Chapter VII (5)

_Direct._ XVII. Let your thoughts of God's goodness bear some proportion with your thoughts of his knowledge and his power. And then you will not be so apt to entertain false suspicions of it, and think of him as a man-hater, like the devil, nor to run away from him, that is the infinite, most attractive good.

_Direct._ XVIII. Record the particular kindnesses to thyself, by which God hath testified his particular love to thee; that they may stand as near and constant witnesses of his mercy and readiness to do thee good, against thy excessive fearfulness and despair.

_Direct._ XIX. Think how few there are in the world so likely for mercy as thyself. Look not only on a few that are better than thyself; but think how five parts of the world are open infidels and heathens; and of the sixth part that are christians, how few are reformed from popish and barbarous ignorance and superstition: and among protestants how small is the number of them that are less in love with sin than thyself! I know that many wicked men abuse this comparison to presumption, but I know also that a christian may and must use it against despair, and not think of God and the Redeemer as if he would save so few as are next to none at all.

_Direct._ XX. Remember that God commandeth faith and hope, and forbiddeth unbelief and despair,[377] and that it is your sin: and will you sin more when you have sinned so much already? What if you see no other reason why you should hope, and why you should not despair, but God's command? Is not that enough? I charge you in the name of God obey him and despair not. Sin not wilfully thus against him, Psal. cxlvi. 5; xxxi. 24; Rom. viii. 24; xv. 4, 13; Col. i. 23; 1 Thess. v. 8; Heb. iii. 6; vi. 11, 18, 19; Tit. i. 2. Hope is your duty; and dare you plead against duty? Despair is your sin, and will you justify it? Yea, consider what a deal of comfort is in this; for if there were no hope of your salvation, God would never have made it your duty to hope, nor forbidden you to despair. He doth not bid the devils nor the damned hope as he doth you; he forbiddeth not them to despair as he doth you: there is cause for this; he would have done it, if your condition were as hopeless as theirs is.

_Direct._ XXI. If God forbid you to despair, it is certainly the devil that biddeth it. And will you knowingly obey the devil? What if the devil persuade you to it openly with his own mouth? would you not know that it is bad which such an enemy draweth you to? Methinks this should be a very great comfort to you, to think that it is the devil that persuadeth you to despair? For that proveth that you should not despair; and that proveth that your case is not desperate but hopeful.

_Direct._ XXII. Think whither it tendeth: to despair is to give up all hopes of your salvation; and when you have no hope you will use no means; for to what purpose should a man seek for that which he hath no hopes to find? And so when this weight is taken off, all the wheels stand still. The meaning of the devil hath two parts: the first is, Do not hear, nor read, nor pray, nor seek advice, nor talk any more about it with good people, for there is no hope. And the next part is, either make away thyself, or else sin boldly and take the pleasure of sin while thou mayst; for there is no hope of any better. And dost thou think that either of these is from God? Or is it for thy good? What is the meaning of all, but cast away thy soul? While thou hopest, thou wilt seek, and use some means; but to cast away hope is to cast away all. And hast thou so far lost self-love as to be thyself the doer of such a deed?

_Direct._ XXIII. Think what a wrong thou dost to the Father, the Saviour, and the Sanctifier of souls, to think so poorly and despairingly of his grace, as if it were not able to prevail against thy sin; and to obscure thus the glory of his redemption; and to believe the devil in his slandering, extenuating, and dishonouring that in God, which he will have most glorified by sinners!

_Direct._ XXIV. Bethink thee what one person thou canst name in all the world, that ever perished or was rejected, that was willing in this life to be saved and sanctified by Christ, and had rather have Christ and perfect holiness than the treasures or pleasures of the world. Name me any one such person if thou canst: but I am sure thou canst not: and dost thou fear that which never was done to any one; or think that Christ will begin with thee?

_Direct._ XXV. Up, man, and be doing, and resolve in despite of the devil that thou wilt wait on God in the use of means, and cast thyself on Christ, and if thou perish thou wilt perish there. Do this, and thou shalt never perish. Thou canst not do worse than despair and give up all; nor canst thou please the devil more, nor displease God more, nor wrong Christ and the Spirit more. Thou art certain that thou canst lose nothing by trusting thy soul on Christ, and hoping in him, and patiently using his means; do but this, and hope shall save thee, when Satan by despair would damn thee.

_Direct._ XXVI. Understand in what time and order it is that Christ giveth his grace and saveth his people from their sins; that he doth it not all at once, but by degrees, and taketh all the time of this present life to do it in. As able as your Physician is, he will not finish the cure till your life be finished. The next life is the state of absolute perfection; all things are imperfect here: despair not therefore of all that you have not yet attained; your sin may be more mortified yet, and your grace yet more strengthened. If it be done before you come to judgment it is well for you: do your part in daily diligence: do you plant and water, and he will give the increase. Read more of this before, part ii. against Melancholy.

FOOTNOTES:

[323] See Plutarch of Tranquillity of Mind.

