CLII lectures vpon Psalme LI preached at Ashby-Delazouch in Leicester-shire / by that late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Mr. Arthur Hildersam.

Lecture XXVIII. On Psal. 51.1, 2. Iune 13. 1626.

FOurthly, By this meanes God weaneth his children from the love of this [ 4] world, and maketh them thinke of home, and of their fathers house; As you know affliction, and nothing but affliction made the prodigall to do, Luke 15.16, 17. If we should alwaies possesse that outward peace, those sweet joyes and comforts, which the light of the Lords countenance and sense of his favour worketh in our hearts, we should have our heaven upon earth, and be too ready to say and thinke as Peter did (when he was ravished with joy in beholding the light of Christs countenance shining as the sun) Mat. 17.4. Lord it is good for us to be heere, and to abide heere still. These vicissitudes, and changes, these in∣terruptions of our peace, and spirituall desertions we meet with heere, are a most effectuall meane to make us thinke of home, where we shall be out of the reach of Satan, and all his tentations, where we shall never weepe more nor be troubled with these terrours, and sorrowes that so much disquiet us, where all teares shall be wiped from our eyes, and there shall be no more sorrow, nor crying, nor paine as Iohn speaketh, Revel. 21.4. These sorrowes wee meet with heere in this place of our pilgrimage, as David calleth it, Psal. 119.54. this forrein country where wee are many times a long while, before wee can heare from our father, and the letters, and love-tokens, he sendeth us are oft intercepted by one or other, are most effectuall meanes to make us long to be with our father in whose presence (and no where els) is fullnesse of joy, and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore, as the Prophet speaketh, Psal. 16.11.

Fiftly, by this meanes above all others the Lord worketh his people to a more [ 5] high and pretious esteeme of his favour and of the comfortable assurance and feeling of it. For as it is with all other blessings of God, so it is with this, If we did not feele the want of it sometimes, we could never valew it to the worth. The Lord therefore hideth his face a great while sometimes, from his dearest children, and letteth them not see the light of his countenance that he might cause them. 1. To seeke him more diligently and never rest till they have found him againe. 2. To hold him faster when they once have recovered him; and both these waies declare, that they highly esteeme of his favour indeed. Both these effects had Christs withdrawing himselfe from his Spouse, Cant. 3.1—4. For thereupon 1. She fought him 1 in her bed by secret prayer, and medi∣tation; 2 when that would not serve, she went about the city in the streets, and sought him by the helpe of the conference, and prayers of Gods people; 3 when she could not yet finde him, she went to the watchmen, and Ministers of the Church, and sought him by the helpe of that ordinance of God; she neg∣lected no meanes she could possibly use to recover her comfort. That was the first effect I told you of. 2. When she had found him she held him, and would not let him goe. And certainely by daily experience we find this. 1. That none so thirst after Christ, none so esteeme of the meanes of grace, none take such paines for them, none use them so diligently, and constantly. 2. Christ, and his Gospell is not so sweet to any, none have so tender consciences, so fearfull to offend God in any thing, as those are, that have had experience of this affliction; according to the old proverbe the burnt child will dread the fire. They that were stung by the fircy serpents (and none but they) made high account of the brasen serpent, no body needed to perswade them to run to it and fixe their eyes upon it, Num. 21.9. and so it is in this case. And (above all other men) he that hath once tasted how gracious the Lord is, and hath felt the sweetnesse, and comfort that the assurance of Gods favour yeeldeth unto the soule, let him be deprived of it a while, and he would give the whole world, if he had it to recover this comfort againe. He will be ready to cry as David, Psal. 63.1, 2. O God, thou

art my God, early will I seeke thee, my soule thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, to see thee so as I have seene thee in thy sanctuary. And when God shall have restored to such a soule, but the least glympse of the light of his countenance, ô how hee prizeth it? How sweete is Christ, and his Gospel to him. That which the Apostle speaketh Romans 10.15. is the voice of such a one, and of none other. O how beautifull are the feete of them which preach the Gospel of peace?

