There is a certain meekness of spirit whereby we yield thanks to God for any ability at all, and rest quiet with the measure of grace received, seeing it is God's good pleasure it should be so, who giveth the will and the deed, yet so as we rest not from further endeavoui's. But when, upon faithful endeavour, we come short of that we would be, and short of that others are, then Imow for our comfort, Christ will not quench the smoking flax, and that sincerity and truth, as before was said, with endeavour of growth, is our perfection. It is comfortable what God saith, ' He only shall go to his grave in peace, because there is some goodness,' 1 liings xiv. 13, though but some goodness. * Lord, I believe,' Mark ix. 24, with a weak faith, yet with faith ; love thee with a faint love, yet with love ; endeavour in a feeble manner, yet endeavour. A little fire is fire, though it smoketh. Since thou hast taken me into thy covenant to be thine of an,, enemy, wilt thou east me off for these infinnities, which, as they displease thee, so are they the grief of my own heart ?
[Chapter XIV. — The Case of Indisposition Resolved, and Discouragements.]
1. From what hath been spoken, with some little addition, it will not be difficult to resolve that case which some require help in, namely, whether we ought to perform duties, our hearts being altogether indisposed. For satisfaction we must know, 1, Our hearts of themselves do linger after liberty, and are hardly brought under the yoke of duty ; and the more spiritual the duty is, the more is their untowardness. Corruption getteth ground, for the most part, in every neglect. It is as in rowing against the tide, one stroke neglected will not be gained in three ; and therefore it is. good to keep our hearts close to duty, and not to hearken unto the excusea they are ready to frame.
2. In the setting upon duty, God strengtheneth his own party that he hath in us. We find a warmness of heart, and increase of strength, the Spirit going along with us, and raising us up by degrees, until it leaveth us as it were in heaven. God often delighteth to take the advantage of our indisposition, that he may manifest his work the more clearly, and that all the glory of the work may be his, whose all the strength is.
AND SMOKING FLAX. 67
3. Obedience is most direct wlien there is nothing else to sweeten the action. Although the sacrifice be imperfect, yet the obedience with which it is ofiered hath acceptance.
4. That which is won as a spoil from our corruptions will have such a degree of comfort afterwards, as for the present it hath of cumber. Feeling and freeness of spirit is oft reserved until duty be discharged ; reward foUoweth work. In and after duty we find that experience of God's presence which, without obedience, we may long wait for, and yet go without. This hin- dereth not the Spirit's freedom in blowing upon om* souls when it listeth, John iii. 8. For we speak only of such a state of soul as is becalmed, and must row, as it were, against the stream. As in sailing, the hand must be to the stern, and the eye to the star ; so here, put forth that little strength we have to duty, and look up for assistance, which* the Spirit, as freely, so seasonably will afi'oi'd.
Caution. (1.) Yet in these duties, that require as well the body as the soul, there may be a cessation till strength be repaired. Whetting doth not let {d), but fit. (2.) In sudden passions there should be a time to com- pose and calm the soul, and to put the strings in tune. The prophet would have a minstrel to bring his soul into frame, 1 Sam. xvi. 16, 17.
So Ukewise we are subject to discouragements in suffering, by reason of impatience in us. Alas ! I shall never get through such a cross. But if God bring us into the cross, he will be with us in the cross, and at length bring us out more refined ; we shall lose nothing but dross, Zcch. xiii. 9. Of our own strength we cannot bear the least trouble, and by the Spirit's assistance we can bear the greatest. The Spirit will join his shoulders to help us to bear our infirmities. ' The Lord will put his hand to heave us up,' Ps. xxxvii. 24. ' You have heard of the patience of Job,' saith James, chap. V. 11. We have heard likewise of his impatiency too ; but it pleased God mercifully to overlook that. It yields us comfort also in desolate con- ditions, as contagious sicknesses, and the like, wherein we are more imme- diately under God's hand. Then Christ hath a throne of mercy at our bed's side, and numbers our tears and our groans. And, to come to the matter we are now about, the Sacrament,t it was ordained not for angels, but for men ; and not for perfect men, but for weak men ; and not for Christ, who is truth itself, to bind him, but because we are ready, by rea- son of our guilty and unbelieving hearts, to call truth itself into question. Therefore it was not enough for his goodness to leave us many precious promises, but he giveth us seals to strengthen us ; and, what though we are not so prepared as we should, yet let us pray as Hezeldah did : ' The Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary,' 2 Chron. xxx, 19. Then we come comfortably to this holy sacrament, and with much fruit. This should cany us through all duties with much cheerfulness, that, if we hate our corruptions, and strive against them, they shall not be counted ours. It is not I, saith St Paul, but ' sin that dwelleth in me,' Rom. vii. 17 ; for what displeaseth us shall never hurt us, quod noil placet, non nocet, and we shall be esteemed of God to be that we love, and desire, and labour to be. What we desire to be we shall be, and what we desire truly to conquer we shall conquer ; for God will fulfil the desire of them that fear him, Ps. cxlv. 19. The desire is an earnest of the thing desired. How little encouragement will carry us to the affairs of