that which hath been said before But not alwayes a signe of a declined heart For 1. it may be more was done then should I adde in way of satisfaction these considerations 1 It may be that which was done before was more then should have beene another men are apt to fall short so a godly man is apt to exceed especially when his necessities pinch him and when the feares of God lye heavy upon his soule then he neither mindeth businesse nor friends nor himselfe but is so intent upon this one thing as if it were the only thing which he had to minde I have spoken largely before how a man may know when he doth so much as that he may with comfort walk in his way 2 The abundance of doing Measure of doing varieth with occasions is to rise and fall according to occasions when a man is in straits hee may and must doe much yea more then is required at other times 3 God may give lesse opportunity for the same abundance of holy duties at all times God may give lesse opportunity hee may put them upon such conditions and employments as may take them up more as a woman when she is marryed by the variety of occasions that attend that state may bee deprived of some opportunities which shee had when she was free There is difference betweene a wife and a virgin shee that is unmaried careth for the things that belong to the Lord how she may please the Lord but shee that is married careth for the things of the world how she may please her husband 1 Cor. 7.14 The Apostle meaneth not that the married care not for the things of God but that that condition will bring distractions yea and by Gods appointment doth put them upon such things that they cannot have that fulnesse of time for exercises of godlinesse which they had in a single state in all abatements of spirituall action a speciall eye must bee had to the cause for if either we thrust our selves into a thicket of businesses unnecessarily or have lost that edge of holy desires and dispositions which wee had wee have here cause to lament our elongation from God CHAP. XXXII Other false Rules causing mistake in judgement THird false Rule Third false Rule More stirring of corruption More stirring of corruptions because men feele greater workings of lusts and corruptions then before they think that God is not with them as before but in way of satisfaction to these as I must needs grant that this also is an ill signe yet I will demonstrate that it may be the case of a man who is as full of God as ever 1 Distinguish betwixt corruptions formally considered and effectively considered But 1. distinguish betwixt corruptions considered formally effectively there may be many motions to sin which are not corruptions then they are corruptions when they do corrupt and deprave the heart Christ himselfe had motions to sin though not rising from himselfe but caused by the tempter so that his soule was but as a glasse of pure water jogged and though the motions to sin which arise from that sinfulnesse in us are formally and in interpretation of the Law sins yet except they take hold of the heart and doe infect it they are not corruptions not such as argue lesse of God nay as when a man lives in an unhealthfull and infectious ayre the power of God is much seen in keeping him up in health so the power of the Spirit is much put forth in that soule which is kept sound from the plague in the midst of infectious and poysonous workings and foamings of that sinfulnesse within it was the Apostles case he had some burning lust like a splent or coale in his flesh but God kept him My grace is sufficient for thee r Sufficit mihi gratia tua cum desicit virtus mea Bern. apud Cornel. Ã lapide in locum for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse 2 Cor. 12.9 2 A man may have more occasions to stir corruptions then before Occasions of sin may be more then have beene and occasions to lusts are as winde to the Seas or fuell to the fire it may be you thought better of your selves then you had cause you might think you had more meeknesse when you were lesse angry but it may bee your anger was not so much not because your meeknesse was great but because your offences were few know this that occasions do not so much beget as bring forth corruptions 3 It may be your lusts have not more life but they seeme so Lusts may seeme to have more life when it is not so because you have more 1 More light to see them at first grace is busie about the outward man and grosser sins but afterwards it descends into the lower and more retyred parts of the soule and by the candle of God searcheth the hidden deepes and finding still new worlds of sin you are apt to thinke you are worse then you were the puddle smels when it is stirred but as the Sun sheweth a great deale of dust in the ayre yet you know it was there before though not seen before so c. 2 There is more sense when there was but little life many lusts might work unfelt but now every touch of sin is felt and so you may thinke amisse that you have more when indeed the cause is not encrease of sin but of grace the Apostle made nothing of lustings and many other things till grace had incorporated it selfe and made him quick to feele the bitter and stinging workings of it Rom. 7. 