* ' Forsates and puslies away,' in B and C ' Forsake and push away,' and ' estrange themselves' dropped.
+ Ambrose. The reference is to Ambrose de Off. Min. lib. iii. cap. 22, and is more exactly as follows : — ' Solatium quippe vitse hujus est, ut habeas cui pectus aperias tuum.' — G,
196 THE soul's conflict.
true friend ; whicli made David bemoan the loss of Ms friend Jonathan, ' Woe is me for thee, my brother Jonathan ! ' 2 Sam. i. 20. He lost apiece of himself, by losing him whom his heart so clave unto. St Paul accounted that God had shewed especial mercy to him, in the recovery of Epaphro- ditus, Phil. ii. 27.
§ IV. But there are divers miscarriages in those that are troubled, which make the comfort of others of none efl'ect.
1. When the troubled party deals not directly, but doubleth with him that is to help him. Some are ashamed to acknowledge the true gi'ound of their grievance, pretending sorrow for one thing, when their hearts tell them it ariseth from another : like the lapwings, which make greatest noise farthest from their nest, because they would not have it discovered. This deceit moved our blessed Saviour, who knew what was in the hearts of men, to fit his answers many times, rather to the man than to the matter.
2. Some rely too much upon particular men, Oh if they had such a one they should do well, and mislike others, fitter perhaps to deal with them, as having more thorough knowledge of their estates, because they would have their disease rather covered than cured, or if cured, yet with soft words, whereas no plaster worketh better than that which causes smart. Some out of mere humorous fondness must have that which can hardly be got, or else nothing pleases them. David must needs have the 'waters of Bethlehem,' 2 Sam. xxiii. 15, when others were nearer hand. And oftentimes when men have not only whom they desire, but such also who are fit and dexterous in dealing with a troubled spirit, yet their souls feel no comfort, because they make idols of men ; whereas men at the best are but conduits of com- fort, and such as God freely conveyeth comfort by, taking liberty oft to deny comfort by them, that so he may be acknowledged the ' God of all comfort,' 2 Cor. i. 3.
3. Some delude themselves, by thinking it sufficient to have a few good words spoken to them, as if that could cure them ; not regarding to appre- hend the same, and mingle it with faith, without which, good words lose their working, even as wholesome physic in a dead stomach.
Besides miscarriages in comforting, times will often fall out in our lives, that we shall have none either to comfort us, or to be comforted by us, and then what will become of us unless we can comfort ourselves ? Men must not think always to live upon alms, but lay up something in store for them- selves, and provide oil for their own lamps, and be able to draw out some- thing from the treasury of their own hearts. We must not go to the surgeon for every scratch. No wise traveller but will have some refreshing waters about him. Again, we are often driven to retire home to our own hearts, by uncharitable imputations of other men. Even friends sometimes become miserable comforters. It was Job's case, chap. ii. ; his friends had honest intentions to comfort him, but erred in their manner of dealing. If he had found no more comfort by reflecting upon his own sincerity, than he received from them, who laboured to take it from him, he had been doubly miserable. We are most privy to our own intentions and aims, whence comfort must be fetched ; let others speak what they can to us, if our own hearts speak not with them, we shall receive no satisfaction. Sometimes it may fall out, that those which should unloose our spirits when they are bound up, mis- take ; the key misses the right wards, and so we lie bound still. Opening of our estate to another is not good but when it is necessaiy ; and it is not necessary, when wo can fetch supply from our own store. God would
THE soul's conflict. 197
have us tender of our reputations, except in some special cases, wherein we are to give glory to God, Josh. \ii. 19, by a free and full confession. Need- less discovery of oui'selves to others, makes us fear the conscience of another man, as 'pvivj to that which we are ashamed he should be privy unto ; and it is neither wisdom nor mercy to put men upon the rack of confession, further than they can have no ease any other way. For by this means we raise in them a jealousy towards us, and oft without cause, which weakeneth and tainteth that love which should unite hearts in one.
Chapter XV. — Of flying to God in disquiets of souh ; eight observations out of the text.
Quest. "Wliat if neither the speech of others to us, nor the rebuke of our own hearts, will quiet the soul '? Is there no other remedy left '?