The dejected soules cure tending to support poor drooping sinners. With rules, comforts, and cautions in severall cases. In divers sermons, by Mr. Christopher Love, late minister of Laurence Jury. To which is added, I. The ministry of the angels to the heirs of salvation. II. Gods omnipresence. III. The sinners legacy to their posterity.

SERMON XVI. (Book 16)

Psal. 42. 11.

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him—The health of my Countenance, and my God.

I Now come to give you some practical instructions by way of Rules.

My work for this morning shall be to prescribe some Theological rules to those who are greatly troubled and dis∣quieted in soul under the guilt of sin: rules of two sorts; there are Directory rules and Consolatory rules; rules by way of Direction, and rules by way of Consolation.

I begin with the first directory Rules; there are eight * 1.1 Rules what they might doe to allay trouble and disquiet of Conscience when it is excessive and inordinate.

First, When thou art excessively troubled under the guilt * 1.2 of sin take this Rule, what troubled thoughts thou hast about the guilt of sin, spend them upon the power of sin within thee; this is a holy diversion, to be always con∣versant about the power of sin; it is an evangelical and a gracious temper; if Christians were more troubled about the power of sin, they would be lesse troubled about the guil of sin; the Divel doth not care if Professors of Reli∣gion be terrified Christians, so they be not mortified Chri∣stians.

Secondly, Keep conscience clear, that thou do not add

guilt to guilt; adding guilt to guilt, is the way to add horror to horror, and terror to terror upon the conscience; guilt in the conscience doth contract dismal fear, amaze∣ment and consternation of soul; if conscience doth not shut sin out of doors, why sin will shut peace of conscience out of doors: It is a rule that Bernard gives, Conscience is to be comforted, but first it is to be purified and made clean; this rule is laid down by Eliphaz, if I mistake not, Job 11. 14. If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away; and let not wickedness dwell in thy Tabernacles. Beloved, that is the way to keep cut fear, to keep out guilt; if conscience be not a swept and a cleansed room, it will gaul, disquiet and vex thy soul; to have conscience pacified, when it is not purified, is but to skin over an old sore, which before it be healed, will break out again; peace saith Bernard, in many men is worse then a spiritual conflict; such a peace for a man to have peace in his conscience, when he indulgeth guilt in his conscience; expect not trouble of conscience to be allayed, if thy conscience be not purified; Prov. 29. 6. In the * 1.3 transgression of an evill man, there is a snare; but the righteous doth sing and rejoyce. By snare, Solomon there means horror of conscience, it appears by the opposition; Interpreters give this rule, that in the Proverbs of Solomon, that one opposition doth explain the other; why here the righteous shall sing and rejoyce in his grace; but the wicked shall have a snare in his sin; he shall have horror and dread of con¦science in the sight of sin; Prov. 15. 15. A good and a clear conscience doth keep holy day every day of his life, though he hath hardly any thing else to feed upon; guilt on the conscience, is the way to cause a resurrection of thy fears and doubts, and to bring all thy spiritual hopes to the grave.

A third Rule is this, Take heed thou dost not go about to allay the disquiet of thy soul for sin, by sin, that is a third Rule; to run to vain pleasures, and to sensual delights to stop and quell the voice of conscience, what is this but to go to the Divel for a plaister to heal the wounds of thy soul: Beloved, these men that go to allay trouble of mind

for sin, by sin, they go the way to make conscience recoyl and turn upon them with more fiercenesse, and more savage cruelty: It is just as a man that is a thirst, he will drink a draught of poyson to quench his thirst; O! when thou art scorcht with God's wrath, and to allay this, dost drink a draught of sin? what dost thou but drink so much poyson? Many men when they are under trouble of mind, they will go to sin for a shelter, and there a Serpent puts them to more pain.