4 It may be your life hath been in a continuall tumult and warfare It may bee lusts had not time to work with great afflictions of body and minde so that corruptions had no time to worke but now being brought to a greater calme they begin to stir In a tempestuous day the birds hide themselves in the hedges and the Conies in their holes but when the stormes are past then they come forth while Rome was held in wars and while the Athenians were busied by the Lacedemonians their owne dissentions and internall evils lay asleep but when they had rest then that which lay hid brake forth to their great hurt we see men that are serious laden with weighty concernments living in croudes of affaires or distracted with great cares and feares are free from many vices in their lives which breake out when they have more liberty Consider well if there be not some eminent change in your conditions for a calme estate is subject to many inconveniences in this kinde but it is not because lusts have more life but because they have more advantage 5 God may permit Satan to worke in men Often stirring of lusts works their death and suffer their corruptions to bee drawne out that they may bee more mortified Then we take up armes and fight much when wee see our
to recover pag. 302 1. You are at a constant losse pag. 302 2. There can be no reason of delay pag. 304 3. Delay is very sinfull expressed in five things pag. 305 4. Delay is dangerous expressed in two things pag. 307 3. Put on to purpose with strength with continuance pag. 308 CHAP. 26. Motives to use those counsels 1. It is possible to recover pag. 310 Three Reasons of it pag. 311 Three incouragements pag. 313 1. The life you have is from Christ pag. 313 2. You have a promise pag. 314 3. You have experience pag. 316 CHAP. 27. 2. It is necessary Desertion is no state to be rested in for it is 1. Sinfull pag. 320 This is aggravated in three particulars ibid. 2. It is hurtfull 1. It cuts off the comforts of the soule pag. 321 2. All things are dead when you are dead pag. 322 The losse in this shewed in two things pag. 322 3. The heart growes worse and worse pag. 323 4. You may have a worse time to seeke unto God than now pag. 325 5. God will fetch you in if you come not pag. 326 6. God is not well pleased pag. 328 3. As Gods presence with you is so is your life pag. 326 Sixe incentives to inforce this 1. If you have but little you can doe but little pag. 330 2. Your workes will bee more perfect if you have much pag. 331 3. The more grace is raised the sweeter will your way be pag. 332 4. The lesse grace the more corruptions ibid. 5. The greater measure of grace brings in more comfort pag. 334 6. That little you have is for this end least defective pag. 336 CHAP. 28. 3. Directions to further indeavours 1. Quicken desires after God pag. 338 A twofold advantage of it ibid. 2. Bewaile your losse 1. Mourne for the loss it selfe pag. 339 God will not deny mercy to mourners 1. When their sorrowes are great pag. 343 Foure reasons of it pag. 345 2. When sorrow is ingenious pag. 348 This shewed in sixe things pag. 348 2. Bewaile the cause pag. 352 1. Q. Whether the substraction of the Influences of the Spirit bee alwaies for sin Answered in three particulars pag. 353 2. Q. How a man may find out what sinne is the cause A. 1. Sometimes the cause is visible as in two causes pag. 354 2. When the cause is not transparent 1. Pursue the loss to the birth of it pag. 254 2. Consider what things have beene most pressed by God upon you pag. 355 3. Listen to conscience pag. 356 4. Pray the Lord to shew you the cause pag. 357 CHAP. 29. 3. Direct goe to Christ pag. 369 Two cautions in this pag. 369 4. Direct Set your hands unto the worke pag. 375 That men Regenerate have a power to doe something of themselves proved by foure reasons pag. 376 Two objections answered pag. 378 The things to be done 1. Stirre up your selves and worke upon your hearts by your understandings pag. 379 Seven Rules helping to quicken the heart by the understanding pag. 382 2. Attend the Ordinances pag. 384 3. Take the helpe of the Saints ibid. 4. Doe your first workes pag. 385 An objection answered ibid. Thus of Desertions as they are Reall CHAP. 30. 2. Desertions may be in appearance only pag. 388 The causes of this mistake 1. Fearefulness pag. 388 2. Mistake in the cause of present deadness pag. 300 3. Misjudging our selves ibid. Error in judgement occasioned by three things 1. Spirituall poverty ibid. 2. Hungring and thirsting after more grace pag. 392 3. Much love ibid. CHAP. 31. False Rules of our judging our selves causing mistake 1. False Rule Because we have lesse vivacity pag. 395 Considerations about vivacity of Spirit ib. 1. Distinguish betwixt Gods working in gifts and graces pag. 395 2. God sometimes gives more than hee will continue expressed in foure cases pag. 397 2. False Rule because we doe lesse than we have done pag. 404 Three considerations about this pag. 406 CHAP. 32. 3. False Rule Because wee find more stirring of corruptions pag. 409 Five considerations for the clearing of this pag. 409 4. False Rule Men are too much swayed by the opinion which others have of them pag. 413 5. False Rule Men think they grow not pag. 415 The mistake in this shewed in foure things pag. 416 CHAP. 33. 2. The second sort of spirituall Desertions is the eclipsing of the comfort of the soule pag. 422 Three considerations premised about the comfort of the soule 1. The nature of it pag. 423 The Saints have but an imperfect comfort expressed in two things pag. 425 There are 3. degrees of spirituall comfort 1. Peace which is twofold pag. 426 2. Ioy. 4.7 3. Triumph which consisteth in two things pag. 429 CHAP. 34. 