DIRECTION, I.

Call to Remembrance what hath formerly pass'd betwixt God and your Soul; what Love-tokens ye have received from him, (though you be now under a Cloud): As, when the Title of your Land is questioned, you search old Records and Evi­dences; so ye should do in this Case: Thus David, when his Soul had before refused to be Comforted, and his Spirit was in a manner over­whelmed; yet now he would consi­der the Dayes of Old, the Years of Antient Times, and call to Remem­brance his Songs in the Night, &c. Psal. 77.2, 3, 5, 6. And Job, when the Wrath of God seemed to be [Page 22] kindled against him, and God coun­ted him as one of his Enemies, and his Reines were consumed within him; yet still saith he (Job 19.11, 27, 28.) The Root of the Matter is found in me: He acknowledged, that he had the Root of true Faith in him; and knew, that his Redeemer liveth: Though the Exercise of his Faith was at present suspended, as to the comfortable Effects of it; yet, he had an evidence of his good Estate, from his former Experience: As in the Winter-Season, though the Plant seems to wither, yet the root of it still remaines in the Earth; and when the Spring comes, and the Sun shines upon it with a powerful Influence, it will appear.

DIRECTION, II.

Plead and expostulate Humbly with thy God, when he seems to hide his Face from thee; make use [Page 23]of Arguments in thy Prayers taken from the Infinitness of God's Mercy, and the Greatness of thy Misery: Thy Saviour, in His great Soul-Agony and Distress, prayed often and earnestly, Luk. 22.44. Is any among you Afflicted (saith the A­postle, Jam. 5.13.) let him Pray.

This Direction may be drawn out and improved in five Particulars.

(1.) Suppose thy Case be as sad as Jobs was (Cap. 10. v. 15, 16, 17.) thou art full of Distraction and Con­fusion; the Lord hunts thee as a fierce Lyon, and increaseth his In­dignation upon thee; contending still with thee, as if he were thy greatest Enemy; Yet now, fall down and Prostrate thy self humbly at his Feet, as a poor, silly, helpless Lamb; and, if thou must needs dye and perish, yet dye at His Feet, mourning and bleeding out thy-Heart [Page 24]in Sighs and Tears. Take heed of a fretting murmuring Spi­rit, which is exceeding offensive to God: Be still and quiet; not a word; put thy Mouth in the Dust: It is good that a Man should hope, and quietly wait on God, Lam. 3.26, 29. I will bear the Indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him, (saith the Church, Mic. 7.9.) Kiss the Rod as a submissive Child, and acknowledge that it is of the Lord's Mercy, that thou art not consumed.

(2.) When God seems to pur­sue thee hard, and to bend his Bow, and shoot his Arrows against thee; desire him humbly to Remember the Thoughts of Love and Peace, which he had to poor Sinners from Eternity: These Thoughts he delights in; they are more than can be numbered, Psal. 40.5. and what, Are they restrained in Him! Hath [Page 25]God forgotten to be Gratious! Hath He for ever shut up his tender Mer­cies! Surely, He hath not, Psal. 77.9. Put him in mind of that in­finite All-sufficient Righteousness and Merit, which is in Christ, where­of Himself hath no need; no, nor the Blessed Angels that never sin­ned; But, it is reserved for poor sinful Men and Women, such as thou art: If thou sayest, Thou art unworthy; yea, but He loves freely, Hos. 14.4. If the greatness of thy Sins be objected against thee, tell him, That there is plenteous Re­demption for thee in (and with) Christ, Psal. 130.7. Art thou un­godly and wicked in thy self? the Scripture saith, That he Justifies the ungodly, Rom. 4.5. and that Christ received Gifts for Sinners, yea, for the Rebellious; that the Lord God might dwell with them, Psal. 68.18. Art thou no better [Page 26]than a Dogg? Yea, but the Doggs they eat the Crumbs that fall from their Master's Table; Christ hath reserved some Crumbs of Mercy and Comfort for thee, Math. 15.27.

(3.) If he still pursue thee in his Anger, and set thee as a Mark to shoot at, so that thou art a Bur­then to thy self, Job 7.20. Ask him humbly with Tears in thy Eyes, What he aimes at? Is it to have the Victory over thee, that he might be justifyed in his Sayings, and might over-come when he is Judged, Rom. 3.4? Tell him freely, Thou wilt yeild to him as a poor Captive, and stand out with him in nothing; and, that he shall need no other Judge or Jury to condemn thee, but thy self: Thou art very willing to justi­fie him in all things, and to sen­tence and condemn thy self; only beseech him to consider, what Victo­ry, [Page 27]what Honour it will be to so Great and Infinite a God as He is, to pursue a little dry Stubble, to break a poor Leaf that is bruis'd al­ready, and crumbles under his Fin­gers if he do but touch it, Job 13.25. Say to Him, Thou art Impar Congressus; Thou art far from be­ing an equal Match to Him; and, He is so Noble, so Generous, as not to set Himself against a Worm, against a poor weak Leaf, that yeilds and falls under His hand; having said, That He will not con­tend for ever, lest the Spirit should utterly fail before him, Isa. 57.19.

