And when this is the language of our hearts, as it was of Samuel," Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth;" then it is, that we hear a voice behind us, saying; "this is the way, walk in it." And thus shall "the path of the just be as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." : 2. The self-resigning soul is in the best disposition to give a right judgment, and to discern the will of God. When men are unresigned, unwilling to be wholly God's, and have some design and interest to serve, contrary to the design of Christ and righteousness, and are passionately and eagerly carried out to it; it is no wonder, if they "err in their hearts," and " know not the way" of God, the way wherein he hath declared he will have them to walk: for they are easily brought to fancy that to be right, which they strongly will; and to judge things to be thus, from their impetuous willing them to be so. And it is just with God to give them up to an injudicious and undiscerning mind, so that things appear to them, not as they are, but as they would have them to appear; not according to their own inward form and nature, but according to the lusts of their own hearts. 0.1 * 99' 1.3 Lusts and passions cast such a mist before men's minds, that they cannot see their way; nor well discern between good and evil. And it is easy to observe, that the same men, when they are free from temptations, and from the power of passions, clearly see many things to be evil, and condemn f 1 Sam. iii. 10. 6 Isa. xxx. 21. h Prov. iv. 18. i Psal. xcv. 10. them; which at other times they will not be convinced are so, but pronounce the quite contrary concerning them. Therefore the self-resigning Christian, having that subdued in him that would tempt him to judge amiss, is in the ready way to the clearest discerning the will of God. What is said of Christ, is, according to his measure, true of a faithful Christian; he is "of a quick understanding in the fear of the Lord;" of a quick scent or smell,' as the Hebrew doth import, he hath a more exact xgirhgiov, 'faculty of judging' and discerning; his senses are spiritually "exercised to discern both good and evil."b Such as "are not conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of their minds, shall prove and discern what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." 6 Unpurified reason and understanding is far from being a sure and safe guide and director about ro déov, what ought to be done;' for it looks at what is profitable, rather than at what is honest. Though it may be quick enough to discern matters merely speculative and notional; yet it is very apt to miscarry in morals, or matters of practice. But "a good understanding have all they that do his commandments:" a better light shines into holy and purged hearts; "they see light in God's light" the "day-star is risen in their hearts :" Exov dé σοι πρὸ πάντων φωτὸς ἀνοιχθῆναι πύλας, • the gates of light are opened to them,' as it is expressed by d . d Psal. cxi. 10. f 2 Pet. i. 19. a Isa. xi. 3. Justin Martyr, in his dialogue with Tryphon the Jew, telling the manner of his conversion by an old man, who gave him this counsel. This is the privilege of the self-resigning soul, that knows no will of its own divided from the will of God, and would not will any thing, but what he doth will; such a soul shall "understand the fear of the Lord," and hath great and frequent occasions of saying, with David, "I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel." Secondly. Be the doubts about our condition, or state; what it is toward God, and in reference to eternity: as St. James speaks, "From whence come wars and fightings ?" I may add; whence come those fears, anxieties, and uncertainties, that are to be observed in many about the state of their souls, those fears that have torment in them? "come they not hence, even from the lusts that war in their members? scelera dissident, one lust often wars against another; but all "war against the soul."k Are not most of those tormenting fears and troubles in Christians to be resolved into the want of an entire self-resignation, as the proper and true ground? Men will not come off thoroughly to this. They would be indulged in something or other; and yet would be at peace and rest. They would be cured of their distemper; and yet are unwilling to have the root of it taken away. Consider therefore; Is there not something of self-will that works, and is too powerful within thee? Wouldst thou not be unresigned, and please thyself in this or that thing? Dost thou not say, & Prov. ii. 5. h Psal. xvi. 7. i James iv. 1. k 1 Pet. ii. 11. as Lot in another If it be so; God, this; and he will with Naaman the Syrian, "The Lord pardon thy servant in this thing ?" and case, "Is it not a little one ??? who seeth the heart, seeth all not be mocked, nor be bribed to give thee peace, by thy making a great show of being subdued and resigned in other things. f But if by the power of God's grace our wills be entirely subjected to the divine will, we cannot have the least reason, upon any account whatsoever, to torment ourselves with anxious thoughtfulness about our state: we may be sure, that the outward hell shall not be our portion, if we are delivered from the hell within; and that we cannot miss of the heaven above, while we have a heaven within us, and are put into a fit disposition for it, by a free resignation to the will of God.... They to whom the doing God's will is connatural, and their meat and drink, "have eternal life," as in the Epistles of St. John the phrase is more than once; they, in a lower degree, live the life of souls in glory, are affected as they are, and have the disposition and temper of heaven. Indeed it is as impossible for souls, whose sincere care it is "to purify themselves as God is pure," and only to will as he wills, to be in hell; as it is for impure, self-willed and disobedient souls, to be in heaven. It is as impossible for "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance," and the like fruits of the Spirit, to be in hell; as it is impossible for "adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings," and such like works of the flesh, to be in heaven. 0 2 に That soul cannot be miserable, and is uncapable of the hellish state, which is entirely resigned: for such a one dwelleth in love;" and therefore "in God, and God in him :" nor can the infinitely good God abandon and cast off any that "cleave unto him with full purpose of heart," and prefer his will above their chief joy. Thirstings and holy breathings after the enjoyment of God, godlike dispositions, and a frame of heart agreeable to the heart of God, cannot fail to be united to Him their original. CHAP. V. That self-resignation is the way to rest and peace. That those that have attained thereunto, find satisfaction and pleasure, both in doing and suffering the will of God. That it procures outward as well as inward peace: and that self-willedness is that which puts the world into confusion. SELF-RESIGNATION is the way to true peace, rest, and joy; "joy unspeakable," as St. Peter, "Peace which passeth all understanding,"i as St. Paul calls it. By the way observe, that neither words nor thoughts can reach spiritual excellencies: this is their sole privilege, that they can never be overvalued, over-praised. Other things we may easily Gal. v. 19-21. g Acts xi. 23. i Phil. iv. 7. |