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 XXX. on Psalme 51.1, 2. Iune 27. 1626.

THe fourth direction I must give you for the recovering of your comfort, is this If thou canst not by this three-fold examination of thy selfe, find [ 4] any thing in thy selfe, present, or past, that may yeeld thee comfort; then take the help of some faithful friend, minister, or other, to whom thou maist make known thy estate. This course the Church took when she was in this case. Cant. 3.1—3. When she could not find him whom her soule loved, by her secret prayers, and meditations, or such like endeavours, she went abroad to seeke him, and came at length to the watchmen that went about the city. In this direction for the help of your understanding and memory, observe foure points.

[ 1] First. It is not safe to smother, and keepe in this griefe too long, some ease it will bee to the heart, to let it have a vent. As Elihu speaketh in another case, Iob 3••.19, 20. My belly is as wine that hath no vent, it is ready to burst like new bottells, I will speake that I may be refreshed. It is not good for a Christian in this tentation, to keepe Satans counsell, it is good to bewray and utter it to some, not to wrestle with him alone hand to hand too long. In this case is that saying of Solomon found most true. Eccl. 4.9, 10. Two are better then one, for if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

[ 2] Secondly. Another (yea though inferiour to thee in grace) may be better able to judge of thy estate, then thy selfe canst doe in this case of tentation, and trouble of thy mind. Say not, can any man know mee better then I know my selfe? 1. Cor. 2.11. What man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man which is in him? In this case hee may; we have a proverbe, that a stander by, may sometimes see more then a gamster can. Passion of griefe and feare will blind the judgement, and make it unable to doe his office. When Naaman was in a passion, his servants could judge better what was sit for him to doe then himselfe. 2. Kin. 5.12, 13.

[ 3] Thirdly. In this case it will appeare, what a benefit it is to live among them that feare God, to have acquaintance with them that are soundly religious. A private Christian that is faithfull, and experienced, may in this case of tentation, stand the learnedest, and worthiest man in great stead. We read in the booke of Martyrs, that Iohn Carelesse a poore weaver, did in a letter he sent him, absolve Master Bradford, who was much subject to affliction of conscience; and pronounced in the name of Christ that all his sinnes were forgiven; and Master Bradford professeth hee received more comfort by that letter, then hee had had in all the time of his imprisonment before. And no marueil: for this is also Gods ordinance, that private Christians should yeeld helpe one to another, and receiue helpe one from another in this case. 1 Thes. 5.14. I exhort you brethren, comfort the feeble minded; and Iames 5.16. Confesse your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. (He speaketh to them that were sicke, and in their sicknesse had trouble of minde for sin) The effectuall feruent prayer of a righteous man (be he Minister or private Christi∣an) availeth much.

[ 4] Fourthly. Yet is the faithfull Minister the fittest to bee advised with in this case. Iames 5.14. Is any man sicke, (such sicke folke hee meaneth, as were also troubled in minde for sinne, as appeareth verse 15.) let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let them pray over him. For the conscience of him that is in distresse, may more confidently rely upon the testimony, and sentence which ac∣cording to the word they give of his estate, then upon the testimony and sen∣tence of any other man. 1. Because they have their senses better exercised to discerne of good and evill, as the Apostle speaketh, Hebr. 5.14. 2. Because of the speciall authority and commission God hath given them in this case, Iohn 20.23. Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them. As it was in the case of Leprosie; As Mat. 8.4. The Priest must pronounce him that had beene leprous, to be cleane before he could be clensed, though one would have though another might have done it well, there being so particular directions given in the Law. Levit. 11.2, 3.37 49 and 14.2.

[ 5] The fift direction is, When neither by examining thy selfe, nor by the helpe of any other, thou canst recover thy comfort, yet seeke to God by fer∣vent prayer, and depend upon him for it This course Gods servants have taken in all their afflictions, and have found ease and comfort in it. Thus Sa∣muel when the people had exceedingly grieved him, by rejecting not his go∣vernment so much as the ordinance of God. 1 Sam. 8.6. hee betooke him∣selfe

to prayer. So David. Psal. 109.4. For my love, they are mine adversa∣ries; but I give my selfe unto prayer. So in this inward affliction of minde, (which is strange) even when they have lost the feeling of Gods favour, and that sweete peace, and comfort, that they formerly found in God, they have sought comfort by prayer also. Psal. 61.2. From the end of the earth will I crie vnto th••e when my heart is overwhelmed. Five notable encouragements Gods poore people may have, to seeke comfort by prayer (as in all other affli∣ctions so) in this especially.

