The Hebrews placed all their happiness in peace, and when they would comprise much in one word, they would wish peace. This was that the angels brought news of fi-om heaven, at the birth of Christ, Luke ii. 14. Now peace riseth out of quietness and order, and God that is ' the God of peace, is the God of order' first, 1 Cor. xiv. 33. "What is health, but when all the members are in their due positure,* and all the humours in a settled quiet ? Whence ariseth the beauty of the world, but from that comely order wherein every creatm'e is placed ; the more glorious and excellent creatures above, and the less below ? So it is in the soul ; the best constitution of it is when by the Spirit of God it is so ordered, as that all be in subjection to the law of the mind. What a sight were it for the feet to be where the head is, and the earth to be where the heaven is, to see all turned upside down ? And to a spiritual eye it seems as gi'eat a deformity, to see the soul to be under the rule of sinful passions.
Comeliness riseth out of the fit proportion of divers members to make up one body, when every member hath a beauty in itself, and is likewise well suited to other parts. A fair face and a crooked body, comely upper parts, and the lower parts uncomely, suit not well ; because comeliness stands in oneness, in a fit agreement of many parts to one. When there is the head of a man, and the body of a beast, it is a monster in nature ; and is it not as monstrous for to have an understanding head, and a fierce untamed heart ? It cannot but raise up a holy indignation in us against these risings, when we consider how unbeseeming they are. What do these base passions in a heart dedicated to God, and given up to the government of his Spirit ? what an indignity is it for princes to go afoot, and servants on horseback ? for those to rule, whose place is to be ruled ? as being good attendants, but bad guides. It was Ham's curse to be a ' servant of servants,' Gen. ix. 25.
(8.) This must be strengthened with a strong self-denial, without which there can be no good done in religion.
There be two things that most trouble us in the way to heaven, corrup- tion within us, and the cross without us : that which is within us must be denied, that that which is without us may be endured. Otherwise we * That is, ' position.' — Ed.
THE SOUL S CONFLICT. 1C9
cannot follow him by whom we look to be saved. The gate, the entrance of religion, is narrow ; we must strip ourselves of ourselves before we can enter ; if we bring any ruling lust to religion, it will prove a bitter root of some gross sia, or of apostasy and final desperation.
Those that sought the praise of men more than the praise of God, John xii. 43, could not believe, because that lust of ambition would, when it should be crossed, di-aw them away. The young man thought it better for Christ to lose a disciple than that he should lose his possession, and there- fore went away as he came, Mat. xix. 22. The ' third ground,' Mat. xiii. 25, came to nothing ; because the plough had not gone deep enough to break up the roots, whereby their hearts were fastened to earthly contentments. This self-denial we must carry with us through all the parts of religion, both in our active and passive obedience ; for in obedience there must be a subjection to a superior ; but corrupt self neither is subject, nor can be, Rom. viii. 7. It will have an oar in everything, and maketh everything, yea, religion, serviceable to itself. It is the idol of the world, or rather the god that is set highest of all in the soul ; and so God himself is made but an idol. It is hard to deny a friend who is another self, harder to deny a wife that heth in the bosom, but most hard to deny ourselves. Nothing so near us as ourselves to ourselves, and yet nothing so far off. Nothing so dear, and yet nothing so malicious and troublesome. Hypo- crites would part with the fruit of then* body, Mic. vi. 7, sooner than the sin of their souls.
Chapter XI. — Signs of victory over ourselves, and of a subdued spirit.
Quest. But how shall we knoiv ivhether ive have by grace got the victory over ourselves or not ?
Ans. I answer, 1. If in good actions ive stand not so much upon the credit of the action as upon the good that is done. What we do as unto God, we look for acceptance from God. It was Jonah his fault to stand more upon his own reputation than the glory of God's mercy. It is a prevailing sign when, though there be no outward encouragements, nay, though there be discouragements, yet we can rest in the comfort of a good intention. For usually inward comfort is a note of inward sincerity. Jehu must be seen, or else all is lost, 2 Engs x. 16.