A discourse concerning trouble of mind and the disease of melancholly in three parts : written for the use of such as are, or have been exercised by the same / by Timothy Rogers ... ; to which are annexed, some letters from several divines, relating to the same subject.

CHAP. VII.

Of the great joy that fills a Soul, when the favour of God returns to it, after ha∣ving been long in darkness; And the joy is great in several respects, As it was unexpected; As it discovers God to be re∣conciled, and gives the mourner a posses∣sion of Christ by faith, through the influ∣ence of the Holy Spirit; It revives his Graces, delivers him from the insulting of the Devil; shews the soul its interest in the Promises.

JOy cometh in the morning, Psal. 30.5. Having in several Chapters, shewed what a mourn∣ful night it is to a deserted soul, when God is withdrawn, and what passes then; it is now time to hasten to what is more pleasant and reviving, according to the order of Divine Providence, which appointeth that where there has been weeping in the night, in the morning there should be joy: Hence we may observe, The return of Gods favour to a soul is matter of great joy to it; or these words may denote the promp∣titude and readiness of Divine Consolations.

Three things are the usual occasions of joy, all which are in this case: 1. The remembrance of some danger that we have lately escaped. 2. The

possession of a present good. 3. The solid expectation of some future happiness.

First, The remembrance of a past danger, does oc∣casion a more lively sense of joy. As past joys renew our grief, and make our sorrows more sorrow∣ful; so the griefs that are part, give us a sweeter and a better tast of joy; after long sickness and acute pain, 'tis very pleasant to be at ease; 'tis pleasant to rest when we have been tired all the day with hard labour; the Laurels of a Soldier flourish with a purer Green when they have been obtained with a mighty difficulty; the danger of the Combat brightens the glory of the suc∣ceeding Triumph. 'Tis grateful to the Mari∣ner to stand upon the firm Land, and from thence to behold the waves in which he had like to have been thrown away; one that has been long in chains, rejoyces to find himself at liber∣ty; 'tis pleasant after a man has been long a∣thirst, to be refresht with the fountain of Living waters; it renders the joy more accomplished, and more satisfying, when refreshment comes after long and grievous miseries: After long despair, the least beam of hope is more reviving; a man that has lost his way all night, has cause to rejoice at the sight of day, As to persons newly converted, their faith is full of joy when they compare their former danger, and their present safety, their former darkness and the shining light that guides their paths; so to souls that have been in great anguish and tribulation for sin, that have ap∣prehended themselves to be cast out of the pre∣sence of the Lord, 'tis very pleasant to behold

his face again; 'tis pleasant to such as by reason of their sore affliction have been Companions to Owls and Dragons, to come into Religious As∣semblies, and instead of solitary groans and tears, to join with the multitudes of those that keep Holiday; the soul is then like that of the Returning Prodigal, finds it self in the Arms and Embraces of a Loving Father, and well treated, when it looked, as it might justly, for rebukes and wrath. Thunder and Lightning, and Storms, make the calm and pleasant weather more grateful to us; 'tis pleasant after long ab∣sence, to meet our friend again; we find a joy sparkling in our eyes and in our breasts, at the sight of them whom we have not seen for many sad and doleful years; whom yet we longed to see; and that which heightens our pleasure is, when a blessing arrives to us that was unexpected; that mercy docs fill us with the biggest joy which is extremely suitable to us, and which yet we hoped not to receive. The Crown sat the easier upon David's head, after he had so often thought that he should have fallen by the hands of Saul. As life tasts with a better relish when there has been but one step between us and death. With what Transports doth a kind mo∣ther see her Son coming home whom she gave for lost and dead! What a chearful Interview was that which Jacob had with his Son after he had so often thought that he had been torn to pieces! as soon as he came near, he fell upon his neck, and there the revived soul of the poor old man was ready even with excess of pleasure to melt away; he never thought to have seen