(4.) If it should be hinted to thee, as if God would glorify Him­self in thy Eternal Destruction and Condemnation; tell him, 'Tis true, he may; But yet, before he thrust his Sword in thee, desire Him (with Reverence and Submission) to con­sider, [Page 28]That he first sheathed it in the Blood of His Son; and what profit will there be in thy Blood and Destruction: If Satisfaction to Divine Justice be his end and de­signe, He may have that in and from the Propitiatory-Sacrifice, and Death of Christ; and so, be no loser: And, as for thy Salvation, it will be more for his Glory, than thy Condemnation. If he require more Ojbedience of thee, Alas, this is not the way to perform it; when thy poor Soul is distracted with his Terrors, and thou art as a Man that hath no Strength, numbred a­mongst the Dead, (as Heman speaks, Psal. 88.4, 5, 15.) The more Spi­ritual Peace and Joy and Soul hath, the more Service and Obedience it will be able to perform to God, who loves a chearful Giver: The Joy of the Lord, is the Strength of the Soul, Nehem. 8.10. If it be [Page 29]suggested to thee; That if thou hadst more Assurance, Joy, and Inlarge­ment, thou wouldst abuse it, and grow wanton; Tell God humbly, That he may also prevent that, if He please, by the Power of His Grace; and by writing the Law of Love in thy Heart by his Spirit, which will constraine thee to love Him, and to live to Him, 2 Cor. 5.14. And, Love is as strong as Death; Many Waters cannot quench it, nei­ther can the Floods drown it, Cant. 8.6, 7. And, though thou hast a froward and stubborn Heart, which thou canst not chuse but sadly com­plain of; yet, so had he whom the Pro­phet speaks of, Isa. 57.17, 18. God hid his Face from him; was wrath, and smote him; and he went on frowardly in the way of his Heart: Yet, for all this (saith the Lord) I have seen his wayes, and will heal him, and restore Comforts to him.

(5.) If thy Temptation be so great, and thy Condition so sad, as if there were no other Remedy, but God and thou must part; yet labour notwithstanding to have good thoughts of God, and to bless Him for those glorious Attributes and excellencies of Mercy, Truth, Wis­dom, Holiness, that are in him: Bless Him for his mercy and good­ness to others, and for enabling them to serve him with chearfulness and success. Bless him for the good things which thou hast formerly re­ceived from Him; and if thou hast done, or suffered any thing for God in thy time, wish with all thy soul it had been a thousand times more: And confess thy self unworthy, lesser than the least of those Mercies he hath bestowed on thee; and that thou art infinitly ingaged to Him for what is past, if He should cast thee off for time to come, and ne­ver [Page 31] smile upon thee again: Desire Him only that He would pre­serve and maintain in thee good and honourable thoughts of His Ma­jesty, that thou maist not in the least derogate from His Honour, or Blaspheme his Holy Name, how­ever he is pleased to deal with thee as to Spiritual Peace and Comfort: And who knows, but whilst thou art thus bemoaning thy self (as E­phraim did) though the Lord at present seem to look Stern, and to speak Angerly to thee, yet he will quickly come and speak Peace to thy soul, and list up the light of his Countenance on thee. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself (saith the Lord). Is E­phraim my dear Son, Is he a plea­sant Child? For since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still; therefore my Bowels are trou­bled for him; I will surely have [Page 32] mercy on him, Jer. 31.18, 19, 20.

DIRECTION III.

Call to mind and improve the Soul sorrows and Agonies of thy Saviour and Surety, who bore the Wrath of God in his soul for thee, that thy poor Pensive soul might be comforted and delivered from the Terrors of God: His Soul was heavy and sorrowful to the Death; yea, he was surrounded and envi­ron'd with sorrow and amazement of Spirit, and cryed out bitterly on the Cross, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Matth. 27.46. And in the days of his Flesh, He offered up Prayers and Suppli­cations, with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from Death, and was heard in that he feared, Heb. 5.7. Now tell God humbly and believingly, that he [Page 33]hath laid thy Sin, Guilt, Curse, up­on his Son, and in the fierceness of his Wrath fell upon him, standing in thy stead and room, that he might set thee free (who is not in the least able to wrestle with the Ter­rors of God); say to him that his own blessed Son hath drank off the Cup of Divine Wrath to the bot­tom, even the very dreggs of it; and therefore why should thy poor soul (which is redeemed by the pre­cious Blood of thy Saviour) tast any part of this bitter Cup? Did God withdraw the comforts of his Spirit from the humane Nature of Christ, and fill it with sadness and sorrow for thy sake, that thou mightest ob­tain Spiritual peace and comfort? O then why should'st not thou ear­nestly pray for, and expect the fruits of Christ's Agony and Death in having thy soul revived and filled with spiritual peace and joy?

