Third Part — Chapter 6
Deeds for your Lands you prove, and keep with care;
O that for heaven you but as careful were.
OBSERVATION.
VVE generally find, men are not more careful in trying gold, or in keeping it, than they are in examining their Deeds, and preserving them; these are virtually their whole estate, and therefore it concerns them to be careful of them: If they suspect a flaw in their Lease or Deed, they repair to the ablest Counsell, submit it to his judgment, make the worst of their cause, and query about all the supposeable dangers with him; if he tell them their case is suspicious and hazardous, how much are they perplexed and troubled? they can neither eat, drink, or sleep in peace, till they have a good settlement; and willing they are to be at much cost and pains to obtain it.
APPLICATION.
THese cares and fears, with which you are perplexed in such cases, may give you a little gimpse of those troubles of soul, with which the people of God are perplexed about their eternal condition, which perhaps you have been hitherto unacquainted with, and therefore slighted them, as phansi[•]s and whimsies, I say, your own fears and troubles, i[•] ever you were ingaged by a cunning and powerful adversary in a Law-suit for your estate, may give you a little glimpse of spiritual troubles; and indeed it is no more but a glimpse of it: For as the loss of a earthly (though fair) inheritance is but a trifle to the loss of God, and the soul to eternity; so you cannot but imagine, that the cares, fears, and solicitudes of souls about these things, are much, very much beyond yours. Let us compare the cases, and see how they answer to each other.
You have evidences for your estates, and by them you hold what you have in the world. They also have evidences for their estate in Christ, and glory to come; they hold all in capite, by vertue of their intermarriage with Iesus Christ; they come to be enstated in that glorious inheritance, con[•]ained in the Covenant of grace. You have their tenure in that Scripture, 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23. All is yours, for you are Christs, and Christ is Gods. Faith unites them to him; and after they believe, they are sealed by the Spirit of promise, Eph. 1. 13. They can lay claim to no promise upon any other ground; this is their title to all that they own as theirs.
It often falls out, that after the fealing and executing of your Deeds or Leases, an adversary finds some dubious clause in them, and thereupon commences a Suit of Law with you. Thus it frequently falls out with the people of God, who after their believing and sealing time, have doubts and scruples raised in them about their title. Nothing is more common, than for the devil and their own unbelief to start controversies, and raise strong obj[•]ctions against their interest in Christ, and the Covenant of promises. There are cunning and potent adversaries, and do maintain long debates with the gracious soul, and reason so cunningly and sophistically with it, that it can by no means extricate and satisfie it self; alwayes alledging, that their title is worth nothing, which they poor souls are but to apt too suspect.
All the while that a Suit in Law is depending about your title, you have but little comfort or benefit from your estate; you cannot look upon it as your own, nor lay out moneys in building or dressing, for fear you should lose all at last. Iust thus stands the case with doubting Christians, they have little comfort from the most comfortable promises, little benefit from the sweetest duties and Ordinances; they put of[•] their own conforts, and say, If we were sure, that all this were ours, we could then rejoyce in them: But alas! our title is dubious, Christ is a precions Christ, the promises are comfortable things, but what if they be none of ours? Ah! how little does the doubting Christian make of his large and rich inh[•]ritance?
You dare not trust your own judgments in such cases, but [••]ate your case to such as learned in the Laws; and are willing to get the ablest counsel you can to advise you: So are poor doubting Christians, they carry their Cases from Christian to Christian, and from Minister to Minister, with such requests as these; Pray tell me, what do you think of my condition? deal plainly and faithfully with me; these be my grounds of doubting, and these my grounds of hope. O hide nothing from me! And if they all agree that their case if good, yet they cannot be satisfied till God say so too, and confirm the word of his servants; and therefore they carry the case often before him, in such words as those, Psal. 39. 23, 24. Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts, and see if there be any way of wickedness in me.
You have little quiet in your spirits, till the Case be resolved, your meat and drink does you little good; you cannot sleep in the night, because these troubled thoughts are ever returning upon you: What if I should be turn'd out of all at last? So it is with gracious souls, their eyes are held waking in the night, by reason of the troubles of their hearts, Psal. 77. 4. Such fears as these are frequently returning upon their hearts. What if I should be found a self-deceiver at last? What if I do but hug a phantasm instead of Christ? how can this, or that, consist with grace? Their meat and drink does them little good; their bodies are often macerated, by the troubles of their souls.
You will not make the best of your condition, when you state your case to a faithful Councellor; neither will they, but oft-times (poor pensive souls) they make it much worse than indeed it is; charge themselves with that which God never charged them with, though this be neither their wisdom, nor their duty; but the fears of miscarrying make them suspect fraud, in all they do or have.