[324] 1 Pet. ii. 21-24; Isa. liii.

[325] Solus Amor facit hominem bonum vel malum. Paul Scaliger. Thes. p. 721.

[326] Nuptial love maketh mankind; friendly love perfecteth it (much more divine love); but wanton love corrupteth and embaseth it. Lord Bacon, Essay 10.

[327] Bias, in Laertio: Ita amandum quasi odio simus habituri: plurimos enim esse malos. Quam tamen sententiam Cicero in Lælio sapiente dicit plane indignum. Amicos sequere quos non pudeat elegisse. Idem ibid.

[328] See before, chap. iv. part vii.

[329] Read Mr. Burroughs's excellent treatise called "The Jewel of Contentment;" and that excellent tract of a heathen, Plutarch de "Tranquillitate Animi."

[330] Mentem nullis imaginibus depictam habeat: nam si corde mundus et ab universis imaginibus liber esse cupit, nil penitus cum amore possidere, nulli homini per voluntarium affectum singulari familiaritate, nullius ipsi, adhærere debet. Omnis namque familiaritas aut conversatio pure propter Dei amorem non inita, variis imaginibus inficit et perturbat hominum mentes, cum non ex Deo, sed ex carne originem ducat. Quisquis in virum spiritualem et divinum proficere cupit, is, carnali vitâ penitus renunciata, Deo soli amore adhæreat eundemque interiori homine suo peculiariter possideat, quo habito mox omnis multiplicitas, omnes imagines, omnis inordinatus erga creaturas amor fortiter ab eo profligabuntur; Deo quippe per amorem intus possesso protinus ab universis homo imaginibus liberatur. Deus spiritus est, cujus imaginem nemo proprie exprimere aut effigiare potest. Thaulerus flor. p. 79, 80.

[331] Stoici dicunt severos esse sapientes, quod neque ipsi loquantur ad voluptatem, neque ab aliis ad voluptatem dicta admittant. Esse autem et alios severos, qui ad rationem acris vini severi dicantur; quo ad medicamenta, potius quam ad propinationem, utuntur. Laert. in Zenone.

[332] Prov. xix. 10, "Delight is not seemly for a fool."

[333] Siquis est quem flentem mori deceat, riderededecuit viventem; cum instare, semperque supra verticem videret, unde mors flendum sciret. Risum illum haud dubie fletus hic non longo sejunctus spatio sequebatur. Petrarch. dial. 119. li. 2.

[334] See my Sermon at Paul's called "Right Rejoicing." And here before, chap. iii. dir. xiii.

[335] Doth any man doubt that if there were taken out of men's minds, vain opinions, flattering hopes, false valuations, imaginations, &c. but it would leave the minds of a number of men, poor shrunken things, full of melancholy and indisposition, and uncomfortable to themselves? Lord Bacon's Essay, of Lies.

[336] Of hatred to men I shall speak anon.

[337] Malunt nescire, quia jam oderunt. Tertul. Apologet. c. 1.

[338] Pene omnis sermo divinus habet æmulos suos: quot genera præceptorum sunt, tot adversariorum: si largitatem esse in omnibus jubet Dominus, avarus irascitur: si parsimoniam exigit, prodigus execratur: sermones sacros, improbi, hostes suos dicunt. Salvian. li. 4. ad Eccles. Cath. Non ego tibi inimicus, sed tu veritati. Hieron. in Gal. v.

[339] Duo maxime contraria sunt consilio. Ira et festinatio. Bias in Laert.

[340] Read Seneca de Ira, and be ashamed to come short of a heathen.

[341] Proprium est magnitudinis veræ non sentire se esse permissum. Qui non irascitur, inconcussus injuria persistit: qui irascitur motus est. Senec. de Ira, lib. 3. c. 5.

[342] Unicuique pertinacius contendenti justam habere causam permitte, tacendoque contumaci cede: sic uterque quieti et imperturbati permanebitis. Thauler. flor. pag. 84.

[343] 2 Cor. v. 19, 20; Luke xiv. 17; Matt. xxii. 8.

[344] Omnia Christe tui superant tormenta ferendo. Tollere quæ nequeunt, hæc tollerare queunt. His vita caruisse frui est: posuisse potiri. Et superâsse pati est: et superesse mori. Ad tribunal æternum judicis provocatio salvet est: solet is perperam judicata rescindere. Petrarch. dial. 66. lib. 2.

[345] Job xiii. 25; Psal. i. 5, 6; lxviii. 2; lxxiii. 20; Job xx. 8. Victor Uticens. saith of Augustine, that he died of fear. Nunc illud eloquentiæ, quod ubertim per omnes campos ecclesiæ decurrebat, ipso metu siccatum est flamen: when Gensericus besieged Hippo.

[346] Valentinianus jussus ab Imperatore Juliano immolare idolis, aut militia excedere, sponte discessit. nec mora qui pro nomine Christi amiserat tribunatum, in locum persecutoris sui accepit imperium. Paul. Diaconus, l. 1. p. 1.

