird or a worm, because I know it is too weak for me: and if I rightly apprehend how much all creatures are too weak for God, and how sufficient God is to deliver me, his trust would quiet me. Isa. xli. 10, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I amthy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee." So ver. 13, 14; xliii. 1; xliv. 2, 8. Psal. ix. 10, "They that know thy name will put their trust in thee." Isa. li. 7, 8, "Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be afraid of their revilings: for the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool."
Direct.II. Labour for a sound and clear understanding of the promises of God, that thou mayst know how far he calleth thee to trust in him.—For to think that he promiseth what he doth not, is not to trust him, but to deceive thyself; and to think that he doth not promise what indeed he doth, is to cast away the ground of trust.
Direct.III. Yield not to the tempter, who would either entice thee into terrifying guilt, and blot thine evidences, or else hide them from thee, and keep thee doubtful and suspicious of the love of God.—For almost all that the distrustful soul hath to say for itself, to justify its distrust, is, I am not sure that the promises are mine. Remember still, that a heart dedicated to God, or consenting to his covenant, is your fullest evidence; and suffer not this to be hid or blotted. Wilful sin and guiltiness breeds fears, and will interrupt your trust and quiet till it be forsaken.
Direct.IV. Remember the grounds of confidence and quietness which God hath given you in his Son, his covenant, his Spirit, his sacraments, and your own and others' manifold experiences. I name them all together, because I would have you set them all together before your eyes. Will he not give you "all things with him," that hath "given you his Son?" Rom. viii. 32. Is not Christ a sufficient undertaker and encourager? Are not his covenant, promise, and oath sufficient security for you? "Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show to the heirs of the promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation," Heb. vi. 17, 18. And are not the heavenly seal and earnest of his Spirit sufficient to confirm us? 2 Cor. i. 22; and v. 5; Eph. i. 13, 14, and iv. 30. And have you tried God so oft, and yet cannot you trust him? Our frequent experiences, though the least of all these helps of trust, are very powerful, because they are near us, and almost satisfy sense itself; when all our bones say, "Lord, who is like unto thee, who deliverest the poor?" &c. Psal. xxxv. 10.
Direct.V. Consider of the greatness of the sin of distrust; how it denieth God in his attributes, and usually supposeth the creature to be above him.—Either thou doubtest of, or deniest his power to help thee, or his wisdom as deficient in making his promises, or finding out the means of thy deliverance, or his goodness and love, as if he would deceive thee, and so his truth and faithfulness in his promises. And if thou fear a man, how great soever, when God calleth thee to trust him for thy help, what dost thou but say, This man is more powerful than God? or, God cannot deliver me out of his hands? If it be want, or sickness, or death which thou fearest, what dost thou but say in thy heart, that God either knoweth not what is best for thee so well as thou knowest thyself, or else is not powerful or gracious enough to give it? nor true enough to keep his promise? "He that believeth not, makes God a liar," 1 John v. 10, 11.
Direct.VI. Remember that trusting God doth, as it were, oblige him, and distrusting him doth greatly disoblige him, especially when any thing else is trusted before him.—If any man trust you upon any encouragement given him by you, you will take yourselves obliged to be trusty to him, and not to fail any honest trust; but if he trust you not, or trust another, you will turn him off to those that he hath trusted. God may say to thee, Let them help thee whom thou hast trusted: thou trustest not in me, and therefore I fail not thy trust when I forsake thee.
Direct.VII. Remember that thou must trust in God, or in nothing.—For nothing is more sure, nor more frequently experienced, than that all things else are utterly insufficient to be our help. Shall we choose a broken reed, that we know beforehand will both deceive and pierce us? Woe to the man that hath no surer a foundation for his trust than creatures! The greatest of them are unable; and the best of them are untrusty and deceitful. How sad is thy case, if God turn thee off to these for help in the hour of thy extremity! Then wilt thou perceive, that "it is better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in princes," Psal. cxviii. 8, 9. "The righteous also shall see, and fear, and laugh at him: Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness," Psal. lii. 6, 7. "But they that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, that cannot be removed, but abideth for ever," Psal. cxxv. 1. Creatures will certainly deceive thy trust, but so will not God.
Direct.VIII. Believe and remember the particular providence of God, which regardeth the falling of a sparrow on the ground, and numbereth the very hairs of your heads, Matt. x. 30.—And can you distrust him, that is so punctually regardful of your least concernments? that is always present, and watcheth over you? You need not fear his absence, disregard, forgetfulness, or insufficiency. Doth he number your hairs, and doth he not number your groans, and prayers, and tears? How then doth he wipe away your tears, and put them all as in his bottle! Psal. lvi. 8; Rev. vii. 17.