DIRECTION IV.

Renew thy Faith and Repentance in good earnest, as if thou had'st never done it before. Suppose it be suggested to thee by Satan, that thou did'st never as yet truly believe and repent of thy sins? Thou maist Answer thus, Well, I will not questi­on that now, but resolve by the Grace of God forth-with to Repent heartily of my Sins, and believe on the Lord Jesus. Some Christians are apt to look back altogether on what they have done, and if that do not afford them comfort, then they are ready to give up all for losk, and to sink under discourage­ment. But though a Christian may sometimes look back, and reflect on his former evidences and experien­ces; yet certainly, to cast thy self at present by a direct act of Faith, upon the free Grace of God in the [Page 35] Gospel-promise, is the shortest cut, and the readiest way to silence thy doubts, and Satans suggestions; as sometimes it falls out, that a Man may with as little charge and trou­ble, obtain a new Lease, as prove the old one good and Authentical. Be peremptory and resolute there­fore in believing and casting thy self on a Crucified Jesus, and say with Esther, I will go to the King, and if I Perish, I Perish, Esther 4.16. and with Job, Though he Kill me, yet will I trust in him, Job 13.15. Venture thy Soul upon him, as one that's ready to sink when the Bladders are taken from him, will yet venture to swim without Bladders. And as the four Lepers said one to another, Why sit we here until we dye? If we enter into the City, the famine is there, and we shall dye; and if we sit still here, we shall dye also: Therefore, let [Page 36]us fall into the Host of the Syrians; if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they Kill us, we shall but dye, 2 King. 7.3, 4. So resolve to throw your self upon Christ, and if ye must dye, then dye at his feet: But this is so far from being the way to Perish, that it is the direct way to true Peace, Comfort, and Happiness.

DIRECTION V.

Trust in the Name of God Je­hovah for Comfort and Salvation. He that walks in darkness, and sees no light, let him trust in the Name of the Lord, and stay himself upon his God, Isa. 50.10.Vid. Mr. Good­wins Child of light walking in darkness. the consi­deration of the Sweet, Gratious, Merciful Nature and Name of God, will support and keep the soul from sinking: The Name of the Lord is [Page 37]a strong Tower, the Righteous run­eth to it, and is safe, Prov. 18.10. There is enough in the Name of God to Answer all our Objections, and resolve all our doubts; as this name was proclaimed to Moses, The Lord, the God, merciful and grati­ous, long-suffering, and abundant in Goodness and Truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving Iniquity, Transgression, and Sin, Exod. 34.6, 7. This Name of God is to be found, and is revealed in and by Christ to poor Sinners. Hearken to him, and obey his Voyce (saith the Lord) for my Name is in him, Exod. 23.21. God was in Christ, Reconciling the World unto himself, not imputing their Trespasses unto them, 2 Cor. 5.19. This is the Name where-with he shall be called the Lord our Righteousness, Jer. 23.6. And his Name shall be Je­sus, for he shall save his People [Page 38]from their sins, Matth. 1.21. When we see nothing in our selves to rest upon, (as in the case of de­sertion) no sight of Graces, no light of comfort there-from, as in Pauls Voyage by Sea for many days to­gether, neither the light of the Sun, nor Stars appeared, Act. 27.20. Yet then the Name of God will stay and bear up the drooping spirit of a Christian. My flesh and my heart faileth (saith David) but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever, Psal. 73.26. And though my House be not so with God, i. e. as the tender Grass springing out of the Earth by the clear shining of the Sun after Rain, yet he hath made, with me, an e­verlasting Covenant, ordered in all things and sure; for this is all my Salvation, and all my desire, al­though he make it not to grow, 2 Sam. 23.5.

DIRECTION VI.

[On which I shall a little inlarge.]

Furnish thy self with fit matter out of the holy Scriptures, for Hea­venly thoughts and meditations, that thy heart may endite and meditate a good matter, and thy Tongue may be as the Pen of a ready Writer, Psal. 45.1. The Lord help thee (poor Soul) not only to read these Divine writings, but to meditate therein day and night, to hide them and lay them up in thy heart as a divine Cordial to revive and com­fort thee; as a divine Lamp to guide and direct thee, Psal. 119.92, 105. and as part of the spiritual Armour, to enable thee to vanquish thy spi­ritual Enemies in the Hour of Temp­tation, Eph. 6.13.

