No creature under heaven so low cast down as Satan, none more hfted up in pride, none so fuU of discord. The impurest spuits ai'e the most disquiet and stormy spirits, troublesome to themselves and othei'S ; for when the soul leaves God once, and looks downwards, what is there to stay it from disquiet ? Remove the needle from the pole-star, and it is always stirring and trembling, never quiet till it be right again. So, displace the soul by taking it from God, and it will never be quiet. The devil cast out of heaven and out of the church, keeps ado ; so do unruly spuits led by him.
Now I come to the remedies. , 1. By expostulation icith himself, Why art, &c.
2. By laying a charge upon himself, Trust in God.
Trust in God. It is supposed here, that there is no reason, which the wisdom from above allowB to be a reason, why men should be discouraged; although the wisdom from beneath, which takes part -R-ith our coiTuption, win seldom want a plea. Nay, there is not only no reason for it, but there are strong reasons against it, there being a world of evil in it.
For, 1. It indisposes a man to all good duties, it makes him like an instru- ment out of tune, and like a body out of joint, that moveth both uncomely and painfully. It unfits to duties to God, who loves a cheerful giver, and especially a thanksgiver. WTiereupon the apostle joins them both together, ' In all things be thankful, and rejoice evermore,' 1 Thess. v. 17, 18. lu our communion with God in the sacraments, joy is a chief ingi-edient. So in duties to men, if the spirit be dejected, they are unwelcome, and lose the greatest part of their Ufe and grace ; a cheerful and a free spirit in duty is that which is most accepted in duty. We observe not so much what, as from what affection a thing is done.
2. It is a great wrong to God himself, and it makes us conceive black thoughts of him, as if he were an enemy. What an iujuiy is it to a gracious father that such whom he hath followed with many gracious CAidences of his favour and love should be in so ill a frame as once to call it into question !
3. So it malies a man forgetful of all former blessings, and stops the in- fluence of God's grace for the time present and for that to come.
4. So, again, for receiving of good, it makes us unfit to receive mercies. A quiet soul is the seat of wisdom ; therefore, meekness is required for the receiving of that ' engrafted word which is able to save our souls,' James i. 21. Till the Spirit of God meekens the soul, say what you will, it minds nothing ; the soul is not empty and quiet enough to receive the seed of the word. It is ill sowing in a storm ; so a stormy spirit will not sufier the word to take place. Men are deceived when they think a dejected spirit to be an humble spirit. Indeed, it is so when we are cast down in the
144 THE soul's conflict.
sense of our own unworthiness, and then as much raised up in the confi- dence of God's mercy. But when we cast ourselves down sullenly, and neglect our comforts, or undervalue them, it proceeds from pride ; for it controls, as much as in us lies, the wisdom and justice of God, when we think with ourselves, Why should it be so with us ? as if we were wiser to dispose of ourselves than God is. It disposeth us for entertaining any temptation. Satan hath never more advantage than upon discontent.
5. Besides, it keeps off beginners from coming in, and entering into the ways of God, bringing an ill report upon religion, causing men to charge it falsely for an uncomfortable way, whenas men never feel what true comfort meaneth till they give up themselves to God. And it damps, likewise, the spirits of those that walk the same way with us, whenas we should, as good travellers, cheer up one another both by word and example. In such a case the wheels of the soul are taken off, or else, as it were, want oil, whereby the soul passeth on very heavily, and no good action comes off from it as it should, which breeds not only uncomfortableness, but un- settledness in good courses. For a man will never go on comfortably and constantly in that which he heavily undertakes. That is the reason why uncheerful spirits seldom hold out as they should. St Peter knew this well, and therefore he willeth that there should be * quietness and peace betwixt husband and wife, that their prayers be not hindered,' ]. Pet. iii. 7, insinuating that their prayers are hindered by family breaches ; for by that means those two that should be one flesh and spirit are divided, and so made two, and when they should mind duty their mind is taken up with wrongs done by the one to the other.
There is nothing more required for the performing of holy duties than uniting of spirits, and therefore God would not have the sacrifice brought to the altar before reconciliation with our brother. Matt. v. 24. He esteems peace so highly, that he wiU have his own service stay for it. We see when Moses came to deliver the Israelites out of bondage, Exod. ix., their mind was so taken up with their grief that there was nobody within to give Moses an answer ; their souls went altogether after their ill usage.