[ 6] Sixtly and lastly. By this meanes the Lord doth establish his people, and cau∣seth them to be better rooted, and setled in a Christian course, and so also more fruitfull unto him, then otherwise they could be: And a singular benefit doubt∣lesse this is. The Apostle prayeth for the Colossians. Col. 2.7. that they may be rooted, and built up in Christ, and established in the faith. And Peter for those he wrote to, 1 Pet. 5.10. that God would make them perfect, stablish, streng∣then, settle them. And God hath no such way to bring his people to this, as by exercising them sometimes with these spirituall desertions. They that haue layd their foundation upon the rocke, did digg deepe first. Luk 6.48. That even as wee see the winds, and stormes, and frosts, that trees, and plants are subject unto, make them take deeper root, and so to be more fruitfull in due time; even so it is with the Lords plants also, none are so steady, and constant in a Christian course, none so full of the fruits of righteousnesse, as those that have tasted deep∣est of this cup of inward affliction. And this the Prophet giveth for a reason, why the Lord doth breake the hearts of his people, and make them mourne so, and giveth them the spirit of heavinesse, Esa. 61.3. that they might be called (that is knowne, and acknowledged even by others apparantly, and notoriously) trees of righteousnesse, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. So that that which the Apostle speaketh of all affliction, may be most truly said of this. Heb. 12.11. This chastisement for the present, seemeth not to be joyous, but grievous. (lesse comfort it hath in it, then any other affliction, more bitter, and grievous it is then any other) neverthelesse, afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righ∣teousnesse, unto them which are exercised thereby.

[ 5] The fift and last consideration that may stay, and comfort Gods people in that case is this, That certainly they shall not be overcome of this tentation, because God hath bound himselfe by promise, to sustaine them in it, and give them the victory over it. Psal. 37.24. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. Deut. 33.27. The eternall God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting armes. So that I may boldly say to thee that art in this case, as Psal. 55.22. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustaine thee. Yea, this affliction shall certainly have a comfortable issue, and end in much joy. Psal. 126.5. They that sow in teares, shall reape in joy, and Ioh. 16.20. Your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

And thus have I finished the first part of mine answer to the maine objection that Gods people that are in distresse of conscience, are apt to make against them∣selves. I have shewed you five props, that God in his word hath given them to stay them from being overthrowen by these winds, and stormes, and flouds, that beate upon them.

* 1.1Now followeth the second part of my answer, wherein I must shew you how, and by what meanes they that are in this case, may recover their com∣fort, and get the victory over this tentation. And here I must deliver to you, 1. certaine caveats, and tell you what you must take heed of, and not do, 2. cer∣taine directions, and shew you what you must do, if you desire to recover the comfortable assurance, and feeling of Gods favour, when you have lost it. The caveats are two.

First, take heed thou seeke not to ease, and deliver thy selfe out of this distresse by unlawfull means. And there be three false wayes, whereby men are wont to

seeke ease in this case, and to put God and their owne spirituall estate out of their mind. 1. By shunning that ministery, that did use to touch them to the quicke, and to pierce their hearts. Thus did Ahab shun Micajah, 1 Kin. 22.8. I hate him, for he doth not prophesie good concerning me, but evill. And Felix Paul, Acts 24.25. Goe thy way for this time, and when I have a convenient sea∣son, I will call for thee. 2. By giving over their private duties of rea∣ding and prayer, saying in their hearts, with that desperate Pursevant, whom Ioram sent to apprehend the Prophet. 2. Kings. 6.33. What should I wait for the Lord (serve the Lord) any longer? 3. By giving themselves over to carnall mirth, to drinking, and gaming, and good fellowship, according to the counsell Sauls Courtiers gave to him. 1 Samuel 16.16. Seeke out a cunning player on a Harpe,; and when the evill spirit from God is upon thee, let him play, and thou shalt be well. But take thou heed of seeking ease to thy soule any of these wayes, hate them, abhorre them that give thee this counsell, and say with Iob 21.16. Let the counsell of the wicked be farre from me; and with David, Psal. 119.128. I hate every false way. For 1. they that take this counsell, make Satan their Physician to cure them, when God hath made them sicke, their Surgeon to heale the wounds that God hath made in their soules. And certainely all his medicines, and salves, have deadly poison in them; the wounds hee seemes to heale, hee makes farre more incurable. The wounds that God makes, none but God can cure. Iob. 5.18. Hee woundeth, and his hands make whole. Gods meanes which they shunne, though they doe make them sad for a time, yet they have in them, the seed, and roote of comfort, and will bring the heart to comfort in the end, if they bee constantly, and conscion∣ably used, the sadnesse that they cause, maketh the heart better, as Solomon speaketh, Ecclesi. 7.3. That ministery that pierceth most, is of a healing, and comforting nature, compared therefore to an excellent oyle and balme, Psalm. 141.5. And of Religion, and religious duties, Solomon saith, Proverbs 3.17. All her paths are peace. Where as Satans meanes on the contrary, though they seeme to give ease, and joy to the heart for the present, yet indeede they doe the heart no good, they can worke no sound cure on a wounded spirit, Ecclesiast. 2.2. I said of mirth, what doth it? Nay, it makes the wound in the end, worse then it found it. Proverbs 14.13. The end of that mirth is heavinesse.

