Fairfax's sermon notes: 30 Psal : 7^note (Add. MS. 4929, British Library)

Fairfax's sermon notes: 30 Psal : 7. Add. MS. 4929, British Library.

Transcription

Thou didst hid thy face & I was troubled.

These words afford this Doctren That for god to w^thdraw & to hid his face from his children is a great trouble to them

if it be then such a trouble to gods children to want the light of his countinance what horror wil it be to those that live w^th out god in the world

therfor it may exort all to gitt the reconsiled face of god shining in ther harts

if you doe not se the face of his grace here you shal neuer se the face of his glory here after & are you able to beare such a loss as the fauour of god the wicked can be content to be w^thout it so they may injoy the worlds fauour but the wil come when they shal lement it when it is too lait

when they shal se Abraham Isack & Jacob in heauen ther sence of loss in Hell wil be a greater torment in Hell then ther sence of paine we are all standing att the doore of eternity if we gitt not our peace wth god now when death comes it wil be too lait

but you aske how you must doe to gitt it

1 seeke his face & fauor by feruent prayre & hearing of his word lie in gods way as the blind man did to such is the promish made

2 Seeke his face earnestly & deligently it is a business of greatest importance to you what hast doth death and iudgment make yitt what little hast doth men make to gitt reconciliation wth god in christ remember this is the one thing necessary therfore be imfortunat w^th god in prayre for the light of his countinance

3 doe it timely & seasonally seeke the lord whilst he may be found & in the time of acceptance whilst he comes neare vnto you in his ordinance least when you call on him in time of trouble & he wil not heare you

4 be sure you set y^e faces against sin let the wicked turne from ther evel ways & the vnrightious man his vaine thoughts repentance is usually aparent w^th out doores but it is most reall when it is w^th in if you would haue peace be sur to haue war w^th sin god wil neuer be to you a friend if you be not an enimy to it

5 then seeke his face in & through his son it must be in his blood if euer we hope to be pardoned you must bring this reconsiler w^th you

6 be sure you stand to the terms of agreement & let ther be noe breach on your part

So much to those as yitt liue wth out god in the world

2 to such as haue had the face of god shining vpon them but at present is hid from them

1 doe not think it strange to pass this firy trial christ him selfe drunck of this cup others hath walked in this heauy way before & is yitt in heauen if god should you from on danger to another from temptation to desertion yit thy faith beene the condition of gods children formerly & it is vaine to thinke to goe to heauen any other way then the saints hath gone through many tribulations ye shall enter into heauen god wil haue a time to call euery grace vpon the stage the greatest prouidences of god in the world is seen in the deliuerance & suporting a poore soule in time of afliction this is the manifestation of his wisdom power & goodness

2 thy case is not yitt desparate but it is wth in the compas of a promish, for a short moment I haue forsaken them (that is he seemed soe) but w^th great mercys will I gather them

3 consider the imutability of god in his couinant & his euer lasting loue I wil make an euerlasting couenant to doe them good

4 god hath not utterly forsaken you though you haue lost y^e sence of god he hath not forgotten you your sun is clouded but not set

If god haue hid his face from you make hast to recouer it

consider therefore on these motiues

1 it is possible to regaine what you haue lost

2 you are not a furder distance from god then former times did he then loue you before conversiõ & doe you think god wil cast you of for infirmity after conuersion

3 others hath beene in as sad a condition as Dauid Job Heman yitt he hath perdoned & recouered them

4 you haue right to peace & comfort it is that christ died for my peace I leaue w^th you &c

2 consd: the necessity to recouer y^e selfe out of this condition when god is w^th drawne it is a discomfortable condition according to the proportion of gods spirit in vs is the measure of our comfort

2 y^e sadness doth hurt to y^e selfe & others thy hand fall Dauid opresses me sore I goe mourning al the day longe

it make others haue a preiudice to religion

4 the light of his countinance is y^e comfort in a day of trouble

therfore labour to find out the cause why god hids his face from the

1 is ther not some natural cause as malincoly is called the Diuels bath in this condition on can onether walke cherfully nor clearely

2 labour to find out the spirituall cause of it he may doe itt to humble his people but usualy sin is the cause

therfore labour to find out twhat sin it was

the cause is visiable

1 vpon some gross perticuler failinge

or 2 the presence of god hath not beene so highly prised as it aught to be

3 rules to find out the cause

1 pursue y^e loss to the birth of it god goes not away for smal offences usualy itt is of a hainous nature

2 listen to conscience and heare what it says it may be it wil tel thee it was thy prid couitousnss or some other lust w^ch makes god to w^thdraw himselfe

3 pray to the Lord to shew you wherin you haue offended & resolue with Dauid if I haue done iniquity I will doe soe no more

4 seeke the father in the son for y^e strangeness to the son the father is estranged

to you christ is the fountaine wher you must let downe y^e bucket to draw the water of life

5 pray hard for his presence

god is gone that you may seeke more earnestly after him

6 gitt others to pray for you if you be vnder troubles

7 wait w^th a patient expectation til god returne

&that you may say w^th dauid Loe this is our god we haue waited on him

30 Psal : 7. i.e. Psalm 30:7. [back to text]

Modernized Text

"Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled."