his Joseph, his dear Joseph any more; he was even with sorrow for his apprehended death, going down to the Grave; and the news of his Son's welfare made him to be young, and live again; for at the hearing of it, the spirit of Ja∣cob revived, and Israel said, It is enough, Joseph my Son is yet alive, I will go and see him before I die, Gen. 45.28. And so the Jews having liber∣ty to return from Babylon, were so surprized with the favour of their sudden deliverance, and the greatness of the mercy, that they could hardly think it true, it seem'd to be the meer effect of Imagination, which during the Interruption of our usual thoughts, by sleep put several deceits upon us, Psal, 126.1, 2. When the Lord turned again the Captivity of Zion, we were like them that dreamed. They were delivered in a manner illu∣strious and surprizing, and it is thus exprest for three Reasons: 1. A man does not foresee what he dreams of; a man that is apt to be cherish∣ed with sound and refreshing sleep, does not know whether he shall dream or not. So this deliverance arrived to them when they thought not of it. 2. As it arrived without any pain to them that were delivered; as when we dream we are in repose, and are at no trouble; and this heightens the glory of a deliverance, and the love of the deliverer when the person delivered takes no care about it. 3. This deli∣verance was above all that they could hope for; as if a man dreamed of something like it, but which he saw not when he was awake, for such are the Chymera's which the Imagination then forms, and which fall not under the notice of

our senses; such a thing was never heard or seen before* 1.1.

The return of comfort to a Soul that was even expiring in grief and sadness, is like the raising of Lazarus to his mourning Sisters; they thought that if the Lord had been there, he had not died; but they did not in the least think that he should be raised again. The re∣view of our former miseries does encrease the sense of present happiness; the light which the Grace of the Gospel brought into the world, and that dissipated the obscurities that compassed it about, made the Apostles full of admiration, and of wonder; when they thought of their former ignorance and error, and the light and knowledg that God had given them, ever are they wondring at the Riches of his Grace, that instead of the corruption in which they were plunged, gave them Sanctification, Joy and Hope: What a surprize was it to the poor Shepherds that were in the field, watching their flock by night, Luk. 2.9. to see an Angel and the Glory of the Lord shining round about them! To see such a Glory when they thought of nothing less, nor did expect so great a Grace* 1.2 but 'tis usual with God to bestow the most eminent favours when men do not look for them; as Christ came to seek Sinners when they thought not of him, and when their minds were filled with other objects, they were afraid; for great objects, when they present themselves suddenly to us, usually give us much astonishment; for our spirit on these occasions has not the liberty to use its forces, and they

are most frequently dissipated, and that dissipa∣tion causes fear; when a soul has long had in it self the sentence of condemnation, a pardon from God is very comfortable; our former darkness does encrease our present comfort, as shadows set off the light.

2. Joy arises from the possession of a present good: Thus is the presence of God unspeakably sweet to a soul from which he was once departed: I. As it now thinks upon him as reconciled: 2. As it has by faith possession of Christ, by whom his fa∣vour is restored; as our sadness came by unbe∣lief, so does our joy by faith. When it was in anguish, every thought of God was terrible and amazing, but now nothing is so refreshing, so desirable, so satisfying, as to think of him. Psal. 94.19. In the multitude of my thoughts with∣in me, thy comforts delight my soul. Now the poor finner does not look upon him as an enemy, but as a Father; sees no more in his hand a flaming Sword, but a Scepter of Grace; hears no more his angry voice, but his gentle com∣fortable Calls and Invitations; according to that in Isa. 66.13. As one whom his mother com∣forteth, so will I comfort you, and ye shall be comfor∣ted; and when ye see this, your heart shall rejoyce, and your bones shall flourish like an herb. Oh what a joy is it to the soul to find God with it! to behold the wonders of his pardoning mercy! to see that all its unbelief, all its impatience, all its murmurings in its wilderness-condition, shall not finally obstruct its Journey to the Land of Promise; to be pardoned, when they thought