First, The very opening of their griefe unto the Lord will be a great ease [ 1] to their heart. Experience prooueth it to bee a great ease to ones heart that is in extreme griefe and perplexity, to have a faithfull friend to open his griefe, and make his moane, and powre out his heart unto. Nature taught Haman that wretched man, when hee was full of heavinesse for the honour that was done to Mordecai, to ease his heart that way: Est. 6.13. Hee told Zeresh his wife, and all his friends euery thing that had befallen him. In which respect great Princes have esteemed it a cheife part of their happinesse, to have some speciall bosome friend, whom they might make use of this way. Such a one was Hu∣shai to David. 2 Sam. 15.37. and Zabud to Solomon, 1 King. 4.5. Now there is no such friend in the world for this purpose as the Lord is: Trust in him at all times, (saith David, Psal. 62.8.) ye people powre out your hearts (open your greifes) before him; God is a refuge for us. Thus Anna the mother of Samuel told Ely that shee had done. 1. Sam. 1.15. I am a woman of a sorrowfull spirit, and have powred out my soule before the Lord. Thus did Samuel her son seeke to ease his heart when it was full of heavinesse. 1. Sam. 8.21. Hee rehearsed all their words in the eares of the Lord; hee made his moane to God. Thus did Iob; My friends scorne mee, (saith he) Iob 16.••0 counted him an hypocrite▪ Oh heauie affliction for a man in his case to bee so iudged of, and censured by such men as they were: but mine eye (saith he) powreth out teares unto God; as if hee should say, That is all the helpe I have. Thus did Hezechiah, when he was in that paine, and anguish of spirit as the poore mother in trauell, whose child is even come to the birth, and shee wanteth strength to bring it forth; as hee complaineth to the Prophet, Psa. 37.3. He taketh Rabshakehs blasphemous let∣ter and goeth up to the house of the Lord, and spreadeth it before the Lord ver. 14. As if he had said, Behold Lord what hee hath written. O that wee would acquaint our selues so with the Lord, that wee might make him our bosome friend, and make this use of him in all our sorrowes.

Secondly, The Lord is able, and none but hee to yeeld us helpe in this case, [ 2] and restore us to our comfort. He maketh sore, (saith Eliphaz Iob 5.18.) and bin∣deth up, he woundeth, and his hands make whole. This is the Lords peculiar pre∣rogative to comfort a soule that is any distres. He is the father of mercies and God of all comfort as the Apostle speaketh, 2. Cor 1.3. I, even I am he (saith the Lord, Esa. 51.12.) that comforteth you. And therefore David when hee had lost his feeling, and comfort, cryeth oft earnestly to God to restore it to him, Psal. 51.8. Make me to heare joy and gladnesse. As if he had said, though never so much bee delivered to me for my comfort, by the skilfullest of all thy servants, I shall bee utterly uncapable of it, and remaine still deafe of that eare, till thou make me a∣ble to heare it. And vers. 12. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation. And 86.4. Rejoyce the soule of thy servant, for unto thee doe I lift up my soule. And thus should every one of us cry unto God for helpe and comfort, when we are in the like case.

Thirdly, The Lord as he is able, and none but he to revive such a soule, so [ 3] is he most ready to doe it, he is very pitifull, and of tender mercy; as the Apo∣stle speaketh, Iames 5.11. specially to his servants who are wounded in spirit: yea, he hath bound himselfe by promise to helpe such. Psal. 34.18. The Lord

is nigh to them that are of a broken heart, and saueth such as bee of a contrite spirit: and 147.3. He healeth the broken in heart; and bindeth vp their wounds: and Esa. 57.19. I create the fruit of the lips; peace, peace to him that is farre off and to him that is neere saith the Lord, and I will heale him. So that wee may boldly go to God and seeke to him for comfort, and even challenge him vpon these promises that he hath made unto us; and say unto him as Psal. 85.6. Wilt thou not revi••e vs againe: (but let us remaine so dead hearted) that thy people may reioyce in thee?

