You will say, then, " Do you condemn this manner of. proceeding with the souls of men in their doubts, fears, and distresses? or would you have them pine away under the sense of their condition, or abide in this uncertainty all their days?" I answer, No; I condemn not the way ; I would not have any left comfortless in their depths. But yet I would give these two cautions : —
1. That spiritual wisdom !M\d pnidence is greatly required iu this matter, in the administration of consolation to distressed souls. If in any thing, the tongue of the spiritually learned is required herein, — namely, in speaking a word in season to them that are weary. A promiscuous drawing out of gospel consolations, without a previous
Ver.4] COMPLAINTS TO RE AVOIDED. 56^
rio-ht luda'ment concerninsf the true state and condition of the souls
"O J O O _ All
applied unto, is seldom useful, ofttimes pernicious. And let men take care hoAv they commit their souls aud consciences unto such who have s'ood words in readiness for all comers.
2. If counsel and consolation of this kind be given, special and distinct from the advice we are upon of watchfidness, diligence, spi- ritual violence in a way of duty, it is exceeding dangerous, and will assuredly prove useless ; for let us see what counsel the Holy Ghost gives in this condition unto them who would make their " calling and election sure,'' who would be freed from their present fears and uncertainties, who complain of their darkness and dangers. Why, saith he, "Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue," and so on, 2 Pet. i. 5-7; " for," saith he, " if ye do these things ye shall never fall : for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ," verse 11. You who are now in the skirts of it, who know not whether you belong to it or no, you shall have an entrance into the kingdom of Christ, and all the joy, comforts, consolations, and glory of it shall be richly administered unto you. This is the advice that the Holy Ghost gives in this case ; and this is the blessed promise annexed unto the following of this advice ; and this the former compassionate course of administering consolation is not to be separated from.
But you will, it may be, here say, " We are so dead and dull, so chained under the power of corruptions and temptations, that we are not able thus to put forth the fruit of a spiritual life in adding one grace unto another." But do you use diligence, study, endeavours, all diligence, diligence at all times, in all ways by God appointed, all manner of diligence within and without, in private and public, to this end and purpose? Do you study, meditate, pray, watch, fast, neglect no opportunity, keep your hearts, search, try, examine your- selves, flee temptations and occasions of cooling, deadening, and stifling grace? Do these things abound in you? Alas! you canjiot do thus, you are so weak, so indisposed. But, alas! you will not, you will not part with your ease, you will not crucify your lusts, you will not use all diligence ; but must come to it, or be contented to spend all your days in darkness, and to lie down in sorrow.
Thus do men frequently miscarry. Is it any news, for persons to bewail the folly of their nature and ways in the morning and even- ing, and yet scarce stand upon their watch any part of the day, or m any occasion of the day? Is this " giving all diligence?" Is this " working out our salvation with fear and trembling?" And may we not see professors even indulging themselves in ways of vanity, folly, wrath, envy, sloth, and the like, and yet complain at what a loss they are, ho\\" unquiet, how uncertain? God forbid it should be
570 AN EXPOSITION UPON PSALM CXXX. [Ver.4.
otherwise with you, or that we should endeavour to speak peace unto you in any such a frame. To hear of a person that he walks slothfully, carelessly, or indulgeth his con-uptions, and to find him complaining that he is at a loss whether he have any interest in pardon or no; to give or tender comfort to such mourners, without a due admonition of their duty to use diligence in the use of means, for to help on their delivery out of the condition wherein they are, is to tender poison unto them.
To this, then, the soul must come that is in depths, if it intend to be delivered. Heartless complaints, with excuses to keep it from vigorous, spiritual diligence, must be laid aside; if not, ordinarily, peace, rest, and stability will not be obtained. A great example hereof Ave have in the spouse. Cant. v. 2-8. She is drowsy and indis- posed unto communion with Christ, Avhereunto she is invited, verse 2 ; this puts her upon making excuses, from the unfitness of the time, and her present indisposition and unprepared ness as to the duty whereuuto she was called, verse 8. Hereupon Christ withdraws his presence from her, and leaves her at a loss as to her former comforts, verse 6. What course doth she now take? Doth she now lie down again in her former slumber? doth she make use of her former ex- cuses and pretences why she should not engage into the duties she Avas called unto? No such thing; but now, Avith all earnestness, di- ligence, sedulity, and importunity, she engageth in all manner of duties, Avhereby she may recover her former comforts, as you may see in the text. And this must be the course of others Avho Avould obtain the same success. Spiritual peace and sloth will never dAvell together in the same soul and conscience.