Then & Now · 23 of 44
8. Resting in Performances
8. Resting in Performances
BY working them to reſt in their performances, to reſt in prayer, and to reſt in hearing, reading, and the communion438 of Saints, &c. and when Satan hath drawn the ſoul to reſt upon the ſervice done; then he will help the ſoul to reaſon thus; why, thou wert as good never pray, as to pray, and reſt in prayer; as good never heare, as to heare, and reſt in hearing; as good never be in the communion of Saints, as to reſt in the communion of Saints; and by this device he ſtops many ſoules in their heavenly race, and takes off poor ſoules from thoſe ſervices that ſhould be their joy and Crown.
- 438. Iſa. 58. 1, 2, 3. Zech. 7. 4, 5, 6. Mat 6. 2. Rom. 17.
By working them to rest in their performances, to rest in prayer, and to rest in hearing, reading, and the communion332 of saints, etc‸. and when Satan hath drawn the soul to rest upon the service done; then he will help the soul to reason thus; why, thou wert as good never pray, as to pray, and rest in prayer; as good never hear, as to hear, and rest in hearing; as good never be in the communion of saints, as to rest in the communion of saints; and by this device he stops many souls in their heavenly race, and takes off poor souls from those services that should be their joy and crown.
- 332. Isa‸ 58:‸1, 2, 3. Zech‸ 7:‸4, 5, 6. Matt 6:‸2. Rom 2:‸17.
THe firſt Remedie againſt this device439 of Satan, is, to dwell much upon the imperfections, and weakneſſes that440 doe attend your choiſeſt ſervices; oh the ſpots! the blots! the blemiſhes, that are to be ſeen upon the face of our faireſt duties! when thou haſt done all thou canſt, thou haſt need to cloſe up all with this; Oh! enter not into judgement with thy ſervant oh Lord; for the weakneſſes that cleave to my beſt ſervices, we may all441 ſay with the Church; All our righteouſneſſes are as a menſtruous cloath. If God ſhould be ſtrict to marke what is done amiſſe in our beſt actions, wee were undone. Oh! the water that is mingled with our wine, the droſſe that cleaves unto our Gold.
The first remedy against this device of Satan, is, to dwell much upon the imperfections, and weaknesses that333 do attend your choicest services; oh the spots! The blots! The blemishes, that are to be seen upon the face of our fairest duties! When thou hast done all thou canst, thou hast need to close up all with this; Oh! enter not into judgment with thy servant oh Lord; for the weaknesses that cleave to my best services, we may all334 say with the church; All our righteousness are as a menstruous cloth. If God should be strict to mark what is done amiss in our best actions, we were undone. Oh! the water that is mingled with our wine, the dross that cleaves unto our gold.
The ſecond Remedie againſt this device442 of Satan, is, to conſider the impotency, and inability of any of your beſt ſervices, divinely to comfort, refreſh, and beare your ſoules up from fainting, and ſinking in the dayes of troubles, p. 192 when darkeneſſe is round about you; when God ſhall ſay to you, as he did443 once to the Iſraelites, Goe, and cry unto the gods that you have choſen, let them ſave you in the time of your tribulation: So when God ſhall ſay in the day of your troubles, goe to your prayers, to your hearing, and to your faſting, &c. and ſee, if they can help you, if they can ſupport you, if they can deliver you; if God in that day doth but with-hold the influence of his grace from thee, thy former ſervices will be but poore cordialls to comfort thee; and then thou muſt, and wilt cry out, oh! none but Chriſt, none444 but Chriſt; oh! my prayers are not Chriſt, my hearing is not Chriſt, my faſting is not Chriſt, &c. oh! one ſmile of Chriſt, one glimps of Chriſt, one good word from Chriſt, on nod of love from Chriſt in the day of trouble and darkneſſe, will more revive, and refreſh the ſoule, then all your former ſervices, in which your ſoules reſted, as if they were the boſome of Chriſt, which ſhould be the only center of our ſoules. Chriſt is the Crowne of Crownes, the glory of glories, and the heaven of heaven.