[ 4] Fourthly, The Lord doth therefore many times withdraw himselfe from his people, and deprive them of the sence of his favour, of purpose to make them more importunate in seeking to him by prayer. I will goe and returne to my place (saith the Lord Hos. 5.15.) till they acknowledge their offence, and seeke my face; in their affliction they will seeke mee early. And this was the cause why our Saviour was so harsh with the woman of Canaan, and caryed him∣selfe so strangely toward her a great while, even to try her faith, and en∣crease her fervencie and importunitie in seeking to him by prayer. Mat. 15.22.28.

Fifthly and lastly, Gods servants that have beene in this case have re∣covered [ 5] their comfort this way even by fervent prayer, when nothing else was able to doe it, and have set their Probatum est upon it. When David was in that case that hee said in his hast he was cast out of Gods sight, Psalme 31.22. Neuerthelesse (saith hee) Thou heardest the voice of my supplications, when I cryed unto thee; as if hee had said, By prayer I found comfort: and thereupon hee inferreth verse 23. O love the Lord all yee his Saints; as if hee should say, Who would not love so gracious a God that is so ready to bee found of them that seeke him, though it be in so weake a manner as I did. So Psal. 77. when he was in that case that he said verse 3. he remembred God, and was troubled, he complained, and his spi∣rit was overwhelmed within him; yet even then he found comfort by prayer ver. 1. I cryed vnto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice, and he gave eare vnto me.

The sixth and last direction that I am to give to them that being afflicted [ 6] in minde desire to recover their comfort, is this. Admit thou canst not finde comfort by any of the former meanes; yet consider well, and bend thy minde to meditate of that mercie, and goodnesse of God whereof David speaketh heere, and thou hast heard the handling of this Doctrine; and thou shalt finde that thou hast no cause to doubt but that hee lo∣veth thee.

[ 1] First, Consider the goodnesse of the Lord to all his creatures, even to the worst men that live, and even that may be a great helpe to thy faith in this case. Alas (thou wilt say) that is a poore helpe;* 1.1 if God be no otherwise good to me, if he love me no otherwise then he loveth them, what comfort can that yeeld me? O say not so: for the holy Ghost in the Word hath oft commended this to us for a helpe to our faith, and bids us observe how good the Lord is to all his creatures, and even to wicked men, for the confirming of our owne hearts in the assurance of his love to vs. So saith our Saviour to his elect disciples. Mat. 6.26. Behold the foules of the aire, and ver. 18. Consider the lillies of the field. Yea, one chiefe cause of that patience and goodnes that God sheweth to all his creatures, and to the vilest men, is that his owne people might have visible and palpable de∣monstrations of his speciall love and goodnes toward themselves, 2 Cor. 4.15. all things are for your sakes. And therefore David thus concludeth that 107. Psalme wherein he had at large discoursed of the goodnesse of God towards all sorts of men that are in distresse. verse 43. Whoso is wise, and observeth these things even they shall vnderstand the loving kindnes of the Lord. And from thence

Gods child, that is in distrest of conscience, may confidently conclude thus. If God be so good to them, then sure he will bee much more good to mee, and re∣spect me that through his mercy have obtained grace to feare him, and to desire to please him. Thus our Saviour teacheth his Disciples to reason. Matth. 6.26.30. Are not ye much better then they? Shall he not much more cloath you, ô ye of litle faith? And 10.31. Feare ye not therefore, ye are of more value then many sparrowes. So when David had spoken of the generall goodnesse of the Lord, extended to all men, Psal. 145.14—16. The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all that bee bowed downe, the eyes of all wait upon thee, thou satisfiest the desire of every living thing; Hee inferreeth from thence verse 18.20. The Lord is nigh to all that cast upon him, he will fulfill the desire of them that feare him, the Lord preserveth all them that love him.