2. The cause and roote of comfort pag. 431 1. Efficient cause God pag. 431 1. That comfort is of God appeares in three things ibid. 2. How this comfort is wrought by God pag. 433 Three Acts of God concurring in this worke 1. Act Preparation and that 1. By illumination expressed in foure things pag. 434 2. By the working of faith pag. 437 3. By sanctification pag. 439 2. Act Collation of matter of comfort pag. 441 3. Act Attestation pag. 443 The doubts by which the soule is vexed reduced to two heads 1. About the truth of the Gospell expressed in divers things pag. 444 2. About themselves and their interest in the Gospell pag. 447 Many things make true faith hardly discernable ibid. Wee have need of the helpe and witnesse of the Spirit proved by foure Arguments pag. 449 Three things observable concerning this Testimony pag. 454 2. The matter of spirituall comfort pag. 457 The proper object of spirituall comfort expressed in two things pag. 458 Foure things observable about this pag. 459 3. The defectibility of it comfort may bee lost pag. 460 CHAP. 35. In the particular consideration of this sad state of the soule is expressed 1. The case and in that is considered 1. The nature of it set forth in foure things pag. 461 1. It is a losse of comfort in God pag. 462 2. It is a losse of usuall comfort pag. 463 The speciall seasons in which God gives such a fulness of comfort as shall not continue expressed in five cases pag. 464 3. It is an eminent loss pag. 465 4. It is not a fit of uncomfortableness but a state pag. 465 2. The degrees of it pag. 466 1. When his quieting presence is much abated this expressed in three things pag. 466 2. When there is much quickness but no quietness pag. 469 3. When there is neither comfort nor liveliness pag. 470 4. When God not only suspends his comforts but afflicts the soule pag. 472. And this is done 1. By rebukes of the Spirit foure waies pag. 472 2. By tradition of the soule into its owne hands or Sathans pag. 476 5. When to all this is added an accumulation of other miseries pag. 479 6. When all
this is continued pag. 481 CHAP. 36. 3. The effects of this sad condition these are expressed according to the quality of the persons thus Deserted 1. As they are sleeping Christians and they are 1. Careless pag. 483 2. Declining in affection pag. 484 3. Apt to he drawne to evill ibid. 2. As they are awakened in these there are different workings 1. Evill effects as 1. Heartless complaints pag. 485 2. Fruitless complaints pag. 486 3. Great unquietness expressed in three things pag. 487 2. Good effects as 1. Sorrow pag. 490. 2. Longing desires pag. 491 3. Repentance ibid. 4. Subjection pag. 492 4. The cause of the restlesness of the soule without God pag. 492 1. From the condition of the subject expressed in five things pag. 492 2. From the object in respect of 1. The quality of it pag. 498 There are three things in God which cause the wound to bleed much ibid. 2. The relation in which God stands to a beleiver pag. 503 3. The operation of God pag. 504 CHAP. 37. 2. The causes for which God deales thus with his people pag. 506 1. To put a difference betwixt Heaven and earth ibid. 2. In judgement to the world pag. 510 3. To establish the godly in more full comforts pag. 512 Affliction of the soule doth advantage much to further establishment foure reasons of it pag. 513 4. The correcting and healing of some evill in his people 517. These evils are 1. Deadness and dulness of heart ibid. 2. Fearelesness of God pag. 519 3. Slightness of heart 521. expressed in three things ibid. 4. Living too much upon the creature expressed in three things pag. 525 5. Intractableness and stifness of heart pag. 528 6. Rigidness and unmercifulness to the spirituall estate of others pag. 530 7. Some great transgression pag. 533 5. To shew that God is the God of all comfort pag. 534 6. To revive their esteeme of mercy pag. 536 7. That others may be instructed pag. 538 8. To fit them for speciall service pag. 539 2. The cure of this sad condition pag. 542 1. In those in whom the cause is naturall pag. 543 2. In those in whom the cause is spirituall and it is applyed 1. To those that have slumbring and drowsie spirits pag. 544 2. To those that are awakened and see their losse to these are propounded 1 Perswasives 1 Comfort is their strength pag. 546 Three great assaults that a man is exposed unto ibid. 2. Sadness doth much hurt both to themselves and others pag. 549 3. Recovery is possible proved by five things pag. 550 2. Directives 1. Seeke the Father in the Son pag. 551 2. Seeke peace much pag. 555 3. Come in much love to God pag. 556 Love shews it self in two things pag. 557 Decemb. 4. 1638. Imprimatur THO WYKES THE DESERTED SOULES Case and Cure CHAP. I. That the godly are sometimes deserted THough most men since God and they parted in Adam live without God in the world Eph. 2.12 13. and are so far from him that they neither enjoy him nor know him yet there is a generation of men whom God hath made nigh by the bloud of Christ with whom he hath renewed that old acquaintance and amity which at the first he had with them Heu Domine Deus rara hora brevis mora Bern. in Cant. 13. and they with him which blessed estate as it is not here perfected so it 's often interrupted their comforts are sweet alwayes but short often there are but few if any whose joyes in a comfortable communion with God are not sometimes clouded with sorrowes in a dolefull elongation from him so that if you lay but your eare to the doore of their closets you shall often heare the daughters of Sion as heires of their mothers miseries complaining in their mothers language The Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me Esay 49.14 If you six your eyes upon them you shall see Sions teares in their eyes her palenesse in their faces her sorrowes in their soules in consideration of and compassion to these mourners I spent some thoughts upon this sad