2. They that take this course, doe seeke to hide themselves from God, as Adam did, Genesis 3.8. 1. And what madnesse is it for a man to thinke hee can bee able to doe so? A child or a servant may runne away from his father, or Master, when they are angry or threaten them, but who can runne away, or hide himselfe from God? Psalme 139.7. Adam thought to have hidden him∣selfe, but hee could not, Genesis 3.9. 2. Admit one could doe so, yet is not that the way to recover his favour, by hiding our selves, or running from him, Draw neare to God (saith the Apostle, Iam. 4▪••.) and hee will draw neare to you.

The second caveat I must give you is this, take heed you yeeld not unto this [ 2] tentation, but resolve to resist it, that is the way to overcome it; if thou resist it not, thou art in danger to be overcome of it. Iames 4.7. Resist the Devill, and he will flye from you. When so foule a tentation as this is, to bee perswa∣ded that God hateth thee, and hath rejected thee, and is thine enemy, that thou hast no part in Christ, nor in Gods mercy, is suggested into thy mind, reject it with detestation, as our Saviour did the like, Matth. 4.10. Get thee hence Satan. But how should I resist it? wilt thou say. The Apostle telleth thee, 1. Peter. 5.9. Whom resist stedfast in the faith. Two things thou must do in this case. First, consider what God in his word hath said, concerning such as thou art. Search into the word, acquaint thy selfe with Gods promises. Thus did

Christ resist Satan, Matth. 4.4, 7, 10. This is the sword of the spirit. Ephesi. 6.17. Resolve therefore thus with thy selfe, as David doth, Psal. 85.8. I will hearken (not what Satan, or mine owne heart saith, but) what the Lord God will say of such as I am. Say to thine heart as our Saviour doth to the Lawyer, Luke 10.26. What is written in the Law? how readest thou? It is written, Psal. 103.17. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that feare him. And such a one thou canst not deny thy selfe to bee. It is written, Prov. 28.13. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but who so confesseth, and forsaketh them, shall have mercy. It is written, Ps. 105.3. Let the heart of them rejoyce that seeke the Lord. It is written, Rom. 5.20. Where sin abounded, there grace did much more abound. There is no comparison betweene the multitude, and hainousnesse of thy sins, and Gods mercy, or Christs merit. It is written, Iohn 6.37. Him that commeth to me (desireth unfainedly to have benefite by me, and to beleeve in me) I will in no wise cast out; and such a one thou canst not deny thy selfe to bee. And many other such comfortable promises are written in Gods word. Acquaint thy selfe with them, ô they may stand thee in great stead one day, David found this, Psal. 119.93. I will never forget thy precepts, for with them thou hast quickened me.

[ 2] Secondly. Resolve with thy selfe, thou wilt give credit unto and rest upon that which God hath said in his word, though a thousand Devils, and thine owne heart also should say never so much to the contrary, though thou have no feeling nor comfort at all in the assurance of Gods favour. Say with David, Psal. 56 3, 4. When I am afraid, I will trust in thee. Why so? In God will I praise his word, in God have I put my trust. As if hee had said; though I be full of feares, and consequently void of comfort, and feeling, yet I have Gods word and pro∣mise, and that I will trust to. For we live by our faith, and not by our feeling; Hab. 2.4. The just shall live by his faith. It is the nature of faith, to give credit unto, and rest upon the word, though wee see, or feele nothing to rest upon. Hebr. 11.1. Faith is the evidence of things not seene. So that looke what the Apostle saith of hope. Rom. 8.24. We are saved by hope, but hope that is seene, is not hope; the same may be said of faith, We are saved by faith, but faith that is seene, is not faith. Indeed that, and that only is true faith that is grounded, not upon any outward, or inward signes of Gods favour, not upon any thing wee see or feele, but upon the word and promise of God onely. According to that of David, Psal. 119.114. Thou art my hiding place, and my shield, and in thy word doe I trust. Wee must learne to beleeve and trust God, upon his bare word and promise, without any of these pledges, and pawnes of his, that are in our owne possession, else wee deale no better with him, then the most wret∣ched usurer that is, will deale with the veryest beggar, or bankrupt, yea, the fal∣sest, and dishonestest man in the world, hee dares not trust him on his word, nor on his oath, nor on his bond neither but upon a good pawne, and pledge he dare trust him. And for a most e••fectuall motive unto this, consider how fearefull a sin infidelity is, not to give credit to the word, and promise of God, to doubt of Gods love and mercy to thee in Christ. Iohn 16.9. He shall convince the world of sin, because they beleeved not on me. No sin in all the world, is so hainous as [ 1] that. Three things will make this evident to thee. First, consider the severity God hath shewed toward his dearest servants, for not giving credit to his word, even in such things as were most unlikely to come to passe. God had promised Moses and Aaron, that if they would speake to the rocke in the sight of the people, it should give forth water enough to satisfie the whole congrega∣tion, and their cattell too (a most unlikely, and incredible thing) yet because they did but doubt of this, God would not let them enter into the promised land. Numb. 20.8, 12. God had promised Zachary, hee would give him a son, by his wife Elizabeth (a thing most unlikely, in regard of the age of them both,

and her barrennesse) yet because he doubted of it, the Lord made him dumbe, Luke 1.20.