These words afford this doctrine: That for God to withdraw and to hide his face from his children is a great trouble to them.

If it be then such a trouble to God's children to want the light of his countinance, what horror will it be to those that live without God in the world?

Therfore it may exort all to get the reconciled face of God shining in ther hearts.

If you do not see the face of his grace here, you shall never see the face of his glory hereafter – and are you able to bear such a loss as the favour of God? The wicked can be content to be without it so they may enjoy the world's favour, but the [day] will come when they shall lament it, when it is too late.

When they shall see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in heaven, their sense of loss will be a greater torment in Hell than their sense of pain. We are all standing at the door of eternity. If we get not our peace wth God now, when death comes it wil be too late.

But you ask how you must do to get it:

1. Seek his face and favour by fervent prayer and hearing of his word. Lie in God's way as the blind man did: to such is the promise made.

2. Seek his face earnestly and dilligently. It is a business of greatest importance to you. What haste doth death and judgment make yet what little haste doth men make to get reconcilliation with God in Christ. Remember this is the one thing necessary: therefore be importunate[?] with God in prayer for the light of his countenance.

3. Do it timely and seasonally. Seek the Lord whilst he may be found and in the time of acceptance whilst he comes near unto you in his ordinance, lest when you call on him in time of trouble, [and] he will not hear you.

4. Be sure you set your faces against sin. Let the wicked turn from their evil ways and the unrightious man his vain thoughts. Repentance is usually apparent without [i.e outdoors] doors but it is most real when it is within. If you would have peace, be sure to have war with sin. God wil never be to you a friend if you be not an enemy to it.

5. Then seek his face in and through his Son. It must be in his blood, if ever we hope to be pardonned. You must bring this reconciler wth you.

6. Be sure you stand to the terms of agreement and let there be no breach on your part.

So much to those as yitt liue wth out god in the world

[Answer] 2 [is addressed] to such as have had the face of God shining upon them but at present is hid from them.

1. Do not think it strange to pass this fiery trial. Christ himself drunk of this cup. Others hath walked in this heavy way before and [are] yet in heaven. If God should you from one danger to another, from temptation to desertion, yet thy faith be the condition of God's children formerly, and it is vain to think to go to heaven any other way than the saints hath gone: through many tribulations. Ye shall enter into heaven. God will have a time to call every grace upon the stage. The greatest providences of God in the world [are] seen in the deliverance and supporting [of] a poor soul in time of affliction. This is the manifestation of his wisdom, power and goodness.

2. Thy case is not yet desparate but it is within the compass of a promise: For a short moment I have forsaken them (that is, he seemed so) but with great mercies will I gather them.

3. Consider the immutability of God in his covenant and his everlasting love: I will make an everlasting covenant to do them good.

4. God hath not utterly forsaken you. Though you have lost your sense of God, he hath not forgotten you. Your sun is clouded but not set. If God [has] hid[den] his face from you, make haste to recover it.

Consider, therefore, on these motives:

1. It is possible to regain. what you have lost.

2. You are not a further distance from God than former times. Did he then love you before conversion and do you think God will cast you off for infirmity after conversion?

3. Others hath been in as sad a condition – [such] as David, Job [and] Heman &ndas; yet he hath pardoned and recovered them.

4. You have right to peace and comfort. It is that Christ died for: My peace I leave wth you, etc.

[Point] 2 considered: the necessity to recover yourself out of this condition when God is withdrawn.

1. It is a discomfortable condition according to the proportion of God's spirit in us is the measure of our comfort.

2. Your sadness doeth hurt to yourself and others thy hand fail[?]. David oppresses me sore. I go mourning all the day long.

3. It make others have a prejudice to religion.

4. The light of his countinance is your comfort in a day of trouble.

Therfore labour to find out the cause why God hides his face from thee.

1. Is there not some natural cause, as melancholy is called "the Devil's bath": in this condition one can neither walk cheerfully nor clearly.

2. Labour to find out the spiritual cause of it. He may do it to humble his people but usually sin is the cause.

Therfore, labour to find out what sin it was:

The cause is visable:

1. Upon some gross particular failing;

or 2. The presence of God hath not been so highly prised as it aught to be.

3. Rules to find out the cause:

1. Pursue your loss to the birth of it. God goes not away for small offences: usually it is of a heinous nature.

2. Listen to [your] conscience and hear what it says. It may be it will tell thee it was thy pride, covetousness, or some other lust which makes God to withdraw himself.

3. Pray to the Lord to show you wherein you have offended andresolue with David: "If I have done iniquity, I will do so no more." To you, Christ is the fountain where you must let down your bucket to draw the water of life.

5. Pray hard for his presence. God is gone that you may seek more earnestly after him.

6. Get others to pray for you, if you be under troubles.

7. Wait with a patient expectation till God return, that you may say with David: "Lo, this is our God: we have waited on him."