subject Desertions then are either Common or Special These which I call common are such as all men share in by nature God having forsaken and withdrawne himselfe from Adam and all his posterity with Apostate Angels The speciall I shall handle as they concerne Godly The speciall I shall handle as they concerne Hypocrits Desertions as they concerne men truly regenerate are Gods withdrawing himselfe In respect of quickning quicting or cōforting of the soul Desertions as they concerne men seemingly regenerate are Gods withholding of those influences by which they had a kinde of life comfort spirituall To begin then with desertions as they concerne the godly I shall first speake something in generall of them and then descend to the more specials That which I shall say in the generals I will comprize in two things 1 That there is such an evill as spirituall desertion 2 How they are deserted That there is such an estate That the godly may be deserted proved it s almost lost labour to prove yet because as all in Christians is hidden and secret so nothing more than their comforts and discomforts I will and that in two words make it good we will call in two witnesses to give evidence to the truth The experience of the Saints Aske Sion By experience you have her verdict Esay 49.14 And Sion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me You see here the Church clad all in blacke bewailing her widowhood as one bereft of her dearest husband every word of her speech is bedewed with teares b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. l. de consolat ad Apol. and beareth a drop from her bleeding soule The Lord Iehovah he whose power and fidelity hath been to me as the pillars of the earth he hath forsaken me he hath cast me off My Lord he who was mine in covenant mine in communion he who was the joy of my life the life of my joy the strength the stay the spring of my life he hath forgotten me he hath cast me not onely out of his armes but out of his heart I am quite out of his love not onely forsaken but forgotten And in this Sion is not alone Aske David and you shall heare him as soon as you come neare him sighing sobbing crying soaring but what saith he what ailes him he telleth you Psal 22.1 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me See how well their testimonie agreeth how can a man looke upon David and not count him as a poore Orphan that is left in woe case friendlesse helplesse comfortlesse a but yet we will heare a greater than David that is the Captaine of our salvation the first head of the whole order c Christus Primicerius q. in primâ cerâ vel primus in cerâ antiqu s◠ilicet cereis is ebanturtabulis
but Desertion is an eminent abatement of it so that there is an eminent decay of affection and fruitfulnesse and an eminent increase of darknesse and lust As a child cannot be said to be forsaken of his father when hee abateth somewhat of the height and fulnesse of his maintenance but when he keeps from him things necessary suffering him to wander up and downe to goe ragged and torne pinched and wasted with hunger and cold and not relieving though the sonne sue and entreat him to pitty him Then you may say God hath deserted you when he leaves you under the pressures of unbeliefe and the power of corruption and yet though you cry and call supplyes are restrained and you are suffered to walk in the valley of the shadow of death 3. Desertion is not to be judged by an indisposednesse and deadnesse partiall When the deadnesse is universall but universall Not all suspension of grace makes this mournfull state for as I have shewed sometimes God hides himselfe from one part for the quickning of another and may be most abundantly present where he seemes in great measure departed as I shall shew hereafter But when a man is overgrowne with deadnesse which spreads over the whole man that a man is now lesse in affection lesse in action yea unmeet unwilling unapt to all good and the means of good being abated in all his former life and lustre then he is deserted there maybe indisposednes to fome duties froÌ„ sundry causes but when a man is lesse in all then he is in this wofull state 4. Not every interruption of communion with God When the deadnesse abides on the heart not every present distemper and indisposednesse argueth God to have withdrawne himselfe There may be cold blasts stormie weather troubled aire darke clouds in the spring yea in the summer season A man cannot conclude from some present chilnesse or benummednesse of spirit or from some stormes of impetuous lusts that he is deserted The deadness of a deserted soule is not a transient but an abiding deadnesse not a slumber but a sleepe not a fit but a state of spirituall benummedness As a mother is not said to forsake her child that goeth away and returnes quickly so Desertion is not a present short abatement of Gods quickning presence but a continued cessation for some space of time it may be long CHAP. V. That a man may bee Deserted and not know it with the Causes and Evills of it I Have done with the State of a Deserted soule the next thing is the Symptomes and Consequences of it which will give some help to a man to know whether he be in this state or not And it is needfull to declare the signes of it for often men are in this lamentable case and know it not as in another sence it is said of Sampson when he awaked out of that sleep in which he lost his haire that he wist not that the Lord was departed from him Judg. 16.20 So it is true of many God is departed from them and they misse him not till they awake out of their sleepe n Et vigil