A fourth Rule is this, Fix your thoughts on the eviden∣ces of your graces, when your hearts are overmuch disqui∣eted in the sight of sin; as trouble of conscience in the sight of sin, will keep a man that he shall not be proud in the sight of his grace; so the evidence or sight of grace, will keep a man that he shall not be excessively troubled in the sight of sin.

Fifthly, Ponder in your meditations the comfortable promises of the Gospel, rather then the threats of the Law; if I were to speak to a secure sinner, I would give him a quite contrary rule, that he should rather ponder on the threats of the Law, then the promises of the Gospel; but to a sinner greatly prest under the weight of God's wrath, he must take this word rather to ponder on, the promising part of the word, then on the threatning part of the word, Prov. 25. 12. As an ear-ring of gold, and as an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover to an obedient ear. The good word of a * 1.4 promise, makes glad a poor soul that stoops in heavinesse under the guilt of sin: A Pot when it boyls over the fire, and boyls too fast, cast a handful of Salt, and it will allay the boyling of the Pot; when thy soul boyls, and is restlesse in disquiet for trouble of sin, and boyling too fast, cast in a handful of Salt, a handful of the Promises of the Gospel, this will allay the excessive trouble and disquiet of thy soul. The Promises are called by one, the Instruments of a Christan's peace; they are called God's proclamations of pardon to a poor creature; they are the character wherein he may read all his Priviledges: O study them well.

A sixth Rule, Compare the guilt of you sins, with the

merits of Christ's righteousnesse, and you will find that there is more in Christ's righteousnesse to save, then is in sin to damn; Christ's righteousnesse is imputed to a believer, that the guilt of sin might not be charged on him; as Christ's Person is above thy person, so Christ's righteousnesse is above thy righteousnesse; this the Apostle layeth down, Rom. 5. 15. The gift by grace hath abounded to many. The gift doth * 1.5 exceed the sin exceed the offence; compare but them in thy thoughts, and that will be a means to al••ay the trouble o•• thy heart.

Seventhly, Disclose and reveal that sin, the guilt whereof doth so much disquiet thy soul, unto some judicious com∣passionate and experienced Christian; giving vent to your own sorrows by complaints, is a great way to ease the mind▪ If in Innocency God thought fit that Adam should not be alone, but should have a helper; much more now in a state of defection since the fall, do we need others help as well as our own; if Jesus Christ when in an agony, God thought fit to send an Angel to comfort him; O then do not believers need much more, when they are in their spiritual agony and conflicts, and temptations, do they need some to comfort them: The Apostle on this ground bids Christians to comfort one another, 1 Thes. 4. last v. Comfort you one another, &c. 1 Epistle 5. ••4. Comfort the seeble minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. God doth enjoyn Christians this mutual act of love, comfort ye one another: As it is in an Arch, it is so artificially built, that though the stones of the Arch do all hang downwards, yet one stone doth support another that they do not fall. O beloved Christians, that are lively stones in Christ's spiritual building, you should be as the stones of an Arch, that though one stone doth hang downward, yet the stones next it should bear it up; this makes Solomon say, two is better then one, for if one fall, the other should help him up.

In this there are three Cautions to be observed: * 1.6

First, You are not to reveal that sin for which your con∣science troubles you to every man, but to a man that is experienced: Judas, when he was troubled in conscience

for betraying Jesus Christ, it is said that he went to the high Priest, and to the Pharisees, and confest to them, I have sinned in betraying innocent blood; why, they did not compassionate him: So shouldst thou go to some men and complain to them, they would jeer at thee, and send thee away with a flout and a scoff; go to those that are more compassionate, most judicious, most acquainted with the spiritual state of a Christian. Beloved, in our bodily in∣firmities, when a man is sick, he doth not tell every neigh∣bour he is sick, and reveal his infirmity to all, but to a Doctor; A man in trouble of mind, it is not for him to go to every one, to men that wants bowels and experience, and wants wisedom to speak a word in due season to a wearied heart; Many men are like a company of Deer, when one Deer is shot, all the rest of the head of Deer runs away from the wounded Deer, and leaves it to shift for its life; when a man is wounded in conscience, the arrows of the Almighty sticking in him, they think it is a melancholy wound in him, and they are shie of him, they run away from him; O go to those that can shew most bowels of compassion towards you.