themselves actually dying in their guilt, does aggravate the mercy of escape. 'Tis true, God loves his people even when he is angry with them; he designs their good by the sharpest and severest strokes; and when he withdraws, 'tis that they may give a better welcome to him at his return; when our lower Region is most cloudy, the Sun is still full of light; but it is pleasant to us to see the clouds vanish, and the sky clear, and to be refreshed with his inliven∣ing beams again. God indeed is the same for ever; our distresses, our fears, and our trou∣bles, do not alter his kindness; these several va∣riations in us, make no change in him; no more than the several alterations in the air, infer a diversity in the Sun, which is one and the same it self, tho the changes be multiplied here be∣low; but yet even Paternal wrath is wrath still, and his Love is what we ought earnestly to desire, and at the manifestation of which we should greatly rejoyce. It was once the say∣ing of Mr. Peacock under great distress of Con∣science, Oh God reconcile me to thee, that I may tast one dram of thy Grace, by which my miserable soul may receive comfort! Such was his longing after him; and afterwards when the storm be∣gan to cease, being put in mind of God's mercy to him, he said. Oh the Sea is not so full if water, nor the Sun of light, as God is of Goodness; his Mercy is ten thousand times more! The good man long'd but for a drop before, and he had given him full draughts of Consolation; so far are the ways of God above our ways, and his thoughts above our thoughts; in our sore trials

we think of God as a frowning Judge, but when we are deliver'd, we see him to be our best friend; that he is really kind to us, of whom we were so much afraid; who can express the joy of having him at peace with us! There is a Heaven in the smiles of a Reconciled God. Fi∣gure to your selves, as one expresses it* 1.3, a per∣son that is condemned to death for his Crimes, and who at the same time that he prepares to undergo it, sees an Herald from the King bring∣ing his pardon in his hand, and stops the Exe∣cution, by crying, Mercy, mercy, to the mi∣serable man! with what transports of joy does the poor Malefactor see this Messenger, and hear these tidings! such and so pleasant is the joy, that a deserted Christian finds after he heard the sentence of ruin, and saw it near, when the Law condemned him, and his Conscience ecchoed to the voice of the Law, to find that he is absolved, that the Sentence is reversed, and the sins that made him afraid, are blotted out, then it is that the mourning foul dares to look up to God, as being no more at war with him, nor afraid of the Thunder of his Power; then it is refresht with his sweet and amiable Attributes, and then the disorders and the pangs that it felt within, are vanisht, and all is quiet; then it dwells not as in the shadow of death, nor as on the borders of eternal grief.

Secondly, As the deserted soul does by faith ob∣tain a possession of Christ, so it is full of joy; and Christ is both the Object and the Author of it;

he has purchas'd it by his own blood, and has born our griefs, that we might not mourn for ever; the having of him is a constant inexhau∣stible source of joy to the believer, to be posses∣sed of this Saviour, who is the brightness of the glory, and the express Image of the Father. His Word, his Wisdom, his Love, and his Good∣will, the Treasury of his Graces, in whom his Fulness dwells; this Divine Saviour is our Light that chases away the darkness of our night, and who with his Gracious hand dries our eyes; this is that Glorious Sun that arises with healing on his wings; that not only chears our hearts, but cures our wounds, dispells the night, and makes the voice of sighing to ex∣pire at the first dawning of the day; this is the Tree of Life, the Coelestial Manna, that gives us Immortality* 1.4 This is our David that defeats our Enemies; our Solomon that establishes among us a sweet and inviolable peace; he ex∣piates our Crimes, and gives our minds rest; he saves us from the wrath to come; he deli∣vers us from our sins, from Hell, from our sla∣vish fears, and causes us at length in our dark∣est and most tempestuous nights to hear his Voice, saying, It is I, be not afraid. We are first sadned by unbelief, and faith doth first revive us; and this faith is attended with joy and peace; when the poor deserted soul begins to apprehend its Interest in Christ, how are all its apprehensions changed, saying, Heretofore in my terrible anguish I thought that he was my certain enemy, that I had no portion in his Blood, nor any share in his Intercession: That

as I was under unbelief, so I should be vastly more miserable than those that never heard of him, than Heathens and Pagans, and all the rest of men to whom the Gospel never came; I then thought and was fully perswaded, that I should not hear of him with comfort any more; I then thought that I should see him co∣ming in the Clouds to my terror; that I should be placed at his left hand; and from thence be com∣manded to depart, and now he is come in a way of mercy and of love: He has pleaded for me, when I had nothing to say for my self; and his Word has calmed the storms that made me so much afraid. He cast an eye of Love upon me, when I expected nothing but his frowns; now can I go and pray in his Encouraging Name; and now I have hope when I pray; his Satisfaction and his Intercession are both the constant fountains of my joy.