elapsas quaerit avarus opes Quest But is it possible that that man should be so besotted that falling from a blessed course of sweet communion with God A maÌ„ may be deserted and not know it into so grievous an estrangednesse from him he should not perceive it can a man fall from such a height into such a depth and not know it Ans Yea certainly and there are divers causes of it as 1 there may be a great flush of spirit and much activity from false principles so that a man may seeme to be the same and to enjoy God as he did when if it bee observed hee hath lost much and the greatest part of his life stands upon other pillars as vigor of nature strength of parts inforcement of conscience respects to men false joyes fanatick dreames superstitious rules c. these windes often fill the sayles these waights move the wheeles even there where there is little of God 2. Gods departure is graduall as hee comes not all at once but by degrees so he departs not suddenly but gradually as the Sun riseth by degrees and sets by degrees and so night creepes often upon men before they are aware So God by degrees estrangeth himselfe and leaves the soul to wither by degrees as in a body languishing in a consumption there is not such an apprehension of the going out of life and the comming in of death as in him that receiveth a sudden mortall hurt and as he who wasteth in his estate by little and little is not so sensible of his decay as he that loseth all at once So if a man should fall from a heavenly converse with God and from a flourishing spirituall state into a livelesse and barren condition on a sudden he would be more affected with it but now his fall is graduall therefore lesse seene a hill is sometimes drawne out into such a length that the descent of it doth scarce appeare In Gods way a man may descend dayly yet because his decay is as it were broken into so many small parts he hardly seeth it old age and gray haires come slowly and slily they come by stealth one gray haire creeping after another and here and there upon them they know it not Hos 7.9 A decrepit weake state steales upon men their soules being like dreyning cisternes which empty themselves by drops and so emptinesse overtakes them before they see it while they think they are rich they become poor Apo. 3.17 3. Men lose much of God and know it not Men mistake and are many waies deceived in judging because they rest too much upon other things that doe deceive them some things without them cause them to mistake as 1 a pride and conceitednesse raysed by comparing themselves with others worse than themselves 2 the testimony and applause which others give them especially if by many by the godly by the wise praise blinds them and holds them in a sweet dreame of an imaginary excellency 3 transient and fleeting gales God now and then breaking in with potent workings and that rather to exercise of guifts for his office and for others sakes that they may be built up They consider not themselves when themselves indeede wither 4. They consider not nor examine their estates they lay down their watch and hold not continuall sessions for Judgement of themselves therefore changes befall them and they know it not when men cast not up their estates they may grow poore and not see it Conscience is the soules watchman yea her Iudge â—ow if there be a vacation and the Judge fits not a man may be spoyled of much of his estate and not bee righted except wee judge our selves frequently wee cannot know our selves fully but may lose and not see it But it is needful to know whether we be Deserted
not sinfull where the affection and desire to duties is not quenched but held up in strength But when men do voluntarily lay downe their strength of holy endeavours in the wayes of God and move more slowly and negligently either much omitting or slightly performing the duties of godlinesse it is a signe that it is not with them as it hath beene Apoc. 2.4 5. 2. It is an abatement especially of such acts of grace as are internall and most proper to a godly man Especially in internal and most vitall actions as mourning for sinne rejoycing in God selfe judging heavenly improvement of the promises and providence of God desire of Christs appearing c. There may possibly be an holding up of duties externall as hearing prayer c. but if these inward actions and motions of the new man cease it is a certaine argument that a man is upon the losing hand Externall duties may be upheld by the power of conscience and other causes but those inward acts cannot spring but from an inward root Here Grace inherens is the womb and grace assistant is the mid wife the one gives disposition the other action so that when a man is lesse in these he hath lesse of God 3. In the abatement of externall acts In personall and secret duties there will be lesse done in personall and secret duties than in more publick duties which are with and before others pride and other civill respects may enkindle a false fire in a frozen heart the breath of applause may fill the sails move the ship which otherwise would lie still or move another way A Pharisaicall spirit will be much quickned with praise and glory and a servile spirit will be much provoked by feares men are content to doe more then they would sometimes through hope of the favour of men sometimes through feare of disfavour But such are moved not by the spirit that is from above but by the spirit that is in the world therefore judge your selves by secret acts follow your selves into your closets and retiring places and observe your diligence endevour and spirit in your hidden