David, even in those dark times, before the Incarnation of Christ, [Page 40]professeth of himself, that the Word of God was in the mid'st of his Bowels, Psal. 40.8. And that he had hid the word in his heart, that he might not Sin against God, Psal. 119.11. And Hierom tells us of one Nepotian, who by long and assiduous Meditation of the holy Scriptures, had made his breast the Library of Jesus Christ, in respect of Divine thoughts and cogitations. Holy Job esteem'd the Word of God more than his necessary food, Job 23.12. And the Psalmist preferr'd it before the Honey and the Honey­comb; before great spoyles, and thousands of Gold and Silver, Psal. 19.9. Psal. 119.103, 162. And the blessed Apostle commands us not only to have the word of Christ with us, but in us; and not only to have it in us, but to have it dwell­ing and abiding in us richly, in all Wisdom and spiritual understanding, Col. 3.16.

As for Mens writings, they are mingled with Vanity, Mistakes, Imperfections, Corruptions, savour­ing too much of a carnal Spirit; but God's WordIn Sacra Scrip­tura quicquid do­cet veritas, quic­quid praecipitur bonitas, quicquid promittitur felici­tas: Nam Deus veritas est sine fallacia, bonitas sine malitia, fell­citas sine miseria. is satisfactorily full, without all Vani­nity, most Wise, Faithful and True, without Falshood or Folly; compleat­ly perfect, with­out the least Im­perfection; most pure and refined, without Corrup­tion or Carnal mixtures; wholly Spi­ritual, sweetly resembling that most Divine Spirit which endited the Scriptures.

Here are unfolded the mysteries of the Covenant of Grace made up of Heavenly Cordials for Sin-sick souls: Here are the promises of this [Page 42]life, and of that which is to come, exceeding great and precious: Here are the comforts of God able to counterpoise and overcome the great­est sadness and sorrow.

Art thou poor? Here's a Treasury of Riches: Art thou sick? here's a Shop of Soul-medicines: Art thou fainting? here's a Cabinet of preci­ous Cordials: Art thou Afflicted? here's thy Solace: Art thou Perse­cuted? here's thy Protection: Art thou deserted? here's thy support: Art thou Tempted? here's thy Victo­ry: Whilst thou livest, here's the Rule of thy Conversation; and when thou dyest, here's the hope of thy Glorification; and therefore, well might one of the Antients profess that he adored the fulness of the Scriptures: And Luther himself used to say, he would rather eat up his own Writings (which yet were in­strumental to give much Heavenly [Page 43]light and knowledge) than that Peo­ple, by reading them, should neglect the reading and studying of the Holy Scriptures.

This is the Book of Books (as David said of Goliah's Sword) there's none like that.

The Holy Scripture is profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Cor­rection, for Instruction in the paths [Page 44]of Righteousness, and for Support and Consolation; that drooping dejected Spirits, may not be over­whelmed with Satan's Temptati­ons.

This sweet Consolatory Vertue, and Soul-supporting Property of the Scriptures, is demonstrated by the happy Experience and Sense of Spi­ritual Comfort and Refreshing, which Saints find therein; even such of them as are exercised with great Dolors and Troubles of Spi­rit.

Thus David did comfort and sup­port himself with the word of God in his saddest Affliction: This is my Comfort in my Affliction (saith he) for thy Word hath quickned me: And, unless thy word had been my delight, I had perished in my Af­fliction, Psal. 119.50, 51, 92.

Paul writes unto the Saints at Thessalonica, that they should com­fort [Page 45]one another with these Words, 1 Thes. 4.13. And the Love-sick Spouse (being ready to fall into a Spiritual Swound through the Sense of Christ's Estrangements from Her) cryes out to the Ministers of the Word, the Friends of the Bride­groom; O stay me with Flaggons, and comfort me with Apples, for I am sick of Love, Cant. 2.5. Wine and Apples are pleasant refreshing Cordials to fainting Spirits; And, so are the pretious Promises, and sweet Doctrines of Christ, to sad and pensive Souls.

