CHAP. IX.
Mr. Cotton.“In which course, though you say you do not remember an hour wherein the countenance of the Lord was darkened to you: yet be not deceived, it is no new thing with Satan to transform himself into an angel of light, and to cheer the soul with false peace, and with flashes of counterfeit consolation. Sad and woeful is the memory of Mr. Smith’s strong consolation on his death-bed, which is set as a seal to his gross and damnable Arminianism and enthusiasm delivered in the confession of his faith,[244]prefixed to the story of his life and death.The countenance of God is upon his people when they fear him, not when they presume of their own strength, and his consolations are not found in the way of precedence and error, but in the ways of humility and truth.”
Answer.To that part which concerns myself, the speech hath reference either to the matter of justification, or else matter of my affliction for Christ, of both which I remember I have had discourse.
A soul at peace with God may yet endure great combats concerning sanctification.
For the first, I have expressed in some conference, as Mr. Cotton himself hath also related concerning some with whom I am not worthy to be named, that after first manifestations of the countenance of God, reconciled in the blood of his Son unto my soul, my questions and trouble have not been concerning my reconciliation and peace with God, but concerning sanctification, and fellowship with the holiness of God, in which respect I desire to cry, with Paul, in the bitterness of my spirit,O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
Affliction for Christ sweet. Two cautions for any in persecution for conscience.
Secondly, it may have reference to some conference concerning affliction for his name’s sake, in which respect I desire to acknowledge the faithfulness of his word and promise, to be with his in six troubles and in seven, through fire and water, making good a hundred-fold with persecution to such of his servants as suffer aught for his names’-sake: and I have said and must say, and all God’s witnesses that have borne any pain or loss for Jesus must say, that fellowship with the Lord Jesus in his sufferings is sweeter than all the fellowship with sinners in all the profits, honours, and pleasures of this present evil world. And yet two things I desire to speak to all men and myself,Let every man prove his work, Gal. vi. 4.,and then shall he have rejoicing in himself, and not in another.Secondly,if any man love God, that soul knows God, or rather is known of God, 1 Cor. viii. 3. Self-love may burn the body; but happy only he whose love alone to Christ constrains him to be like unto him, and suffer with him.
Mr. Smith godly, and a light to Mr. Cotton and others, though left to himself in some things. God’s infinite compassions toward those whose hearts are upright with him. The opinion of putting Uriah to death, the vilest of all opinions. As the weights of the sanctuary were double, so must there be double pondering in all the affairs of God’s worship.
To that which concerneth Mr. Smith, although I knew him not, and have heard of many points in which my conscience tells me it pleased the Lord to leave him to himself: yet I have also heard by some, whose testimony Mr.Cotton will not easily refuse, that he was a man fearing God.[245]And I am sure Mr. Cotton hath made some use of those principles and arguments on which Mr. Smith and others went, concerning the constitution of the Christian church.[246]The infinite compassions of God, which lay no sin to David’s charge but the sin of Uriah, 1 Kings xv. 5, have graciously comforted the souls of his on their death-bed, accepting and crowning their uprightness and faithfulness, and passing by what otherwise is grievous and offensive to him. And indeed from the due consideration of that instance, it appears that no sin is comparably so grievous in God’s David as a treacherous slaughter of the faithful, whom we are forced to call beloved in Christ. That opinion in Mr. Cotton, or any, is the most grievous to God or man, and not comparable to any that ever Mr. Smith could be charged with. It is true, the countenance and consolations of God are found in the ways of humility and truth, and Satan transformeth him like to an angel of light in a counterfeit of both: in which respect I desire to work out salvation with fear and trembling, and to do nothing in the affairs of God and his worship but (like the weights of the sanctuary) with double care, diligence, and consideration, above all the affairs of this vanishinglife. And yet Christ’s consolations are so sweet, that the soul that tasteth them in truth, in suffering for any truth of his, will not easily part with them, though thousands are deceived and deluded with counterfeits.