[347] When Socrates' wife, lamenting him, said, Injustè morieris: he answered, An tu juste malles? Laert. in Socrat.

[348] The seven brethren that suffered in Africa under Hunnericus, Incedebant cum fiducia ad supplicium quasi ad epulas, decantantes, Gloria Deo in excelsis, &c. Votiva nobis hæc est dies, et omni solennitate festivior. Ecce nunc tempus acceptabile, ecce nunc dies est salutis, quando pro fide nunc domini dei nostri perferimus præparatum supplicium, ne amittamus acquisitæ fidei intumentum. Sed et populi publica voce clamabant: Ne timeatis populi Dei, neque formidetis minas atque terrores præsentium tribulationum, sed moriamur pro Christo, ut ipse mortuus est, redimens nos pretioso sanguine salutari. Victor. Uticens. p. 368. In Paulo quinque gloriationes observavi. Gloriatur in imbecillitate, in cruce Christi, in bona conscientia; in afflictionibus, in spe vitæ æternæ. Bucholtzer.

[349] Idololatria tam altas in mundo egit radices, ut non possit extirpari: ideo optimum est confiteri et pati. Bucholtzer. Victor. Uticensis saith, that Gensericus commanded that when Masculinus came to die, if he were fearful, they should execute him, that he might die with shame, but if he were constant, they should forbear, lest he should have the honour of a glorious martyrdom. And so his boldness saved his life. Et si martyrem invidus hostis noluit facere confessorem, tamen non potuit violare.

[350] Anacharsis (in Laertio) percontanti quædam esset securissima navis: ea inquit, quæ in portum venerit: in heaven we shall be quiet from all these tumults.

[351] Ingenii philosophici est ex inimicorum odio decerpere aliquid quod vertat in suum bonum. Paul. Scalig. p. 728.

[352] Extinctus amabiter idem.

[353] Heb. x. 31, 26, 27, 29; xii. 29.

[354] Qui propter timorem reticet veritatem, veritatis proditor est. Hincmar. Rhemens. Dialog. de Statu. Eccl.

[355] See Isa. vii. 4; xxxv. 4; xli. 10, 13; xlii. 2, 8; liv. 4; Jer. v. 22.

[356] Plus dicam: tanto est melius juste etiam damnari quam in juste absolvi, quanto est pejus impunitum crimen quam punitum: in hoc enim celeri juncta justitia est: malo magno bonum ingens: in illo autem scelus el impunitas, quæ nescio, an scelere ipso pejor fit. Plutarch. dial. 66. li. 2.

[357] See after, part iii. c. 29. tit. 3. and c. 30.

[358] Even sorrow that profiteth not, may testify a just affection. It is said by Laertius, that when Solon was reproved for mourning for his son, with a Nihil proficis; he answered, At propter hoc ipsum illachrymor, quia nihil proficio.

[359] That very old book of Hermes, called "Pastor," notably showeth how much grief and heaviness is an enemy to christianity and the Spirit of God.

[360] Pittaci sententia fuit, prudentiam virorum esse prius-quam adversa contingant, providere ne veniant: fortium vero, cum illa contigerint, æquo animo ferre. Laert. in Pittac.

[361] Acts viii. 8.

[362] Libenter feras quod necesse est: dolor patientia vincitur. Martin. Dumiens. de Morib. Tristitiam sin potes, ne admiseris: sin minus: ne ostenderis. Id. ib.

[363] See Mr. Fenner's book of Wilful Impenitency.

[364] Even Anaxagoras, a philosopher, could say to one that asked him, Nullane tibi patriæ cura est? Mihi quidem patriæ cura est, et quidem summa: digitum in cœlum intendens. Laert. p. 85.

[365] See more of the cure of doubting, ch. 25. part ii.

[366] John iii. 3, 5; Heb. xii. 14; Matt. xviii. 3; Luke xiii. 3; Rom. viii. 7, 9, 13; 2 Cor. v. 17; Gal. v. 24.

[367] Judas perished not merely by despair; but he had no such repentance as renewed his soul, nor any love to God and holiness.

[368] John i. 11, 12; iii. 16, 18; Rev. xxii. 17; 1 John v. 11, 12; John v. 40; Luke xix. 27.

[369] Though the troubles of some call for a larger discourse of this sin, yet having written a Treatise of it, I must not here be tedious in reciting what is there said already.

[370] It seemeth to be Isaac's repentance which Esau found no place for. But if it be spoken of the unacceptableness of his own repentance, when it was too late, it signifieth not that any man's is too late in this life as to salvation.

[371] De quâ vide Tract. Rob. Baronii of Mortal and Venial Sin.

[372] Luke vii. 47.

[373] John v. 40.

[374] Luke xv. 20, 22, 23.

[375] Deut. vi. 6-8; xi. 18-20.

[376] Eph. iv. 19.

[377] Psal. xxxiii. 18; xlii. 5; xliii. 5; cxlvii. 11; lxxi. 14.