Augustine, and his dear Compa­nion Alipius, How were they in their great Soul-Afflictions, raised up and comforted, with two Senten­ces of Scripture? Augustine (as he tells us in his Confessions, lib. 8. Cap. 12. Tom. 1.) deeply laying to heart his Sin and Misery, such a mighty Storm arose in his Soul, [Page 46]as brought a shower of Tears; where­upon, he with-drew from Alipius a good distance, that he might more freely and fully pour out himself in Tears. I laid me down (saith he) under a certain Fig-Tree, I know not how; and I opened Sluce to Tears, and the Floods of mine Eyes burst out, thy acceptable Sa­crifice: And, not in these Words, but to this Sense, I spake many things to Thee; But thou, O Lord, how long! How long wilt thou be angry for ever! O Remember not former Iniquities! For, I felt my self held by them, and I cast forth miserable Expressions: How long! How long! To-Morrow, and To-Morrow! Why not now? Why not this Hour, an end of my Filthiness? These things I spake, and wept in the bitter Con­trition of my Heart. And behold! I heard a Voyce (as of a Boy or [Page 47]Girle, I know not whether) from a neighbouring House, saying, (with Singing, and oft re­peating)Tolle lege, Tolle lege. Take up and Read, Take up and Read. And presently, with changed countenance, I inten­tively began to think, whether Boyes in Playing were wont to sing any such thing; Nor, could I remem­ber, that ever I heard it. The vio­lence of my Tears being repressed, I rose up; Interpreting nothing else to be divinely commanded me, than that I should open the Book, and read what Chapter I first found; For, I had heard of Antonius, that by Reading of the Gospel (which he happily light upon) he was ad­monished, as if what he had read, had been spoken to him; Go, and sell all that thou hast, and give to the Poor, and thou shalt have Trea­sure in Heaven, and come follow [Page 48]me; and that, by this Oracle he was presently converted to thee. There­fore, being thus incited, I returned to the same place where Alipius sate; for, there I had laid the Apostle's Book, when I thence rose: I snatch'd it up, opened, and silently read that Chapter on which mine Eyes were first cast: Not in Rioting and Drunkenness, not in Chambering and Wantonness, not in Strife and Envying; But, put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no Provi­sion for the Flesh, to fulfill the Lusts thereof, Rom. 13.13, 14. Nor would I read further; nor was there need: For presently, with the close of this Sentence, as it were with the light of Security infused into mine Heart, all my darksom Doub­tings fled away. Then, either put­ting my Finger in the place, or what other signe I know not, I shut the Book; and, with a chearful Coun­tenance, [Page 49]I told it to Alipius. But, what was done in himself, which I knew not, he thus declared: He asks to see what I read, I shewed it; and, he attended further than I read, I not knowing what followed; But it followed, Him that is weak in the Faith receive ye, Rom. 14.1. which he applyed to himself, and opened unto me: But, by this Ad­monition he was Confirmed; and, without all turbulent delay, was conjoyned in a good Pleasure and purpose, most congruous to his Man­ners, wherein he long ago excelled me. Thereupon, we go in to my Mother; tell her: She rejoyceth; We declare how it was done; She exults and Tryumphs, and blesseth Thee who art able to do, above All that we are to ask or think; Be­cause she saw, that thou hadst gran­ted her far more concerning me, than she was wont with her mise­rable [Page 50]and lamentable Groans, to ask of Thee. Thus far Augus­tine.

Who would not now delight to read and understand the Divine Scrip­tures, whereby Augustine and Ali­pius were thus Converted and Com­forted?

Mr. Fox, in his Acts and Monu­ments tells us, That Mr. Bilney, the blessed Martyr, having been long under great Doubts and Fears in his Soul, (whil'st he adhered to the Popish Doctrines); at length, opening the New-Testament, he light on that Text, 1 Tim. 1.15. This is a faithful Saying, and wor­thy of all acceptation, That Christ Jesus came into the World, to save Sinners, of whom I am chief; which God so blessed to him, that there­by his doubts and Fears were dis­pell'd, and he received much spiri­tual Peace and Comfort in the Assu­rance [Page 51]of the love of God from this free promise of Grace.

Bishop Latimer (that Godly Mar­tyr) standing at the Stake, ready to shed his blood for the Truth, lift­ing up his Eyes to Heaven with an amiable and chearful Countenance, comforted himself with that Scrip­ture, Faithful is God who will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able, 1 Cor. 10.13.

Alice Benden, Martyr, being kept in Prison nine weeks with Bread and Water, and Sequestered from her Companions, was in great heaviness and Soul distress, till on a Night, as she was in her sorrowful Supplica­tions, rehearsing those words, Why art thou cast down, O my Soul, &c. And again, The Right Hand of the most High can change all this; she received much comfort.

Mr. Midgeley, Minister at Ratch­dale in Yorkshire, oppressed with [Page 52] melancholly thoughts and temptations to Self-murther; and going down to the Water-side to Drown himself, having the New-Testament in his Pocket, it came into his thoughts, before he flung himself in, to read a little in his Testament; and open­ing the same, he happily cast his Eye upon that precious word of Grace, Come unto me all ye that la­bour and are heavy laden, and I will give you Rest, Matth. 11.28, 29. Whereupon this poor tempted Soul was much revived, and broke forth into these words, Say'st thou so? then I will not down my self. 'Tis well observed by a Godly Writer, that we had better want Meat, Drink, the light of the Sun, Aire, Earth, and all the Elements, yea, Life it self, than that one sweet Sentence of our Saviour, Come unto me, &c.