Direct.IX. Compare God with thy dearest and most faithful friend, and then think how boldly thou canst trust that friend if thy life or welfare were wholly in his hand; and how much more boldly thou shouldst trust in God, who is more wise, and kind, and merciful, and trusty, than any mortal man can be.—When thou art in want, in prison, in sickness, and in pain, expecting death, think now, if my life, or health, or liberty were absolutely in the power of my surest friend, how quietly could I wait, and how confidently could I cast away my fears, though I had no promise what he would do with me; for I know he would do nothing but what is for my good: and is not God to be trusted in much more? Indeed a friend would ease my pain, or supply my wants, or save my life, when God will not: but that is not because God is less kind, but because he is more wise, and better knoweth what tendeth to my hurt or good. My friend would pull off the plaster as soon as I complain of smart; but God will stay till it have done the cure. But, surely, God is more to be trusted for my real, final good, though my friend be forwarder to give me ease. All friends may fail; but God never faileth.
Direct.X. Make use of the natural love of quietness, and thy natural weariness of tormenting cares, and fears, and sorrows, to move thee to cast thyself on God, and quiet thy soul in trusting on him.—For God hath purposely made thyself and all things else insufficient, unsatisfactory, and vexatious to thee, that thou mightest be driven to rest on him alone, when nothing else affords thee rest. Cares, and fears, and unquietness of mind are such thorns andbriers as nature cannot love or be content with: and you may be sure that you can no way be delivered from them, but by trusting upon God. And will you choose care and torment, when so sure and cheap a way of ease is set before you? Who can endure to have fears torment him, and cares feed daily upon his heart, that may safely be delivered from it? An ulcerated, festered, pained mind, is a greater calamity, than any bodily distress alone. And if you be cast upon your own care, or committed to the trust of any creature, you can never rationally have peace. For your own ease and comfort then betake yourselves to God, and cast all your care and burden on him, who careth for you, and knoweth perfectly what you want, 1 Pet. v. 7; Matt. vi. 32. Read often Matt. vi. from ver. 24. How sweet an ease and quietness is it to the mind that can confidently trust in God! How quiet is he from the storms of trouble, and the sickness of mind, which others are distressed with! Isa. xxvi. 3, 4, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength." Psal. cxii. 7, 8, "He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. His heart is established; he shall not be afraid." Psal. xxxi. 19, 20, 24, "Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee, before the sons of men! Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man; thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." Psal. lvi. 3, 4, "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word; in God have I put my trust: I will not fear what flesh can do unto me." How easy and sweet a life is this!
Direct.XI. Remember that distrust is a pregnant, multiplying sin, and will carry thee to all iniquity and misery if thou suffer it to prevail.—Distrusting God is but our entrance upon a life of error, sin, and woe. It presently sets us on idolatrous confidence on flesh, and sinful shifts, and stretching conscience; it deludeth our judgments, and maketh every thing seem lawful which seems necessary to our safety and welfare; and every thing seem necessary, without which man cannot accomplish it. All sinful compliances, and temporizings, and man-pleasing, and believing sinful means to be no sin, proceed from this distrust of God.
Direct.XII. Suffer not distrustful thoughts and reasonings in thy mind, but cast them out, and command them to be gone.—Cogitations are the instruments of good and evil in the mind of man; they cannot be acted but by thoughts, and the will hath more command of the thoughts than it hath immediately of the passions themselves. If you cannot trust God so quietly as you would, nor keep under every fearful apprehension, yet keep out, or cast out, the thoughts which exercise your sin, and turn your thoughts to something else. If thoughts do not actuate it, your distrustful fears and cares will vanish. What are your cares, but the turmoiling of your thoughts? continually feeding upon difficulties and trouble, and tiring themselves with hunting about for help? Cast away the thoughts, and the cares are gone. You may do much in this if you will, though it be difficult. Matt. vi. 25, "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, nor yet for your bodies, what ye shall put on." Ver. 27, 28, "Which of you, by taking thought, can add one cubit to his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment?"