Secondly, consider the goodnesse of God towards thy selfe in thy first con∣version, [ 2] when there was no goodnesse in thee at all, nothing but ignorance, and profanesse, when thou wert in thy blood, the Lord said unto thee, live, as hee spea∣keth, Ezek. 16.6. When thou hadst no mind at all to looke towards God, but carriedst thy selfe toward him as an enemy, hee cast a gracious eye upon thee, and changed thy heart, as he did upon Peter, when hee was renouncing, and forswearing him, Luke 22.61. when thou soughtest not to him at all, nor hadst any care of thy salvation, hee did seeke thee with great earnestnesse and patience, as he speaketh, Rom. 10.21. All the day long have I stretched out my hands unto a disobedient, and gaine-saying people. Yea, when thou wert running away from God in the broad way that leadeth unto destruction, he ranne after thee, and cryed to thee with great affection and love, as Cant. 6.13. Returne, re∣turne, ô Shulamite, returne, returne. And from this consideration, thou mayest thus reason with thine owne soule; did the Lord so love mee, when there was no goodnesse in me, and shall I thinke hee hateth me now, that by his grace hee hath wrought some desires in me to feare him, and to make conscience of my wayes? That cannot bee; for certainely the righteous Lord loveth righteous∣nesse, Psalme 11.7. Did the Lord so seeke after me, when I ran as fast as I could from him, and was he found of me when I sought him not, as he speaketh Esa. 65.1. and will he now reject me, and not bee found of me when he hath given me a heart to seek him? That cannot be, For, for that I had promise, but for this I have, 2. Chron. 15.2. If ye seeke him, he will be found of you.

Thirdly and lastly. Observe, and marke well the testimonies of Gods speciall [ 3] love and goodnesse towards thee, even now in this thy grievous affliction of mind, and spirituall disertion; and thou shalt find, that now hee seemeth to bee most angry with thee, he loveth thee dearely, in his wrath he remembreth mercy toward thee. For how falleth it out, that thou art not overcome of this so dangerous a tentation? thou still seekest to God, and art afraid to offend him? thou hast bin oft brought to the very brinke of desperation, yet thou art not fal∣len into the gulfe? Thou art perplexed, but not in despaire, cast downe, but not destroyed; as the Apostle speaketh, 2. Corinth. 4.8, 9. Thou hast beene as the bush that Moses saw. Exod. 3.2, 3. that burned with fire, and yet was not con∣sumed. What hath kept thee from falling into that gulfe, from being over∣come of Satan, from sinking utterly under this intollerable burden of a woun∣ded spirit? Certainely, certainely, thou art kept by the power of God, as the Apostle speaketh, 1 Peter 1.5. the Lord doth uphold thee. This is that, that David saith, speaking of such a one as thou art, Psalme 37.24. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast downe, for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. And as Moses speaketh, Deut. 3••.27. The everlasting armes have beene under thee. Certainely God never shewed more love to thee in all thy life, then thee doth now. Hee letteth thee see, and feele thine owne weakenesse, and readinesse to sin, that thou mightest have the better proofe of his marvellous power, and love

in upholding thee. Thus dealt hee with blessed Paul, 2 Corinth. 12.9. My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakenesse. As wee see sometimes a tender father, that perceiving his child loveth to bee too neere the fire, or water, will make as though hee would fling him in, but then taketh hee fast hold on him, least he should fall in indeed; even so dealeth the Lord oft with his dearest children, hee never holdeth them faster, then when hee seemeth even ready to cast them into hell, and into the gulfe of despera∣tion. So as (to conclude) if thou couldest observe the Lords dealing with thee now thou wouldest find cause to cry unto him with Da∣vid, Psalme 73.22, 23. O how foolish have I bin, and ignorant (to doubt so of thy love, to hearken so much unto Satan) I have beene as a beast before thee, neverthelesse (though I am apt to thinke thou hast quite forsaken me, yet I find) I am continually with thee, thou hast holden mee by my right hand.

Notes

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