The use of trust is best known in the worst times, for naturally in sickness we trust to the physician, in want to our wit and shifts, in danger to policy and the arm of flesh, in plenty to our present supply, &e. ; but, when we have nothing in view, then indeed should God be God unto us. In times of distress, when he shews himself in the ways of his mercy and goodness, then we should especially magnify his name, which will move him to dis- cover his excellencies the more, the more we take notice of them. And, therefore, David strengthens himself in these words, that he hoped for better times, wherein God would shew himself more gracious to him, because he resolved to 2}raise him.
This trusting joints the soul again, and sets it in its own true rest- ing-place, and sets God in his own place in the soul, that is, the highest ; and the creature in its place, which is to be under God, as in its own nature, so in our hearts. This is to ascribe ' honour due unto God,' Ps. xxix. 2 ; the only way to bring peace into the soul. Thus, if we can bring our hope and trust to the God of hope and trust, we shall stand impregnable in all assaults, as will best appear in these particulars.
Chapter XXI. — Of quieting the spirit in troubles for sin; and objections
answered.
To begin with troubles of the spirit, which indeed are the spirit of troubles, as disabling that which should uphold a man in all his troubles. A spirit set in tune and assisted by a higher spirit, will stand out against ordinary assaults, but when God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall seem contrary to our spirits, whence then shall we find relief ?
Here all is spiritual, God a Spirit, the soul a spirit, the terrors spiritual, the de\al, who joins with these, a spirit, yea that which the soul fears for the time to come, is spiritual, and not only spiritual, but eternal, unless it pleaseth God at length to break out of the thick cloud wherewith he covers himself, and shine upon the soul, as in his own time he will.
In this state,* comforts themselves are uncomfortable to the soul. It quarrels with everything. The better things it hears of, the more it is vexed. Oh ! what is this to me, what have I to do with these comforts ? the more happiness may bo had, the more is my grief. As for comforts from God's inferior blessings, as friends, children, estate, &c., the soul is ready to misconstrae God's end in all, as not intending any good to him thereby.
In this condition God doth not appear in his own shape to the soul, but * « Estate,' iu C.
THE soul's conflict. 227
in tlie shape of an enemy ; and, when God seems against us, who shall stand for us ? Our blessed Saviour in his agony had the angels to comfort him ; but had he been a mere man, and not assisted by the Godhead, it was not the comfort, no not of angels that could have upheld him, in the sense of his Father's withdi'awing his countenance from htm. Alas ! then, what will become of us in such a case, if we be not supported by a spu"it of power and the power of an almighty Sphit ?
If aU the temptations of the whole world and hell itself were mustered together, they were nothing to this, whereby the great God sets himself contraiy to his poor creature.* None can conceive so, but those that have felt it. If the hiding of his face will so trouble the soul, what wUl his frown and angiy look do ? Needs must the soul be in a woeful pUght, whenas God seems not only to be absent from it, but an enemy to it. When a man sees no comfort from above, and looks inward and sees less ; when he looks about him, and sees nothing but evidences of God's displeasm-e ; beneath him, and sees nothing but desperation ; clouds without, and clouds within, nothing but clouds in his condition here, he had need of faith to break thi'ough all, and see sun through the thickest cloud.
Upon this, the distressed soul is in danger to be set upon by a tempta- tion, called the temptation of blasphemy, tentatio hlasphemiarum, that is, to entertain bitter thoughts against God, and especially against the grace and goodness of God, wherein he deskes to make himself most known to his creature. In those that have wilfully resisted divine traths made known unto them, and, after taste, despised them, a persuasion that God hath forsaken them, set on strongly by Satan, hath a worse effect. It stirs up a helhsh hatred against God, carrying them to a revengeful desu-e of opposing whatsoever is God's, though not always openly, for then they should lose the advantage of doing hm't, yet secretly and subtilly, and under pretence of the contrary. To this degi'ee of blasphemy God's childi-en never fall, yet they may feel the venom of corruption stuiing in then- heai'ts, against God and his ways which he takes with them ; and this adds greatly to the depth of their affliction, when afterward they think with themselves what heUish stuff they cany in their souls. This is not so much discerned in the temptation, but after the fit is somewhat remitted.