wayes and secret duties for what you are in them that you are indeed as then you may best take your height when you remove all advantages for if you stand upon any thing you will seeme higher then you are so you may best see the temper of your spirits when all externall enforcements are absent when you are your selves without the ingrediencies of respects to men to intermingle with your spirits As there will be lesse done in a time of desertion and an abatement of fruitfulnesse so you may discerne an indisposednesse By indisposednes and unmeetnesse to duties 1 Lesse willingnesse you may doe good Lesse willingnesse but it is rather as a taske r Nil nisi jussus agit Ovid. than a delight and you are not carried to it so much out of liking and contentment as by a compulsory judgement which layeth a necessity on you that you doe it as a debt and due which the law exacts upon paine of imprisonment but not as a free-will offering and Eucharisticall sacrifice When the heart is filled with God its delight is with him and he yeelds obedience in love and counts his worke wages an evill heart is hardly drawne to good it quarrels with the rule and is loath to be bound David when he was in distemper and left in the rage of his corruption was not willing to be limited by the law of God but when he was himselfe then he loved it Psal 119.129 Gold and silver was not so precious he chose it v. 137. he took it as his portion vers 57. I said oh Lord this is my portion I will keep thy words Å¿ Calvin in loc When a man enjoyeth God his walking with God is his life he is much affected with converse with him partly through love and sutablenesse to God in respect of which he is the Centre to which he tends and in which he rests partly through respect to the recompence which he hath in hope and partly for the sense of sweetnesse which he hath in his converse God meeting his servants with satisfying comforts sweet embracements and blessed coruscations and beames of mercy and loving kindnesse so that they say in their hearts with David It is good for me to draw near to God Psal 37.28 Yea love mightily commandeth and enclineth the hearts to duties but when a man is in greater distance from God then the pleasant wayes of holinesse which were to the soule as a delightfull Paradife are become as the way of a desart a way of thornes and briars a wearisome and unpleasant path 2 That zeale fervencie which you had will be much weakned Lesse zeal and fervency when God is with a man by powerfull and plentifull supplies of the spirit he musters up all the powers of his soule and cals in all his abilities to wait on God and to doe him service So David Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy name Psal 103.1 Observe with what contention and strength you were wont to doe what you did for if now you put lesse to it and goe on in a way of spirituall lazinesse and sloth it 's sure there is a diminution of heavenly influence this seemeth to be the case of the Church in the greatest part of it which caused the Prophet to complaine There is none that calleth upon thy name or stirreth up himselfe to take hold of thee Esay 64.7 CHAP. VII When a man is deserted his light is darkned THe second change which you may discerne in your selves The second change in one deserted is in his light is in your light and sight the eye of the soule that gate of spirituall life and death suffers and this being weakned a man is like Sampson when his eyes were put out t Plerumque oculus contemplationis amittitur post per carnis desideria hujus mundi laboribus animus subjugatur Testatur Sampson c. Greg. l. 7. mor. c. 13. apud Alvar. de auxil grat disput 46. num 2. brought into great misery bondage A four fold evill when God hides himselfe 1 Obscurity 2 Inefficacie 3 Vacuity 4 Incredulity 1 Obscurity Obscurity God shines not into the soule with such abundant light as before u Illuminatio intermittitur intenditur remittitur quis qui spiritum Christi sensit negarit aliquando contingere ut in majori aliquando in minori luce versetur Camer amic collat p. 55. but withdrawes himselfe from the intellectuall part and this causeth a withering and dying in the whole man for as our light is so is our life Psal 119.144 Here is the root of the maine difference betwixt Christians true and false strong and weake one seeth things as another seeth not A wicked man that is learned though he seeme to have light
the clouds when he seemes to be affrighted with terrors he is drinking in the waters of life In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul Psa 94.19 Consider this hast thou been thus filled with God so conversant in heavenly thoughts that thou wast never long from heaven but often looking up to the God of thy life and how is it now with thee art thou become a stranger to these wayes in which God and thy soul had formerly so many blessed meetings art thou growne mindlesse and forgetfull of him it may bee drawing neare in some heartlesse approach to him in the morning but then living without him throughout the day many guests come in but God is shut out there is roome for profits for pleasures yea for sinfull thoughts and evill suggestions but none for God if it be thus thy case is more miserable and thou art Deserted for if God were so present by his Spirit as he was He would be thy remembrancer and bring such things still to thy minde as before Joh. 14.26 hee would bee jogging and provoking to heavenly mindednesse 3 Consistency when our delights are not with God Lesse consistency as the remembrance of him is not so pleasing so not so frequent and not so consistent I say