CHAP. XIV.

A Fourth is this: Doubts in this case are very sinful and grievous, especially to Page  178 a Soul in light, and to a Soul in trouble. To clear this, I will shew first, That they con∣tain in them exceeding great evil against God, in these things.

1. They are contrary to the Truth and Faithfulness of God: They are a denyal of the Truth of God manifested in the Promi∣ses, and by the testimony and witness of his Spirit: God hath made our way open to himself, and we are apt to say most wretch∣edly as the Church in Lament. 3.44. He co∣vereth himself with a Cloud, that our prayers should not pass through. He hath left upon you perhaps some marks of his love, he hath put into you some earnest of his favor; what are these but the voyce of God from Hea∣ven, that God is your God? and yet you say as the Church in her frowardness, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my God hath for∣gotten me.

Again, It is not only opposite to his Truth, but to his Love. When a friend comes to one (passionately affected in suspicion of his friendship) and saith to him, Sir, I love you, you are very dear to my heart; and he will not beleeve him, he takes it ill. God may say to us in the matter of his Love, as he said to them in the matter of obedience, What could I have done more? God may say, I have given them the knowledg of my self, I Page  179 have given them a heart to love me, I have given them all the pledges of my dear Love; and yet they will sit down in corners, and spend and waste themselves in mourning, because I love them not: What can I do more? In Deut. 1.32. God took it ill when his Word could not be taken, and when the manifestation of his Love was of no force: Yet in this thing ye believed not the Lord your God, who went in the way before you, to search out you a place to pitch his tent in, &c. Surely, saith God, there shall not one man of this evil generation go to see that good Land, that would not believe me. It may be our hearts may be somewhat like Jobs, in Job 9. saith he, If I have called, and he hath answered me; yet I will not believe that he will harken to my voyce. What a strange thing is this? Though he hath heard me when I came to him, and hath given me entertainment of a Father, and I did receive pledges of his Love; yet I will not believe that He loves me, and that he will hear me.

Again, They are diminutions of divine Favors: He that doubts his Interest, cannot so bless God in the enjoyment of wife, chil∣dren, and estate, and whatsoever carries sweetness in it; but bitterness of Soul over∣flows, and makes all things bitter; and he is apt to overlook all, who is not perswaded of Page  180 his Interest in God. In Esth. 5.13. you read of the froward spirit of Haman, and such a spirit is usually in him that feareth; What is all this to me, seeing Mordecai sits still at the gate?

Another evil against God is, That these doubts cause mis-interpretation of all di∣vine Actions: They make a man mis-con∣strue God in all things, whatsoever he saith or doth: God shall not be taken aright by that man that doubts his Interest in him. O Job! how wert thou mistaken, and what meanest thou to speak those words, Job 13.20. Wherefore hidest thou thou thy face from me, and holdest me for thy enemy? Why, did God ever take thee for his enemy? So ma∣ny, because God crosseth them in their de∣sires, and frustrates them in their hopes; O, say they, God is angry with me, he doth not love me. I might tell you the same in other dispensations of God; indeed that man can∣not be pleased.

Now we may consider how painful and vexing doubting is in that man that is alive, that is in a living state; and especially in an evil day: There are these three things that clear it.

1. This is a matter of greatest consequence, it's a business of the greatest weight. See you not a man sometimes, how heavily he Page  181 walks when his estate is in question? but much more when his life is in question: But what if his life and estate too be in question? That man that knows God truly, would ra∣ther endure the loss of ten thousand lives and estates, then the loss of Gods favor.

2. Another thing that makes it exceed∣ing heavy, is the loss of the sweetness of former experience. David in Psal. 42. complains of this, When I remember these things, I pour out my Soul in me; for I had gone with the multi∣tude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voyce of joy and praise, with the multitude that kept holy-day. And Job in Chap. 29.2. O that it were with me as in the days of old, and in months past, as in the days when God pre∣served me! when his Candle shined upon mine head, and when by his light I walk'd in dark∣ness: As I was in my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle, and when the Al∣mighty was yet with me. Thus that man that loseth the sweetness of his former experi∣ence, remembers the days of old, and that afflicts him.

Again, God will have it so, that where this thing is not yet driven home, and the Soul hath not duly sought, and so not found satisfaction concerning his Love, it shall be bitterness to him: I say, God will have it so, the Soul shall not enjoy it self. He doth Page  182 this, partly to give a demonstration of his own Excellency, and to vindicate it in the Soul; that a man may surely know and find that there is none like him: therefore saith he, I will take away the light of my face from that man; he shall have his house, and land, and estate, and see what he will do with them, what he can make of them: And by this the love and favor of God appears to be excellent.

Besides this, God loves his people; he will have their love, and will have his love sweetened to them, therefore it shall be bit∣terness to them when it is lost. Be perswaded then to make this your work, and rest not till you know that you have Interest in God: plead with David in Psal. 35. Lord, say unto my Soul, thou art my Salvation; not only be my Salvation, but say thou art my Salvation: And then though you may have many sad thoughts accompanying you, yet this will refresh you in the midst of all, as it did Da∣vid in Psal. 94.14. In the multitude of my thoughts thy comforts delight my Soul.