Secondly, Consider the nature of this sin. As by faith we greatly honour [ 2] God, and give glory to him. Rom. 4.19, 20. we sanctifie and hallow his name, as the Lord speaketh, Num. 20.12. Ye beleeved me not, to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel. So by infidelity, we rob God of his glory, and doe him the greatest dishonour and reproach that can be, 1 Ioh. 5.10. He that beleeveth not God, hath made him a lyar.

Thirdly. Consider the odiousnes of this sin in the effects of it, which are three. [ 3]

First, as faith is that that maketh us, and all our services acceptable, and pleasing [ 1] unto God, when they are done out of a perswasion of his fatherly love towards us, By faith (saith the Apostle, Heb. 11.4.) Abel offered a more excellent sacri∣fice then Cain. And he that would pray, must conceive of God as of his father. Mat. 6.9. Yea, whatsoever ye doe in word or deed (saith the Apostle, Colos. 3.17. if ye would have God to accept of it) do all in the name of the Lord Iesus (that is, in this perswasion that through Christ God is well pleased with you) giving thanks to God the father by him. So infidelity maketh us, and all our actions, prayers, preachings, almes, &c. odious unto God. Heb. 11.6. Without faith it is im∣possible to please God.

Secondly, As faith purifieth the heart, keepeth it in a care to please God, in a [ 2] feare to offend him, Acts 15.9. So infidelity defileth the heart, maketh it lesse fearefull to offend him, lesse carefull, and willing to doe him any service, lesse to hate sin, and to love goodnesse, in a word more apt to decline, and fall from God any way. This is plaine by that caveat that the Apostle giveth Heb. 3.12 (which it were good for Gods people that are in this tentation oft to thinke upon) take heed brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God. Marke 1. that it is infidelity that maketh the heart evill, and naught. 2. It is that, that maketh us apt to depart, and fall away from God.

Thirdly & lastly. As faith is the only Antidote, and defensative against all Sa∣tans [ 3] tentations, the shield that wil quench all his fiery darts, Eph. 6.16. So infideli∣ty maketh us naked, & layeth us open unto every tentation. He that wavereth and doubteth (saith the Apostle Iam. 1.6.) is like a wave of the Sea, driven of the winds, and tossed, So that to conclude this second caveat, I must say to every one of Gods children that is under this tentation, as the Apostle doth, Heb. 10.35. Cast not a∣way thy confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. And as the Prophet doth, Esa. 50.10. Who is there among you that feareth the Lord, that walketh in darknes, & hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay himselfe upon his God. As if he had said, If thou be of the number of them that feare to of∣fend God, though thou have no comfort, no feeling of his favor, no light, nothing but darknes, yet trust in God still for all that, & because of his word and promise resolve that thou wilt beleeve, and be perswaded of his love, and put thy trust in him, though he do withdraw the signes, and sense of his favour from thee, and say with Iob. 13.15. Though he stay me, yet I will put my trust in him.

Now if any shall object,* 1.2 and say. How can we resolve that we will beleeve, and be perswaded of Gods love? Is that in our power? Do you not teach wee have no freedome of will at all to that that is good?

I answer, & I speak it confidently upon cleare & certaine evidence of the word of God 1.* 1.3 That there is no more freedome of wil in any naturall man to that that is spiritually good, then there is in a dead man or in a stone to move it selfe. In Adam when he was created, we all had it, in Adam when he fell, we all lost it. But 2. I say, that by the second Adam, we have recovered it againe, & he by his spirit, doth worke in all the regenerate, a freedome of will, and ability to move our selves to that that is good; so as they can say, as Paul doth Rom 7.8. To will is present with me. And as David Psalme. 119.115. Depart from me yee evill

doers, for I will keepe the commandements of my God. And certainely there is great force in this to preserve us from any tentation, if wee would thus be∣fore-hand set our wills, and (as it were) harden our faces against it, by re∣solving with our selves, wee will not yeeld unto it, as David did. Psalme 119.57. O Lord I have said that I will keepe thy words, and sticke to it, and verse 106. I have sworne, and I will performe it, that I wil keepe thy righteous judgements.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Answ 2.
• * 1.2

  Object.
• * 1.3

  Answ. 1.