there will not be that stablenesse of an heavenly minde that hath beene thoughts now are but passant and fleeting not fixed and abiding yea though conscience spurre the dull minde to this heavenly worke yet like an unwilling servant it stayeth not at it but is soone gone CHAP. X. Great incredulitie in a Deserted soule with the Causes of it THe fourth evill that befals the mind in time of desertion is incredulity Fourth evill in the minde incredulitie when God withdrawes himselfe the wofull fruits of unbeliefe spring up doubtings disputes objections strange reasonings about spirituall truths in so much that the soul is greatly perplexed and snared in the diversity crosnesse subtilty ambiguity of her owne reasonings now it questioneth the authority and verity of the Scriptures doubting whether it be the word of God or no or whether it be not the invention of men yea it is full of suspicions and doubts of divine providence whether all things be ordered by an hand of infinite power and wisdome yea the foundation and first stone is often shaken in such a time the soule calling this in question Whether there be a God or no who is able to reckon the strange thoughts and reasonings of the soule when it walks in darknesse And who can utter the dreadfull effects of such an evill What mazes of confusion what flouds of feares what thickets and labyrinths of sore perplexities â—s a man led into by this unbeliefe yea what deadnesse and barrennesse â—reake in upon him how exposed to â—iolent assaults of Satan having not â—he use of the shield of faith This unâ—eliefe and Atheisme is a rocke which â—he Saints the most part of them doe â—trike upon at one time or other but â—t's a dreadfull evill like a torrent it â—eares downe in a great measure the â—rops and pillars of Christian hope â—by patience obedience yea it is of â—hat destroying nature where it comes with strength as it doth in many of the Saints that it annihilates in a manner all spirituall things in their eyes so that they cannot see God Christ promise heaven or any thing or if they see them it is with so much obscurity and uncertainty that the life which these things were wont to yeeld is much impaired And as it is pernicious so it 's hard to cure a man would never without the conduct of a divine hand finde the way to get out of these perplexities Unbeliefe hath a great strength in all and were it not checked it would more appeare Quest Cause of unbeliefe prevailing in desertion What is the cause that unbeliefe doth so quickly and strongly upon Gods withdrawing of himselfe put forth it selfe in the godly Answ First the inevidence of the object of faith Inevidence of the object of faith it is evidence in any thing that settles and swayes judgement and when things lie hid in darknesse and carry no convincing and satisfying evidence of reason the minde will not receive them with a full assent yea 〈◊〉 proportions her credit which she gives to the strength of reason which she discernes for it so that in some things she fully embraceth them and hath an acquiescencie and rest in her assent being fully answered in point of reason in other things she goeth not further then to an opinion which is an imperfect assent founded on arguments only probable in other things she goeth not so farre but stands doubting and in suspense being equally charged with reason both wayes having arguments why she should beleeve this or that and arguments why she should not by which encounter of contrary reasonings she is like the river which by the meeting of two contrary streames becomes a still water or like the scales in the ballance which having equall weights in them stand in equipoyse This we finde in men in matters of religion and godlinesse that all beleeve not alike because there is not the like evidence of spirituall truths to all some beleeve fully others beleeve but not with a setled assent others doubt the former are like the scales whereby the weight in one prevailing there is a setling the second like the scales wavering and turning sometimes this way and sometimes that way the third like the scales standing but still it is the evidence in the object which begets faith yea commands it Now the inevidence of the object of faith by which unbeliefe stands fast is in respect of 1 The object it selfe 2 Subject of faith 1 The object is in it selfe sometimes hidden and strange to reason Object hidden and therefore hard to be beleeved Such things are all those supernaturall truths as the Unity in Trinity and Trinity in Unity the resurrection of the body the incarnation of the Sonne of God redemption by the satisfaction of Christ justification by faith c. These truths and the like are above reason such the minde of it selfe cannot beleeve what though they be revealed and are so made conspicuous in a sort by the word yet if there be nothing but the testimony and authority of the word except the power of the spirit set in there will be no faith 2 The inevidence is sometimes in respect of the subject and that is Subject darke when things are clearly brought to the understanding but through it's weaknesse it is not able to see the reason of them the object is cleare but the minde is darke as though the Sunne shine and make all things evident in themselves yet if the eye be blinde it seeth not things are hid but this vaile is not on the things but on the eye or suppose a man come with a faire and full testimoniall of his worth yet