3. This joy that comes after a night of sad and mournful desertion, it the work of the blessed Spirit; who is stiled by way of Eminency, the Comforter: and Peace is one of the fruits of the Spirit; he causes us to close with Christ, and to embrace the Promises: He assists our weakness, and tea∣ches us to pray: He convinces us of sin, and lays us low, that he may raise us up again: He humbles, and purifies, and fits our hearts for lasting and abiding joys; this joy is not the pro∣duct of a natural temper, but a disposition that hath its Original from Heaven, and leads us thi∣ther; it is not the pleasant motion of our natu∣ral spirits, to which it owes its birth, but as our

grief was in our souls, so the joy is in the same: as our Consciences were disquieted, so it is in them that he works a stillness and repose.

4. This Joy revives our Graces: In this mourn∣ful Night we were quite blasted with the vio∣lence and fury of the storm: We were like the Ground in Winter, destitute and forlorn, and no fruit appeared: but the manifestation of God's favour is to us as the return of Spring, Cant. 2.11. For lo the Winter is past, the Rain is over and gone, the flowers appear on the Earth, the time of the singing of Birds is come, and the voice of the Turtle is beard in our Land. The Fig-tree putteth forth her green Figs, and the Vines with the tender Grape give a good smell. That solitary season is now gone, wherein nothing but doubts and fears, and de∣spondence, and accusations, did overwhelm the soul; the floods that kept it under, are dried, and there is now a chearful and a pleasant alte∣ration: the Clouds are vanisht, and the Sky is bright: and a new World and face of things does now appear: His return to his Ancient Mercies is like Noah's entrance into the World after it had been cleansed and washed by the Deluge. God's Favour makes our Tears to be as the gentle dew of Night, which with the warin∣ing kindly beams of the Sun, makes the Plants and Herbs, the Gardens and the Flowers, to look more fresh and green. When God departs, our weakness to what is good encreases; we have no power left, but the joy of the Lord is our strength, Neh. 8.10. This is like the return of health, and good digestion, to one that has been

long sick; it causes a new ferment and motion in the blood, and makes all his actions to be accompanied with more life and vigor; men under strange fears and amazement are incapa∣ble of service; and when we are deserted, so are we. When we apprehend our selves to be cast∣aways, we offer the bread of mourners, if we offer at all; but none of our Sacrifices are with joy and gladness of heart. A man whose bones are broken, cannot go about his work; and when our spitits are wounded, if we work at all, we do but lamely set about it. We may halt a lit∣tle, but we cannot run the way of God's Com∣mands. Our sorrows make us serious, and thoughtful, but 'tis joy that makes us active; 'tis the oyl of gladness that causes our wheels to move, and us to advance forward, as in the Chariots of Aminadab. One that is hungry or a thirst, uses but feeble endeavours, to what he does that is newly refresht.

