The best believer that breaths,1 may have his Summer-day turned into a Winter-night, his rejoicing into sighing, his singing into weeping, his wedding Robes into mourning weeds, his wine into water, his sweet into bitter; his Manna, his Angelsfood into husks, his pleasant grapes into the grapes of Sodom, his fruitful Canaan, his delightful Paradise into a barren and unlovely wilderness. Look as faith is often attended with unbelief, and sincerity, with hypocrisy, and humility, with vain glory; so is Assurance, with fears and doubts. Blessed Hooker lived near2 thirty years in close communion with God, without any considerable withdrawings of God, all that while; and yet upon his dying-bed, he went away ⟨p. 71⟩without any sense of assurance, or discoveries of the smiles of God; to the wonder, and deceiving of the expectation of many precious souls, and without doubt in judgement to wicked men. Look as many a man loses the sight of the City when he comes near to it: So many a choice soul loses the sight of heaven, even then when he is nearest to heaven. Abraham (you know) had assurance in an extraordinary way concerning his protection from God, and yet says3 Abraham, say thou art my sister, for otherwise they will kill me. Ah, how was the freshness, the greenness, the beauty and glory of his assurance wore off, that he should out of slavish fears, expose his wife to other mens pleasure, and himself, and his neighbour to Gods displeasure, that he should wound four at once, the honour of God, his wives chastity, his own conscience, and Pharaohs soul. David, you know, sometimes sings it out sweetly, The Lord is my portion, and the lot of mine inheritance, he is my salvation, of whom shall I be afraid, he is my 4Rock, and fortress, and my deliverer, ⟨p. 72⟩my God, my strength, my trust, my buckler and my high Tower. At other times you have him sighing it out, Why art thou cast down, O my soul, why art thou disquieted in me, why hast thou forgotten me, O God, my Rock, why go I mourning? 5Thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. There is no soundness 6in my flesh, because of thine 7anger, neither is there any rest in my bones, because of my sin; for mine iniquities 8are gone over my head, as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. 9I am troubled, I am bowed down greatly: I go mourning all the day long.
The best beleever that breaths,1 may have his Summer-day turned into a Winter-night, his rejoycing into sighing, his singing into weeping, his wedding Robes into mourning weeds, his wine into water, his sweet into bitter; his Mannah, his Angelsfood into husks, his pleasant grapes into the grapes of Sodome, his fruitfull Canaan, his delightfull Paradise into a barren and unlovely wildernesse. Look as faith is often attended with unbeleef, and sincerity, with hypocrisie, and humility, with vaine glory; so is Assurance, with feares and doubts. Blessed Hooker lived neer2 thirty yeers in close communion with God, without any considerable withdrawings of God, all that while; and yet upon his dying-bed, he went away ⟨p. 71⟩without any sense of assurance, or discoveries of the smiles of God; to the wonder, and deceiving of the expectation of many precious soules, and without doubt in judgement to wicked men. Look as many a man loses the sight of the City when he comes neer to it: So many a choice soule loses the sight of heaven, even then when hee is neerest to heaven. Abraham (you know) had assurance in an extraordinary way concerning his protection from God, and yet saies3 Abraham, say thou art my sister, for otherwise they will kill me. Ah, how was the freshness, the greenness, the beauty and glory of his assurance wore off, that he should out of slavish fears, expose his wife to other mens pleasure, and himselfe, and his neighbour to Gods displeasure, that hee should wound foure at once, the honour of God, his wives chastity, his owne conscience, and Pharoahs soul. David, you know, sometimes sings it out sweetly, The Lord is my portion, and the lot of mine inheritance, he is my salvation, of whom shall I be afraid, he is my 4Rocke, and fortresse, and my deliverer, ⟨p. 72⟩my God, my strength, my trust, my buckler and my high Tower. At other times you have him sighing it out, Why art thou cast downe, O my soule, why art thou disquieted in me, why hast thou forgotten me, O God, my Rock, why goe I mourning? 5Thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. There is no soundness 6
- 1What Latimer said of the spirit, it is going and coming, may be truly said of Assurance and joy, it is coming and going.
- 2So d•d Mr. Burroughs of blessed memory go to heaven in a cloud.So d•d Mr. Burroughs of blessed memory goe to heaven in a cloud.
- 3Gen 12. 19. Chap. 20. 2. We should rather dye then lie, we are not to tell an officious lye, to tell a lye for no hurt, but for good, though it were to save all the world, said Austin.
- 4Psal. 18. 2.
- 5Vers. 9.
- 6Psal. 38. 2.
- 7Vers. 3. Vers. 4▪
- 8Vers. 6.
- 9Psal. 30. 7. Ps 51. 8. to 13.
