discoueagement's kecoyery. 53
troubled ; therefore, when Christians exceed in anything, they do it not as Christians, but as they are men overcome of their passions.
Quest. What is the ground why casting down and disquieting is a sin ?
Ans. 1. Because it doth turn to the reproach of relif/ion and God himself, as if there were not strength in the promises of God to uphold a soul in the time of trouble and disquietment,
2. Because their so siiikiiirf under afflictions never yields any good fruit. Yea, the devil himself, in such a case, will say, God neglecteth thee, — thus joining his temptations with thy corruptions, — then where art thou '? And, therefore, I beseech you consider. What ! Shall a father neglect his own children so much that they should be cast down, whenas he only* knoweth what they want, and hath in his own power to give all that is good ?
3. Because it hinders us both from and in holy duties. For where the soul is cast down, either we do not perform holy duties at all, or otherwise they are done but weakly; for as the troubled eje cannot see well, so the troubled soul cannot do good, nor receive good. It is the quiet soul that both receiveth and doeth good as it ought to be done ; for quietness is the stay of the soul, either to do or receive. Holy things are not accepted of God by the stuff of them, but by the willingness and cheerfulness in doing of them. Thus, when the soul is too much cast down, God accepts not so well of the actions, because they want life. Then it plainly appears to be a sin thus to be cast down. Therefore, holy David takes up his soul and chides himself downright : ' Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul '? and why art thou so unquiet within me ? ' If this be so, that it is a sin to be too much cast down, what shall we say of those who disquiet themselves in and for a vain shadow ? Ps. xxxix. 6. They trouble themselves so much about vain things that they are discouraged from doing good. The holy man doth in this case raise up his soul ; for the Spirit of God saith, ' This is the way, walk in it; and this you should have done, but herein you fail, and here is your wants,' Isa. xxx. 21. Thus I thought good to enlarge this point.
Obs. 2. ' Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul ?' The word in the ori- ginal shews it is the nature of sorrow to bring the soul doicnicards (a). Sorrow and sin agree both in this, for as they come from below, so they bring the soul downwards to the earth. The devil, ever since he was cast down himself, labours to cast all down. His voice is, Down, down to the ground. He would have no man stay in going down in afflictions or desperation. The new creature created by the Spirit of God is clean contrary ; for that is all upward. Where the hope is, there the soul loves to be in thought and meditation, and all that it doth or can do is to go upwards.
• Why art thou cast down, 0 my soul? and why art thou so disquieted'?' Here are two words used, ' Why art thou cast down? why art thou so dis- quieted?'
Quest. What is meant by casting down? and why doth he find fault with himself for it ?
Ans. Because it breeds disquieting. I say casting down, when it is not with humility, but discouragement, breeds disquieting ; but when it is joined with humihty, that raiseth the soul to see mercy, in which sort, if God doth cast us down to humble us, it is to raise us up with so much the sweeter consolation ; for so much as the soul is cast down by God, so much it is raised up by God. But the soul that is cast down by Satan rests not in God, but is troubled, as Ps. xxxvii. 1, it is said, ' Fret not thyself,' &c. * That is, ' he aloue.' — G.
64 discouragement's recovery.
So a man may know when bis soul murmurs, and his fretting is against God himself, or against the instrument of the sinful discouragement of his soul, being over much cast down. Here is no true humiliation, but abun- dance of corruption, which brings vexation and disquietments. But I hasten to that which I have further to deliver, * Why art thou so cast down, 0 my soul?' Ho doth check himself because he was thus cast down and disquieted. Here, then, you see,
1, David's perplexity; and, 2, the particular branches thereof, casting down, and disquieting.
Quest. What was the reason why he was thus cast down ?
y^Im. The reason is in the words, — a reason from the contrary. He reproves his soul for being thus cast down ; he doth check and command himself to wait and trust in God ; he checks his soul ; which shews he had no good reason why he was thus cast down. Wherefore should he ask this reason, but that there was no just cause, but sophistical reasoning, which bred this ? As Jonah iv. 9, God demands, ' Dost thou well to be nngry, Jonah?' As if he had said, There is no good cause. You may see, by this manner of asking, the cause was ignorance and false reasoning, false trust and want of trusting in God. There is no discouragement in any affliction or trouble whatsoever, but it is for the want of knowing the ground wherefore God doth it. First, sometimes for the exercise of our graces, as well as for our sins. Again, forgetfulness of God's dealing, as Heb. xii. 5, 'You have forgotten the consolation which speaks unto you,' &c. And sometimes we are troubled in affliction because we do not examine the cause rightly with our own souls. Many go to the highest step of the ladder, to their election, before they come to the fruits thereof, Kom. v. 1. I beseech you, let us be more wise. There be some people who do trouble themselves by seeking their comfort only in their sauctification, when it should be looked for in their justification ; and some others who trouble themselves about the issue of things for time to come, when we are com- manded not to care for to-morrow. Mat. vi. 34, and in the mean time neglect their duty in using lawful means, and trusting in God. Again, want of trusting in God; for when we trust not in God, then we have false trusts in the creature, or in something else. Then this follows: vanity will bring vexation of spirit.