Secondly, Thou must not disclose thy particular sin on every slight trouble, unlesse thy trouble be very urgent and vexatious in the soul: Beloved, you do not go to the Chi∣rurgeon for every aking finger, and for every slight wound; it is not for every slight trouble of mind to disclose thy particular sins; consession to another man should never be, but when all means thou hast used thy self nothing can comfort thee, when thy spirit is troubled with great bitter∣nesse; only in a case of urgent necessity must you open your selves to another man.

Thirdly, Following this rule, take heed when thou re∣vealst thy mind to any, do not deal doubly with that man. Men will come sometimes to a Minister, and tell him they are troubled in mind, but they will not tell what it is that puts a sting into conscience, but will open some other thing that is slight and trivial, but not open the real thing that doth trouble them: the Lapwing will not cry neer her nest,

but afar off: Many men carry themselves so that you shall not find out their nests; their beloved sins they wil not reveal and disclose them.

The eight Rule is this, When thou art disquieted for sin, then go to God through Christ in prayer to pacifie thy Con∣science and speak peace to thy soul when thou art troubled; we can speak peace, but it is God that gives peace: this is one prerogative ascribed to God that he is a God that con∣sorts them that are east down, 2 Cor. 7. 6. Nivertheless, God that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the com∣ming of Titus. He is a God that creates peace out of no∣thing. It is very observable in Isa. 8. 11. For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not work in the way of this people. That when God would com¦fort the Prophets against the accusations and combinations of the enemies against the Church of God, he spake to them with a strong hand; the tongue is the instrument of speech, not the hand; we speak with our tongues, we can speak to a man comfortable words, but we cannot make you believe them; But the Scripture saith, God speaks with his hand, because he can doe what he speaks; his Word is like Christ's Word in the 9. chap. of Mark, Christ spake to the Winds, and to they were still and there was a great calm. Beloved, God's word it hath a hand in it, it can doe what it speaks: O then go to God through Christ in prayer and in having recourse to God; There are two Things you are to beg of God in prayer if you would have the trouble of soul allay'd.

First, Beg of God to have a share in the blood of Christ that merits thy peace, and to have a share in the Spirit of Christ that works thy peace; These are the two main things in prayer to allay the trouble of soul for the guilt of sin.

First, Beg a share in the blood of Christ that merits thy peace, Colos. 1. 20. And (having made peace through the blood of his Cross) by him to reconcile all things to himself, whether things in Earth or things in Heaven. There is peace with God and a peace in thy conscience; peace with God and peace in thy conscience, it is the certain issue of Christ's Personal treaty

with God the Father in Heaven. As it was typed under the Law, Exod. 12. 23. For the Lord will pass through to spoil the Egyptians: and when he seeth the blood upon the lintell, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and not suffer the destroyer to smite you. The blood of the Paschal Lamb that did besprinkle the posts of the door of any house, it was a pledge that there was peace and safety in that house: If thou hast the blood of this Paschal Lamb Jesus Christ sprinkled on the door posts of thy Conscience, this will be a sign that there shall be peace and safety in thy house; the de∣stroying Angel shall pass over.

Secondly, Next to this beg a share in the Spirit of Christ that works thy peace; therefore it is that the Spirit is called the Comforter as well as the holy Ghost: He is called the holy Ghost, to shew, that it is one part of his Office to work holi∣ness in us; and called the Comforter, to shew, that it is one part of his Office to comfort his people; and thus I have run hastily over the Directory rules to allay excessive disquiet of soul under the guilt of sin.