Direct.XIII. When commands will not prevail, rebuke and chide thy unbelieving heart, and reason it out of its distrustful cares, and fears, and sorrows.—Say to it, as David oft, Psal. xlii. and xliii. "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou so disquieted within me? Trust in God, for I shall yet give him thanks, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." O foolish soul! hast thou yet learned no better to know thy God? Doth he support the heavens and the earth, and the whole creation? and yet canst not thou rely upon him? Is he not wise enough to be trusted with the conduct and disposal of thee? Is he not good and gracious enough to be trusted with thy life, estate, and name, and welfare? Is he not great and powerful enough to be trusted against the greatest danger, or difficulties, or opposition that ever can befall thee? Is he not true and faithful enough to be trusted, whatever improbabilities may arise before thee? Where dwelt the man, and what was his name, that ever trusted him in vain, or was ever failed or deceived by him? Are not his Son, and Spirit, and covenant, and oath, sufficient pledges of his love for thy security? How oft hath he performed his promises to thee, and heard thy cries, and helped and saved thee in thy distress! How oft hath he confuted thine unbelief, and shamed thy distrustful fears and cares! and then thou couldst resolve to trust him better in the next distress. And shall all his wonders of mercy be forgotten? and all thy confessions, thanksgivings, and promises be now repented of, contradicted, or recanted, by thy renewed distrust and unbelief? Is he not the same God, that hath so frequently and abundantly had mercy on thee? Is he not the same God, that hath saved all that trusted in him, and wrought such wonders for his servants in the earth, and brought so many safe to heaven? "Our fathers trusted in him; they trusted, and he delivered them; they cried to him, and were delivered; they trusted in him, and were not confounded," Psal. xxii. 4, 5. And is he not sufficient for thee, that is sufficient for all the world? Who ever sped ill that trusted in him? or who hath prospered by trusting in themselves or any other, without him, or against him? Unworthy soul! wilt thou atheistically deny the sufficiency, or truth, or goodness of thy God? Shall thy distrust deny him, or blaspheme him? Wilt thou idolatrously set up a worm above him? Is there more in man, or any thing else, to hurt or ruin thee, than in God to save thee? Whom wilt thou trust, if thou trust not God? Darest thou think that any other is fitter for thy confidence? Thou wouldst be quiet and confident if thy dearest friend had thy life or welfare in his hands; and art thou troubled now it is in the hands of God? Is he enough to be our endless happiness in heaven, and not to be thy confidence on earth? Canst thou trust him to raise thy body from the dust, and not raise thy state, or name, or troubled mind? Either take him for thy rock and hope, or never pretend to take him for thy God. If thou trust not in him, thou must despair, or trust against him; and whom wilt thou trust to save thee from him? Hadst thou no more encouragement to trust him but this, that he hath bid thee trust him, thou mightest be sure he never would deceive thee. Lament, therefore, thy disquietment and self-tormenting fears; lament thy injurious distrust of thy most dear Almighty Father. Choose not vexation, when the harbour of his love is open to secure thee. If men or devils are against thee, say as those believers, Dan. iii. 16, 17, "We are not careful to answer thee in this matter; our God whom we serve is able to deliver us." Go on, with Daniel, chap. vi. in praying to thy God, and trust himwith the lions' jaws. "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust in him, and he shall bring it to pass," Psal. xxxvii. 5. "Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but I will remember the name of the Lord our God," Psal. xx. 7. "Trust in him, for he is thy help and shield," Psal. cxv. 9-11.
Direct.XIV. Take not the sayings of the tempter or thy own distrustful heart for the sayings of God, or for any reason against thy confidence in him.—Some take all the malicious suggestions of the devil, for reasons of their disquietness and fears, as if it were the Spirit of God that raised all the terrors and molestations in them, which are raised by the enemy of God and them: and they fear when Satan bids them, thinking it is the Spirit of God; and they dare not trust God when he commandeth them, for fear lest it be the will of Satan. Some are so strongly affected with their own conceits and fancies, that they think God saith all that their hearts or fancies say, and make one fear the reason of another. Thy heart is not so wise or good, as that thou shouldst take all its words for the words of God. Thy "flesh and thy heart" may "fail thee," when God, who is the "rock of thy heart and thy portion," will never fail, Psal. lxxiii. 26. Thy heart may say, I have no grace, no help, no hope, when God never said so, Psal. lxxvii. 7-10. Thy heart may say, I am a reprobate, forsaken of God, he will not hear me, the time of grace is past, when God never said so. Thy heart may say, I am undone, I can find no comfort in any friend, no evidence of grace within me, no comfort in God, in Christ, or in the promises, no comfort in my life, which is but a burden to me; I cannot pray, I cannot believe, I cannot answer the objections of Satan, I can strive no longer against my fears, I cannot bear my wounded conscience. All this is the failing of the heart; but proveth not any failing of God, whose grace is sufficient for thee, and his strength is manifested perfect in thy weakness. The heart hath a thousand sayings and conceits, which God is utterly against.
Direct.XV. When you cannot exercise a trust of assurance, exercise the trust of general faith, and hope, and the quiet submission of thyself to the holy will of God.—The common pretence of distrust is, I know not that I am a child of God; and, it beseems the ungodly to fear his wrath. But, as the gospel is tidings of great joy to any people where it cometh, so it is a word of hope and trust. At least trust God so far as Infinite Goodness should be trusted, who will damn none but the finally obstinate refusers of his saving grace.[120]And with Aaron, Lev. x. 3, hold your peace, when he is glorifying himself in his corrections. Remember, that the will of God is never misguided; that it is the beginning and end of all things, Rev. iv. 11; Rom. xi. 36; that it never willeth any thing but good; that it is the centre and end of all our wills. There is no rest or quietness for our wills, but in the will of God: and his will is always for the good of them that truly desire to be conformed to it, by obedience to his commands, and submission to his disposal. Say, therefore, with your Saviour, "Father, if it be thy will, let this cup pass from me; but not as I will, but as thou wilt." There is nothing got by struggling against the will of God; nor any thing lost by a quiet submission to it. And, if thou love it, and desire to obey and please it, trust in it, for it will surely save thee.