The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs ; published by Thomas Goodwin ... [et al.]

CHAP. 16. Another Ʋse, to teach us not to be discouraged at this different temper of our Spirits, but to be hum∣bled for it. Five Helps against discouraging thoughts. Two objections. (Book 16)

USE, 2. (Book 16)

THe second use of this point is this: If there be such a difference between the hearts of Gods people at some time, from that they are at others, hence is an in∣couragement to the servants of God, to teach them, though they do not feel their hearts always in the same temper, and to have the same spirit to do good, not to be discouraged: it is true we should be humbled for want of having our hearts up at any time, but be not discou∣raged, because it is no other but what befals the most dear servants of God, and though you do not find your hearts up always as at some time, do not therefore con∣clude there is now no good at al in me, for Gods peo∣ple

are ready and prepared for every good work, and my heart is thus dul, and heavy and dead, and it wil never be otherwise with me, I am afraid whensoever I shal be called to the service of God, my heart wil be thus, and I shal forsake God, and betray the cause of God; Do not reason thus to discourage your selves: take heed of those determining thoughts: to determine that your hearts wil be always so because they are so for the present, there is a great deale of difference be∣tween the spirits of Gods people at some times, and at o∣ther times, and therefore there may be so in you. For your help against these discouraging thoughts.

First, Consider that you have union with a princi∣ple that is ful of al Grace, though you do not feel the influence of it, at all times alike, you have union with a principle so ful that you have no cause to determine against your selves.

Secondly, Know you have promises that are ful of Grace, for the encouraging of Gods servants: Promi∣ses that there may be drawn abundance of good from; and therefore you cannot determine that it shall not be otherwise with you.

Thirdly, know the glory of God is as deare and pre∣cious to him as your own souls are to you; and there∣fore if so be the cause, the honor of God depend upon it; know God wil take care for his own honor, you are afraid you should betray the cause of God because you find your hearts so down now, and perhaps if they were so down then when God calls you to stand for his cause it might be so: but what is it that troubles you? you are afraid to bring guilt and misery upon your selves and dishonor God; but know the glory of God is precious to him, and being it is engaged in you that you should dishonor him; being one of his, he wil take care of you.

Fourthly, Consider how God hath come in gracious∣ly to supply his people in the time of need, he hath fil∣led

their spirits in the time of straights when he hath cal∣led them to any hard work, and they have done that which they thought they should never have done, as it is with wicked men: you see some so vile and wicked, as you could never have thought they should have been, so the Godly though som••imes their hearts are down, yet at other times they have such assistance, and enlarge∣ment and fulness of the spirit, as one would never have thought they should have had.

Fifthly, God hath made a mighty difference in your estates from that they were before, and therefore why should you not hope that God will make a difference between that we are now, and that we may be hereafter, If God have wrought the least degree of saving grace in you, he hath made more difference between you, and one that is in his natural condition, than there is between you and the gloryfied Saints: (as I have noted before) and if God have made such a great difference, why should you disturbe your selves to think it wil never be other then it is now?

Sixthly, nay I appeal to you, have you never found your hearts up for God? was there never a time that there was quickning and enlarging of your hearts for God, that you have felt some comfortable fitness for service, or suffering?

Object. I cannot but say it hath been so with me, but it is gone, and down again; there are none but have some flashings, and stirrings, and some good moods, and mine may be no more for all I know; grace is a con∣stant thing, and the heart is established with it, and therefore though I feel my heart a little up sometimes, yet they are but such flashings as any may have, that have no grace.

Answ. To that I answer, There are some works of Grace that are steady, and constant, that do more im∣mediately

flow from the principles, and being of Grace: and there are other works of Grace that are more re∣mote, that are not so steady and constant.

1. There are some that are steady and constant; as these two things: take Gods people, and consider of them in any condition, if they know but their own hearts, they will find these two things: First, An ap∣proving of the life and power, and the strictness of the waies of Godliness. Secondly, they wil find a savor of that which is spiritual, either in Ordinances, or in Gods People, their hearts will savor them, though their hearts be very much down, yet these two things they find constant.

2. But for the abilities to perform duties, for abilities in service or suffering; they do not lie so next the root of Grace; they are but as the Leaves, or the blossoms, or the fruit: now though the sap be constant at the root, yet the blossoms, leaves, and fruit are not.