2. I now come to lay down some Consolatory rules, what rules may be giuen to comfort a godly man that is grievously * 1.7 vext and disquieted under the guilt of sin; I beseech you follow me a while; There are six Consolatory rules to be laid down for to comfort a godly man that is disquieted in * 1.8 soul under the guilt of sin.

First, Take this Rule for to comfort thee; if the power of thy sin do not prevail over thee, thou maiest be sure the guilt of thy sin shall never damn thee; why then think if sin hath not a domineering power in the filth of, it shall never have a damning power in the guilt of it. O thou mortified Christian, it may be thou art troubled at what thou hast do••e when thou wast a child; but hast thou mortified those sins? then my soul for thine those sins thou hast destroyed shall never damn thee: it may be thou art troubled about the guilt when thou hast destroyed the power. O lift up thy head the guilt shall never damn thee when the power doth not prevail over thee.

Secondly, It is better for a Christian to have a soul trou∣bled

too much for sin then too little or nothing at all for sin; It is better to have a troubled and a terrified conscience then to have a stupified conscience; better to have a sore then a seared conscience, better to have the conscience raw and gauled then to have it benumbed and no way sensible of the evil of sin. Why beloved, there is more hope of a soul in a spiritual Feaver, that is in disquiet, that is raging by reason of the accusation of conscience, that is lying under trouble and disquietness of his own apprehension, then of him that lies under a spiritual Lethargy, sleeping and snor∣ting in his sins, which doth never trouble him; a wound that hath raw and quick flesh in it, it will easier be heal'd then a wound that hath proud and dead flesh in it: if thy Conscience be dead flesh, thou art not so neer healing as when thy Conscience is raw and gauled flesh; it was one mark of Leprosie that was unclean, if there was dead flesh in the sore; noting a benumbed and a stupified Conscience argues an unclean Leper, one in a state of nature; It is better to have God's Officer conscience to be over busie, to be too much checking and curbing thee, then to have no office of Conscience stirring in thee: This is another consideration for the comforting of an afflicted soul.

Thirdly, Observe this Rule for the comforting of thy soul under trouble of mind, consider that God's mercy and Christ's merits in the pardoning the guilt of thy sin thou hast committed, is far greater then the greatnesse of thine own guilt; Rom. 5. 15. But not as the offence, so is the free gift; for if through the offence of one many be dead; much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, by one man Jesus Christ, hath abounded to many. The meaning is, That that gift Jesus Christ, the value and worth of man, did far exceed the guilt and evil of sin; it is expressed in Psal. 32. he that trusteth on the Lord, mercy shall compasse him round about. My own fault is very great, but God's grace and mercy is far greater; God when he is said to pardon sin, in Micah 7. 18. Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgressions of his people? he retaineth not anger, because be delighteth in mercy. He is said to throw them into the

bottom of the Sea; the red Sea could as easily drown Pharaoh and his host, as well as one single man: Beloved, the red Sea of Christ's blood can as well cover an Army, an Host of sins, as well as one single sin; the Sea can as well cover the Whale, as lesser fishes; the Sea of Christ's blood can cover great sins as well as small; David makes it an argument, Psal. 25. 11. For thy name sake, O Lord, pardon mine * 1.9 iniquity, for it is great: Pardon my sin, for it is great: That is, although it is great, and so you have often the particle used in Scripture, the Lord would not punish man, for the ima∣ginations of his heart is evil; that is, though his heart be evil. It is observed that the Ark wherein the moral Law was kept, the mercy seat covered the whole Ark wherein the Law was kept; to note Beloved, that Jesus Christ, the mercy of God and merits of Christ, it provides a propitia∣tion, a covering of all the breach of the Law, the mercy seat is broad, and large enough to cover all; therefore let this be of great comfort.