The second remedy against this device of Satan, is, to consider the impotency, and inability of any of your best services, divinely to comfort, refresh, and bear your souls up from fainting, and sinking in the days of troubles, when darkness is round about you; when God shall say to you, as he did335 once to the Israelites, Go, and cry unto the gods that you have chosen, let them save you in the time of your tribulation: So when God shall say in the day of your troubles, go to your prayers, to your hearing, and to your fasting, etc‸. and see, if they can help you, if they can support you, if they can deliver you; if God in that day doth but with-hold the influence of his grace from thee, thy former services will be but poor cordials to comfort thee; and then thou must, and wilt cry out, oh! none but Christ, none336 but Christ; oh! my prayers are not Christ, my hearing is not Christ, my fasting is not Christ, etc‸. Oh! one smile of Christ, one glimpse of Christ, one good word from Christ, one nod of love from Christ in the day of trouble and darkness, will more revive, and refresh the soul, than all your former services, in which your souls rested, as if they were the bosom of Christ, which should be the only center of our souls. Christ is the crown of crowns, the glory of glories, and the heaven of heaven.
The third Remedie againſt this device445 of Satan, is, ſolemnly to conſider, that good things reſted upon, will as certainly undoe us, and everlaſtingly deſtroy p. 193 us, as the greateſt enormities that can be committed by us; thoſe ſoules that after they have done all, doe not look up ſo high as a Chriſt, and reſt, and center alone in Chriſt, laying downe their ſervices at the foot-ſtool of Chriſt, muſt lie down in ſorrow, their bed is prepared for them in hell. Behold, all446 yee that kindle a fire, and compaſs your ſelves with the ſparks, and walk in the light of your fire, and in the ſparks that yee have kindled, this yee ſhall have at mine hand, yee ſhall lye down in ſorrow; Is it good dwelling with everlaſting burnings? with a devouring fire? if it be, why then reſt in your duties ſtill; if otherwiſe, then ſee that you center only in the boſome of Chriſt.
The third remedy against this device of Satan, is, solemnly to consider, that good things rested upon, will as certainly undo us, and everlastingly destroy us, as the greatest enormities that can be committed by us; those souls that after they have done all, do not look up so high as a Christ, and rest, and center alone in Christ, laying down their services at the foot-stool of Christ, must lie down in sorrow, their bed is prepared for them in hell. Behold, all337 ye that kindle a fire, and compass your selves with the sparks, and walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled, this ye shall have at mine hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow; Is it good dwelling with everlasting burnings? With a devouring fire? If it be, why then rest in your duties still; if otherwise, then see that you center only in the bosom of Christ.
- 337. Isa 50:11. ‸
The fourth and laſt Remedie againſt447 this device of Satan, is, to dwell much upon the neceſſity and excellency of that reſting place that God hath provided for you, above all other reſting places; himſelfe is your reſting place, his free mercy and love is your reſting place; the pure, glorious, matchleſſe, and ſpotleſſe righteouſneſs of Chriſt is your reſting place; ah! ‘tis ſadd to thinke, that moſt men have forgotten their reſting place, as the Lord complains; My people have been as loſt ſheep, their ſhepheards have cauſed them448 to goe aſtray, and have turned them away to the mountaines, they have gone from mountaine p. 194 to hill and forgotten their reſting place. So poor ſouls that ſee not the excellency of that reſting place that God hath appointed for their ſouls to lye down in; they wander ftom mountaine to hill, from one duty to another, and here they will reſt, and there they will reſt; but ſoules that ſee the excellency of that reſting place that God hath provided for them, they will ſay, farewel prayer, farewel hearing, farewel faſting, &c. I will reſt no more in you, but now will reſt only in the boſome of Chriſt, the love of Chriſt, the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt.
The fourth and last remedy against this device of Satan, is, to dwell much upon the necessity and excellency of that resting place that God hath provided for you, above all other resting places; himself is your resting place, his free mercy and love is your resting place; the pure, glorious, matchless, and spotless righteousness of Christ is your resting place; ah! ’tis sad to think, that most men have forgotten their resting place, as the Lord complains; My people have been as lost sheep, their shepherds have caused them338 to go astray, and have turned them away to the mountains, they have gone from mountain to hill and forgotten their resting place. So poor souls that see not the excellency of that resting place that God hath appointed for their souls to lie down in; they wander from mountain to hill, from one duty to another, and here they will rest, and there they will rest; but souls that see the excellency of that resting place that God hath provided for them, they will say, farewell prayer, farewell hearing, farewell fasting, etc‸. I will rest no more in you, but now will rest only in the bosom of Christ, the love of Christ, the righteousness of Christ.
- 338. Jer‸ 50:‸6.