Object. But you wil say, Being there may be good moods in men, take the worst of all, though their hearts be naught sometime, yet their hearts are up at other times, and may not you instead of encouraging Gods Servants, encourage the wicked? they may think, we hear there is a difference between Gods People, they are not alwaies alike: so it is with me, somtimes I am distempered, but at other times (thanks be to God) it is better with me, and so instead of taking away discou∣ragements from those that are weak, there may be en∣couragement to the wicked, and therefore where lies the difference between the good moods that some have, that have no true Grace, and the difference of spirit in those that have true Grace?

To that I Answer.

First, There may be a difference discerned by that which hath been said; there is somthing is constant:

Whether is that which lay at the root of grace in you still there? If you do not find those two things con∣stant (viz. An approving of the life and power and strictness of godliness; and a savor of that which is spi∣ritual, either in Ordinances, or in Gods People) all your good moods in the world, though your hearts be never so up, wil not discover the truth of grace.

Secondly, Those that have only some good moods at some time, and no bottom of any true grace, they in their good moods are not humbled for that which was failing in them before; their hearts indeed are som∣times up, and they bless themselves in that; but now this doth not make them look back how it was hereto∣fore with them, and to be ashamed and humbled for the wretchedness, and distempers of their hearts formerly: but where the heart is up for God in those that have truth of grace, when their hearts are most up, then they make use of this to be abased, and humbled in their own thoughts for the deadness and distemper that was in their hearts before; the good moods of others rather puff them up, than further any work of humiliation for any evil that was in them before, they think these good moods now, and being in a good temper, shall satisfie God for their evil distempers that were in them before: But it is not so with a gracious heart, a gracious heart when it does get up, it makes use of this work of God upon it, to be ashamed and confounded in its self for those evil distempers that were in it before. The more the heart is up, the more discovery it hath of its own baseness, and vileness, and wretchedness, which o∣thers when their hearts are up, have not.

Thirdly, Gods People when their hearts are up, that doth bring gracious discoveries of God unto them, and of those things that do wonderfully spirituallize their hearts: others though they have their hearts up, they only have some affections, but in those good moods of theirs, they have not those Heavenly discove∣ries

of God, so as to purge their hearts, and spiritual∣lize their hearts, and make their hearts to be more hea∣venly as it doth the godly.

Fourthly, Those that have only good moods, and no truth of grace, when they have their good moods, they are not by them carried out of themselves to a principle beyond themselves, but they rest in the workings that they feel in their hearts: whereas a gracious heart when God raiseth his heart, and puts it into a better frame, this carries it out of it self, to a principle beyond it self, and it dare not rest in those stirrings and workings it finds for the present, to think, now I am safe and well, because of them, but by these it is carried beyond it self.

Fiftly, Where there are only good moods, and not the truth of the work of grace, they do not work so seasonably, and orderly, as the breathings of Gods spirit in his servants do: but the breathings of a gracious heart coming from the spirit of God, it works seasonably, and orderly in their hearts, when there is a spiritual use of them, in that hour shall it be given to you, saies Christ, the spirit shal come upon you when you have most use; whereas in others, their good moods work only accor∣ding to outward occasions, and as means come in; but now at those times when they have most use of them, they are furthest from them.

Sixtly, Where the heart is right, and truly godly, and God comes and breaths in it more than formerly, such a one wil watch over it self, and wil not be secure after this; but the other grow less watchful, and more secure upon such moods.

Seventhly, Those that are truly gracious, though they do not find their hearts up alwaies alike, yet when they find their hearts down, they count it their sickness, and their disease, and it is the disquiet and trouble of their spirits; whereas others that have only some moods, they are not sensible of their hearts being down

as their sickness and disease, and the burden and trouble of their souls.

Lastly, In those that have grace when their hearts are up at any time, it is but a preparation for some fur∣ther service; others having but moods, their hearts be∣ing up, this is the period of all their godliness, in which they rest; but the godly, when their hearts are up, at some time more than at others, it is but a preparation for further Service, 1 Chron. 29.18. The hearts of the people were up, and David blest God for it, and saies he, prepare their hearts unto thee: unsound hearts would say, now our hearts are up, and we have offered thus freely; are we but in a preparation? Yet David praies to God to prepare their hearts, as if all their heart and affection at that time was but a preparation to fur∣ther duty: and this is the difference between the good moods of the greatest Hypocrite, that come to the high∣est pitch, and the difference between the breathings of Gods Spirit; and by these means only presented to you it may be some help to discern the difference between good moods at some time, and the different breathing of Gods Spirit in his people.