Lastly, when your title is cleared, your hearts are eased; yea, not only eased, but overjoyed; though not in that degree, nor with the same kind of joy, that the hearts of Christians are overflowed, when the Lord speaks peace to their souls. O welcome the sweet morning light, after a tedious night of darkness; now they can eat their bread with comfort, and drink their wine (yea if it be but water) with a merry heart, Eccles. 9. 7.
REFLECTIONS.
O How has spirit been tossed and hurried, when I have met with troubles and clamours about my estate! but as for spiritual troubles, and those soul-perplexing cases that christians speak of, I understand but little of them. I never called my everlasting state in question, nor brake an hours sleep upon any such account. Ah, my supine and careless soul I little hast you regarded how matters stand, in reference to eternity! I have strongly conceited, but never throughly examined, the validity of my title to Christ and his promises; nor am I able to tell, if my own conscience should demand, whereupon my claim is grounded!
O my soul! why art you so unwilling to examine how matters stand between God and you? art you afraid to look into your condition? least by finding your hypocrisie, you shouldest lose your peace; or rather your security. To what purpose will it be to shut your eyes against the light of conviction, unless you couldst also find out a way to prevent your condemnation? You seest other souls, how attentively they wait under the word, for any thing that may speak to their conditions. Doubtless you hast heard, how frequently and seriously they have stated their conditions, and opened their cases to the Ministers of Christ. But you, O my soul! hast no such cases to put, no doubts to be resolved; you wilt leave all to the decision of the great day, and not trouble your self about it now. Well, God will decide it, but little to your comfort.
I have heard how some have been perplexed by litigious adversaries, but I believe none have been so tossed with fears, and distracted with doubts, as I have been about the state of my soul. Lord what shall I do? I have often carried my doubts and scruples to your Ordinances, waiting for satisfaction to be spoken there. I have carried them to those I have judged skillfull and faithful, begging their resolution and help, but nothing will stick. Still my fears are daily renewed. O my God do you decide my case! tell me how the state stands between you and me; my dayes consume in trouble, I can neither do, or enjoy any good, while things are thus with me; all my earthly enjoyments are dry and uncomfortable things; yea, which is much worse, all my duties and your Ordinances prove so too, by reason of the troubles of my heart! I am no ornament to my profession, nay, I am a discouragement and stumbling-block to others! I will hearken and hear what God the Lord will speak, O that it might be peace! if you do not speak it none can; and when you doest, keep your servant from returning again to solly, lest I make fresh work for an accusing conscience, and give new matter to the adversary of my soul!
But you, (my soul) enjoyest a double mercy from your bountiful God, who has not only given you a sound title, but also the clear evidence and knowledge thereof. I am gathering, and daily feeding upon the full ripe fruits of assurance, which grow upon the top boughs of faith, while many of my poor brethren drink their own tears, and have their teeth broken with gravel stones. Lord, you hast set my soul upon her high places, but let me not exalt my self, because you hast exalted me; nor grow wanton because I walk at liberty, lest for the abuse of such precious liberty, you clap my old chains upon me▪ and shut up my soul again in prison.
The Poem.
MEn can't be quiet till they be assur'd That their estate is good, and well secur'd. To able Counsel they their Deed submit Intreating them with care t'examine it Fearing some clause an enemy may wrest, Or find a flaw; whereby he may devest Them, and their children. O who can but see How wise men in their generation be! But do they equal cares fears express About their everlasting happiness? In spiritual things 'twould grieve ones heart to see What careless fools; these careful men can be. They act like men of common sense bereaven, Secure their Lands; and they'l trust God for heaven. How many cases ave you to submit, To Lawyers judgments? Ministers may sit From week to week, and yet not see the face Of one that brings a soul concerning Case. Yea, which is worse; how seldom do you cry To God for counsel? or beg him to try You[•] heart[•]; and strictest inquisition make Into your state, discover your mistake.
O stupid souls! clouded with ignorance, Is Christ, and heaven no fair inheritance Compar'd with yours? or is eternity A shorter term than yours? that you should ply The one so close, and totally neglect The other; as not worth your least respect. Perhaps the D[•]vil whose plot from you's conceal'd Perswades your title's good; and firmly seal'd By G[••]'s own Spirit, though you never found One act of saving grace to lay a ground For that perswasion. Soul he has you fast, Though he'l not let you know it till the last.
Lord waken sinners, make them understand 'Twixt you, and them; how rawly matters stand. Give them no quiet rest, until they see Their souls secur'd, better than Lands can be.