5. This joy that comes in the Mornings, after a Night of weeping, is very pleasant to the Soul, as it it then delivered from the insultings and triumphs of the Devil: In that doleful Night, that evil spi∣rit does continually terrifie and fright us; but when the morning comes, he that dreads the light flies away. Then it is in some measure with us, as it was with our Saviour in the Wil∣derness, When the Devil left him, Angels came and ministred unto him. Tho there is between him and us a vast disparity; he conquered and was no way worsted by it; but we come bleeding from the field of Battel; our souls are defiled

with his Temptations; and the hurts we receive in our Conflicts, do now and then pain us, and yield us remembrances of our sin by their pain and smart, it may be, to our dying day: But however, it is a joy to us, to think that tho we were beset on every side, yet we are es∣caped as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler, The snare is broken, and we are escaped, Psal. 124.7. God has brought our souls out of the deep Dun∣geon, and he that was our Gaoler had not power enough to keep us there; tho the deli∣verance that we have had, is so strange, and so miraculous, that our going out is like that so Peter, Act. 12.9. He went out, and wist not that it was true which was done by the Angel, but thought he saw a Vision. It was wonderful to Peter that had looked for a sudden Execution on the next day, to come to his praying-friends in safety; and so it is to us, who thought our selves a while ago doom'd to die. The Devil hath win∣now'd us; and, Oh that we could say, That our chaff is gone! This Archer hath sorely shot at us, but thanks be to God, he hath not obtain∣ed his design, which was our total ruin. We have been in a very fiery furnace. Oh that it were with us as with the three Children that came out, and were not hurt at all. We have been in a den of Lions, in a howling Wilder∣ness, but we have not perisht there; it is a pleasure to us that we have now something to answer the great accuser of the Brethren; that now we can by faith in our great Captain, ward off his blows, and quench his fiery darts.

6. This joy that comes in the morning after deser∣tion, is from the propriety that we have in God, and in the Promises of the Gospel; as David says, Psal. 42. ult. He is the health of my countenance, and my God. 'Tis pleasant to know that God is good; but more pleasant to us when we taste his Good∣ness: When we can say with the Blessed Vir∣gin, Luk. 1.46, 47. My soul doth magnifie the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Savi∣our, for he hath regarded the low estate of his hand∣maiden. 'Tis pleasant to hear of Christ, but more pleasant by far, when we with old Simeon embrace him in our Arms; and say with the Church, I am my beloved's, and he is mine. Then the soul will be cheared with perpetual delight, saying, Having God, I have enough: Enter into thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. When it can reflect and think of him as its own portion, then the sor∣rows and darkness of the Night are gone; for it has God, that is all light, and with him is no darkness at all; and to see the light, and to pos∣sess it, is the same thing. There is, as one ob∣serves, a reflected and a direct Light, I see Palaces, and Mountains, and Towns, and Fields, and Trees, with a reflected Light; and hence it is, that I see them without possessing them; but I see the light of the Sun, and of the Stars, by direct rays, and in seeing them I pos∣sess; for to rejoice in the light of the Sun, and to possess it, is the same thing. We now see God indeed by a reflected light, which comes to us from the Creatures; and hence it is that all those that see him, do not possess him; but

in Heaven God will be seen without Vails and Reflexions. His light will be a direct light, which will fill us throughout; it was a com∣fort to the Patriarchs and holy men of old, to have the hope of Christ's appearance; they saw his day afar off, and they rejoyced; but how much more is it to that soul that has actually seen him come, and not only spreading his beams to remove the general darkness of the world, but shining with a peculiar light and heat into its self. It is peculiarity that endears the most of things to us; our own Friends, our own Relations, our own Joys, are the most pleasant. It is not from Christ's being singly considered as a Mediator, that we derive this comfort; but from the reflexion that we are able to make of our happiness in him; it is that which creates the sweetest motions in our hearts. Before this propriety, there may be a calmness of spirit, and lesser degrees of Complacency, expressing themselves in love, and hope, and de∣sire; but 'tis the actual possession of a good as our own, that is the Parent of a real joy; the Christian may find some comfort in beholding the Incarnation, the Sufferings, and the Pro∣mise of his second Coming; but when the soul can say, He died and rose again for me; this touches it with a very lively satisfaction, and makes it say as in Hab. 3.17.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Monsieu. Charles in loc.
• * 1.2

  Claude Traitte de la Composi∣tion d'un Sermon! p. 267.
• * 1.3

  De Lang-Treize Ser∣mons, pag. 850.
• * 1.4

  See Dail∣le on Phil. IV. v. IV.