Mrs. Katherine Brettergh (who was wont to task her self to the reading [Page 53]at least eight Chapters of Scripture every day) in her Sickness, before her DeathVid. Mr. Will. Leigh's Souls-Solace against sor­row. she fell into great distress and anguish of Spirit; some­times she would cast her Bible from her, and say, it was indeed the Book of Life, but she had read the same unprofitably, and therefore feared it was become to her the Book of Death: Sometimes she would say her sins had made her a prey to Satan, a spectacle to the World, a disgrace to Religion, and a shame to her Husband, Kindred, and all true Christians: And here she would weep most bitterly; she wished she had never been Born, or that she had been any other Creature rather than a Woman: She would often cry out Woe, Woe, Woe, &c. a weak, a wo­ful, a wretched, a forsaken Woman! and utter such like pittiful Com­plaints [Page 54]against her self, with Tears continually trickling down her Cheeks. But at last, before her death, she was raised up to unspeak­able joys and comforts by applying Scripture-promises: Oh said she, my soul hath been compassed about with terrors of Death, fear within, and fear without; the sorrows of Hell were upon me, and a roaring Wil­derness of Woe was within me (which she repeated again and again): But Blessed, Blessed, Blessed be the Lord my God, who hath not left me Comfortless. One time she took her Bible in her hand, and looking up towards Heaven, she said, O Lord, it is good for me that I have been Afflicted, that I might learn thy Statutes; the Word of the Lord is better to me than thousands of Gold and Silver. She desired her Husband to read some part of Scrip­ture to her; he read that excellent [Page 55]Chapter, John 17. and as he read v. 9. she interrupted him, saying, O Lord Jesus, dost thou indeed pray for me? O Blessed and Sweet Saviour, how wonderful, how won­derful, how wonderful are thy Mer­cies! When he came to v. 24. Father, I will that they whom thou hast given me, &c. Stay, said she, and let me meditate on the good­ness of the Lord, for now I per­ceive and feel the Countenance of Christ, my Redeemer, is turned to­wards me, and the bright shining Beams of his Mercy are spread o­ver me: Oh happy am I that ever I was Born, to see this Blessed day: Praise, praise, Oh praise the Lord for his Mercies, for He hath brought me out of darkness, and the shadow of death! O my sweet Saviour! shall I be one with thee, as thou art one with thy Father? and wilt thou Glorifie me with that Glory [Page 56]which thou had'st with the Father before the World was? And dost thou so love me that am but Dust and Ashes, as to make me parta­ker of Glory with Christ? What am I, poor Wretch, that thou art so mindful of me? Oh how wonderful, how wonderful, how wonderful is thy Love? To a Christian Friend that came to see her, wondering at her joys; she said, O the joys, the joys, the joys that I feel in my soul! they be wonderful, they be wonder­ful, they be wonderful! Thus she was ravished in Spirit, and try­umphed in the praises of God. At last, with a sweet Countenance and still Voyce, she said, My Warfare is accomplished, and mine Iniquities are pardoned: Lord, whom have I in Heaven but thee? And I have none on Earth but thee: My Flesh faileth, and my Heart also, but God is the strength of mine Heart, [Page 57]and my Portion for ever. He that preserveth Jacob, and defendeth his Israel, he is my God, and will guide me unto Death. Guide me O Lord, my God, and suffer me not to faint, but keep my soul in safety, and with that she presently fell asleep in the Lord.