Fourthly, Observe this, That the more trouble of mind thou dost lie under for the present in the sense of sin, the lesse trouble thou shalt have in the future: God doth with his People, as Land-Lords do with their Tenants; if a Land-Lord take a great Fine at the first coming into the house, he doth take the less yearly rent for the future: God takes of you a great Fine at the first; he maketh sin cost thee many a tear, many a nights trouble, many a days dis∣quiet; the greater Fine God taketh of thee, the less yearly rent he expects of thee; the more thou art troubled for the present, the less fear and torment shall be thy portion here∣after; am I troubled now? it is that I might have more peace when I come to die, that in the residue of my days I might have joy and peace in believing: O think then if God upon thy first coming into Christ, maketh thee pay dear for thy sin, and maketh thee smart for it, why there is less sorrow and trouble for thee in the time to come.

Fifthly, Art thou troubled in soul for sin? take this com∣fort, that the more thou art troubled for sin, why thou art the neerer getting out from the Divel, when the Divel maketh

Conscience howl, it is an argument the Divel is thrown out, & sin is thrown out. When the Divel had a long continuance in the Child, the Divel did not trouble the Child so much; Marke 9. 26. And the spirit cryed, and rent him sore, and came out of him, and he was as one dead, insomuch that many said, He is dead. It is said that when the Divel came out of the Child, then the Divel rent him sore, and laid him down for dead. O Beloved, when the Divel is in a man, when the strong man hath a full possession of a man, the Divel doth not trouble him then: As Stella saith, The Divel would not have him suffer one touch of Conscience then; but when the Divel is going out, and sin is thrown out, then the Divel rends a man, and lays a man for dead; this is the property of the Divel. Gregory in his Comment upon the Book of Job, hath a notable saying, saith he, Therefore the Divel doth more vehemently stir up fears and doubts in the heart, because sin is thrown out of the heart. O let this comfort thee, Doth the Divel trouble thee more then ordinarily? doth thy Conscience terrifie thee, that thou art a burden to thy self? Beloved, it is an argument that the Divel is a casting off, and sin is casting out; O comfort thy self, I hear the noise of Conscience every day; I hear my Conscience suggest this guilt to me, and that to me; O blessed be God I hear my Conscience to roar and howl; why the more hopes I have that the Divel is throwing out, and sin is casting out; that is a fifth Consideration.

Sixthly and lastly, Take this for thy comfort, that there are more promises of the Gospel made to men in this con∣dition, then to any other sort of men in the world; I could give you multitudes of promises to men in this case, Matth. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. So in Isa. 54. 10, 11. ch. 35. 4. ch. 57. 15. Many other Texts I could give you where God maketh abundant * 1.10 promises to men under disquiet of soul, under the guilt of sin; when Children are well, they shall have it may be but pebble stones to play withal; but if there be one sick Child in the house, the Mother goeth to the Cabinet, and looketh out fine things to quiet the Child: O Beloved, it may be

healthful Christians shall go on comfortably, and shall have now and then smiles of God's face towards them, but God's rich Cabinet of promises are open to them when they are sick, when a poor sinner suspects that he is not pardoned, then God comes with a promise to comfort him that he is pardoned. The well children in the house is beloved by the Parents, but the sick Child is dandled on the knees; the well Child may have bread and butter, but the sick Child hath the comfortable things to comfort it. Beloved God's sick Children, that are sick with sin, that are greatly troubled in Conscience, God provides for them the promises to allay and pacifie the troubled spirit. O let these words of comfort sinke into your hearts.

Notes

• * 1.1

  8. Directory Rules.
• * 1.2

  1. Rule. Rules to pre∣vent and cure inordinate sorrow for sin.
• * 1.3

  Prov. 29. 6.
• * 1.4

  Prov. 25. 12.
• * 1.5

  Rom. 5. 15.
• * 1.6

  3. Cautions.
• * 1.7

  Consolatory Rules.
• * 1.8

  6. Rules.
• * 1.9

  Psal. 25. 11.
• * 1.10

  Isa. 54. 10, 11. & 35. 4. & 57. 15.