Mr. John Holland, an eminent Saint and Preacher of the Gospel, did wonderfully raise and comfort himself with the holy Scriptures; even in the Valley of the Shaddow of Death, his Heart was replenished with Heavenly Thoughts and De­lights. The Day before he dyed, he called for the holy Bible with these very words, Come, O come! Death approacheth, let us gather some Flowers to comfort in this Hour: And, turning with his own Hands to the Eight Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, he gave me the Book (saith Mr. Leigh, who [Page 58]relates these Passages in a printed Book) and bade me Read: At the end of every Verse, he made a Se­lah or Pause, and gave the Sense in such sort and feeling, as (we per­ceived) was much to his own Comfort, but more to our Joy and Wonder. Having thus continued his Medita­tion and Exposition for the space of two Hours, or more; on the suddain he said, O stay your reading; What Brightness is this I see? Have ye light up any Candles? To which it was Answered, No; It is the Sun-Shine: For, it was about five a Clock, in a clear Summer's-Even­ing. Sun-shine (saith he?) nay, my Saviour's Shine: Now, fare­well World, welcome Heaven; The Day-Starr from on high hath visi­ted mine Heart. O speak it when I am gone, and Preach it at my Fu­neral, That God dealeth familiarly with Man! I feel his Mercy, I see [Page 59]his Majesty, whether in the Body or out of the Body, I cannot tell; God, He knoweth; But, I see Things that are unutterable: And, raising himself, as Jacob did upon his Staff, he shut up his blessed Life, with these blessed words; O, What a hap­py Change shall I make! from Night to Day, from Darkness to Light; from Death to Life, from Sorrow to Solace; from a factious World, to a Heavenly Being: O my dear Bretheren, Sisters, and Friends, it pittieth me to leave you behind; yet, Remember my Death when I am gone: And, what I now feel, I hope you shall find ere you dye, That God doth and will deal familiarly with Men. And now thou fiery Chariot, that came down to fetch up Eliah, carry me to my happy Hold; And all ye blessed Angels, who attended the Soul of Lazarus to bring it up to Heaven, [Page 60]bear me, O bear me into the Bo­som of my best Beloved; Amen, Amen. Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. And so he fell asleep.

O therefore, Enrich thy Soul with those Hevenly Treasures, and fill thy Heart with those blessed Truths, and Divine Mysteries, that are con­tained in the Scriptures; as the Saints whom I have mentioned, and many thousands more have done in their great Straits and Temptations. Acknowledge the Goodness of God, and magnifie the Riches of his Grace towards poor Sinners: Many and wonderful, O Lord my God, are Thy Thoughts to us-ward, they are more than can be numbered, Psal. 40.5. And again, How pretious are thy Thoughts unto me, O God? How great is the Sum of them, Psal. 139.17.

Now, that thou may'st, have a right and spiritual understanding of the Holy Scriptures (whilst thou readest them) for the benefit and comfort of thy sad disconsolate soul:

First, Beg Wisdom of the only VVise God, who gives liberally and upbraideth not, Jam. 1.5. that by God's VVisdom thou mayest know God's Mind, and discern the true sence and meaning of the Scrip­tures by the Assistance of the Di­vine Spirit which Indited the same. What the VVoman said of Jacob's-Well, may be truly affi [...]med of the Scriptures; Thou hast nothing to draw with, and the VVell is deep, John 4.11. Scripture mysteries are profound, and our Capacities but shallow; desire the Lord therefore to anoynt thine eyes with Eye­salve, [Page 62]that thou mayest see; and to open thine Understanding, that thou may'st rightly and spiritually un­derstand the Scriptures, Rev. 3.18. Psal. 119.18. Luk. 24.45. Luther professed, that he got more Under­standing by Prayer than by all his Study besides.

Secondly: Labour for a truly gracious Spirit, which being once attain'd, thou wilt be able to pene­trate into the inward Marrow and mystery of the Holy Scriptures. He will best comprehend the true sence of Scripture in his head, that hath it written and impress'd upon his heart. Thou wilt never (as one truly observes) understand Paul's meaning, unless thou art endued with Paul's spirit. The Secret of God is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his Covenant, Psal. [Page 63]25.12, 14. And Christ in the Gospel, will manifest himself to them that Love him; and such shall know the mind of the Lord, Joh. 14.21, 22, 23.

Thirdly: Come to the reading and perusing of the Scriptures with an humble self-denying frame of heart, and be not puffed up with a vain Conceit of thine own knowledge and attainments. He that thinks he knowes any thing, knowes nothing yet as he ought to know, 1 Cor. 8.2. Empty Vessels are most recep­tive, and so are self-emptied Chri­stians. It's a great help to Know­ledg, not to be ig­norant of our Igno­rance.Deo meo gra­tias ago quod Ig­norantiam meam non ignoro. The fruit­ful showers quickly glide away from the lofty Hills; But they stay and smoke in the Low-Valleys. God, who resists the Proud, gives [Page 64] Grace and Spiritual Knowledge to the humble: With the Lowly is true Wisdom, Prov. 11.2. And the Meek and Humble he will teach his Way, Psal. 25.9. Math. 11.25.

Fourthly: Observe and eye Christ, and Salvation by him, as the very Scope, Marrow, and Substance of the whole Scriptures: What are the Scriptures, but as it were the Spi­ritual swadling-Cloaths of the Ho­ly Child Jesus? He is the Truth and Substance of all the Types and Shaddows: He is the Matter and Quintescence of the Covenant of Grace, under all the Administrati­ons thereof. The Center of all the Promises, In whom they are, yea, and Amen, 2 Cor. 1.20. The Thing signifyed, sealed, and exhibited in all the Sacraments of the Old and New-Testament. The holy Scrip­ture, What is it else but Christ's [Page 65] Light, whereby we come to know him? Christ's Voyce, whereby we hear and follow Him? and Christ's Cords of Love, whereby we are drawn into sweet Union and Fellowship with Him?

But to Conclude; Suppose thou should'st have Breach upon Breach, and still remain a sad pensive Soul, all thy Dayes here in this Life, without any Spiritual Comfort or Inlargment (after all thy Wrestlings and Endeavours), it may be for twenty, thirty, or forty Years; yet, What is this to Eternity? What if it were for a hundred Years, so thou com'st to Heaven at last, and escap'st those Everlasting Torments, which are prepared for the Wick­ed? Ye shall weep and lament (saith Christ to his Disciples, Joh. 16.20.), but the World shall rejoyce; Yea, but your Sorrow shall be turn'd into [Page 66] Joy, and the World's Rejoycing in­to Sorrow and Lamentation. Bles­sed are they that mourn, for they shall be Comforted, Math. 5.4.

The Lord supports his People by the secret powerful Influence of his Grace, whil'st they walk in darkness, and want the Light of Spiritual Consolation. And here let us consider these four things:

(1.) God doth never totally de­sert his Saints: The Lord will not for­sake his People for his great Name's sake, 1 Sam. 12.22. He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, Heb. 13.5. The Words are Emphatical: Here is a Duplication of the Subject of the Promise, I will not leave, I will not forsake: And a Multiplication of Negatives; no fewer than five Negatives, by which God intimates, That he will [Page 67]not, yea, he will not, surely he will not forsake his Servants; He will never wholly reject them, nor utterly leave them: If he leave them, 'tis but for a Season; If he go from them, 'tis but as one that goes from home, to return speedily again: I will not (saith Christ) leave you Comfortless, or as Orphans at Sixes and Sevens; but I will come to you, Joh. 14.18. He may sometimes frown, but he will smile again: If at any time his Compassi­ons towards his People seem to be restrained, yet they cannot be ex­tinquished.

(2.) Though God may vary in the Operations of his Love; yet his Love in it self, is still the same, and shall be the same for-ever, Jer. 31.3. Psal. 89.30, 44. Joh. 13.1. In the Summer, there's Light inhe­rent in the Sun, and Light fluent [Page 68]from the Sun; That's ever perfect and permanent; but this may suf­fer Changes, and be obscured, as in the Night it happens. The Root doth not alwayes give so much Sapp to the Branches, as to make them Budd and Blossom; yet she doth alwayes stick close to them, and in­fluence and maintain them. A Fa­ther may have a dear Love to his Child, and yet shew but little of it in his Carriage, as David towards his Son Absolon; and so it may be in this Case.

(3.) When God hides his Face from his People, he with-holds those Acts of Love only, that are for their well-being; not those that are for their being. Though a true Christian may want that, without which he cannot have Comfort; yet he shall never want that, with­out which he cannot live: In this [Page 69]respect, God never with-holds any good Thing from them that walk up­rightly, Psal. 84.11.

(4.) A Christian may miss much of the External Presence of God, and yet enjoy inward Communion with him; He may want the Comforting Presence of God, (in respect of Soul-ravishing Joyes and Inlargements) and yet at the same time, partake of the powerful gracious Influence of the Spirit of God, for his Sus­tentation and Support: This doth never utterly forsake him: And this is oft-times most in Power, when it is least in out-ward shew and Ap­pearance; and Saints have most of God, when they see him least; whose gracious Power may, and doth ope­rate effectually, where there is but little Sense and Feeling of it. Met­tals that lye deep under Ground, [Page 70]and see not the Heavens; yet par­take of their Powerful Influence. When God cover'd Moyses his Face in the Cleft of the Rock, Exod. 33.22. then did he pass by, and gave Moyses to see his Glory: So, the Clouds and Vailes, which now co­ver the Eyes of many Pensive dis­consolate Christians, are often Fore­runners of the Clearest Light, and most Soul-ravishing Sight of God.

How-ever (poor Soul) be con­tent to remain for a while in this World, without these Soul-ravish­ing Joyes, and Tasts of Heaven, (if God will have it so): Doubt­less, there's a great Difference be­twixt the Condition of Saints in the Church-Militant, and the Church-Tryumphant. Heaven, at last, will make amends for All; and that glo­rious Communion with God, which [Page 71]is Reserved for the Saints in the Church-Tryumphant, will Counter­vail all the Sad and Sorrowful Thoughts, Pressures, and Tempta­tions, which now they are expos'd unto, in their Militant Estate and Condition.