to each other by kinde entreating of their Ambassadours Judge thy selfe if thou hast been formerly fearfull jealous watchfull but now art growne heedlesse bold ventrous yea not only lesse fearing occasions of sin but also more delighting in them it is a sure sign that the temper of thy spirit is corrupted thou art growne worse 2. The law of God is lesse loved there are two branches of the law precepts The law lesse loved and prohibitions and our natures will more easily imbrace the one than the other we many times are content to doe much if the law require this or that we yeeld and consent to it but to be limitted and barred is most distastefull when men love their sins though they like not the law prohibiting those sins And looke into your selves for so strangely doe the regenerate sometimes degenerate that sometimes it is a displeasing thing that there should bee any law to crosse and thwart their desires and lusts yea to be angry with them that hold this law unto them so good Asah was overtaken 2 Chron. 16. the Seer struck at his sin with this sword of the spirit Asah stands up in defence of his sin and smites the Seer oh how far may the heart goe out from God what a thing is this that a renewed man should so farre decline as to love that which God hates and so to love it as to reject God to harbour it and to say in his heart oh that there were no bonds that I might be free oh that I had my will then would I repeale that law and returne to sin Lesse prayer against sin yet this is sometimes found but it is a signe of a man much estranged from the life of God 3. His prayer will be lesse against his sin that which we hate is our burthen and so far as the soule hates it it desires to be freed from it m Est intentio odii no cere nec cessat in laesione peccati sed in exterminio Gul. Paris de Rhet. Divin c. 23. Vere poenitens est Iuratus in mortem peccatorum ib. See how the Apostle cryeth out as a man tyred with the chaines of a grievous bondage Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Rom. 7. Yea and when hee felt his sinne stirring hee prayes and prayes and prayes againe to heaven for help 2 Cor. 12. There is a praying against sin while yet the heart is towards it but it is fearefull mockery of that Majesty to whom wee pray it may be a mans case that the power of conscience may enforce and extort prayer for subduing of sin and yet the power of sin may be such that it may hold the heart in the love of it But if you slacke in the sincerity and fervency of your prayers for mortifying grace you have abated in hatred of sin In the next place comes griefe for sin a grief rising and springing from the bowells of love to God this is a speciall grace which as it is from God so it is honoured with the promise of Gods presence For thus saith the high and loftie one that inhabiteth eternitie whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and an humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Isay 57.15 As when the streames are shallower it hath lesse of the fountaine so the lesse godly sorrow the lesse of God u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proverb graec when a man is not so frequent in humbling his soule nor so full of griefe when sins wounds are not so grievous as they have been he hath no cause to 〈◊〉 downe and lament his case for God is departed in a great measure from him CHAP. XII The second rule to judge of Desertion is taken from the increase of sinne where how the increase of sinne may be knowne THe second rule to guide in the judgment of this matter whether a may be deserted or not is the consideration of his sinnes where sin is increased there is lesse of God sin is contrary to godlinesse and the nature of all contraries is that the intention and increase of the one is the remission and decrease of the other as in the ayre when there is most darknesse then there is leas◠light when the spirit of holinesse is present in his powerfull working then the power of sin is weakned but when he withdrawes his influence then sinne breakes out as when the Sun sets then the beasts that lay before lurking in their dennes come forth with roarings and howlings for their prey and as when the King is gone out of his kingdome then the trayterous rebells who before concealed themselves rise up in armes to work their wils And it must needs be that upon Gods departure and his ceasing the acts and operations of his power in the soule When God departs sin increaseth that sin must revive and returne upon a man with a renewed strength and prevaile much For 1. First Satan is vigilant For 1. Satan takes the opportunity and takes his time to doe all the mischief that he can when God leaves a man he seekes to make a re-entry as theeves break open houses and pill and spoyle in the absence of the master And indeed when God thus leaves the soule there is not a meere Desertion onely but a tradition also of a man into the hands of Sathan God permitting him to deale with the soule in a sort as with Iobs body to lay his hand on them to spoyle them to smite them with many soares and though he cannot slay them yet he may much hurt them so that they come out of his hands as the man in the Gospell that fell among theeves and was robbed and wounded and left half dead Luke 10.30 2. Sinne is potent Sinne is a potent thing it hath indeed many things against it but more for it and onely God above it so that if God cease to watch and keepe the heart in his way and to keep down this monster it will be stirring Take a short view of the power o◠sin It is compared to an husband which overcomes by kindnesse to a Lord which prevailes by power yea it is compared to the things of the greatest power it is called a Conquerour leading all in captivity a tyrant holding all in bondage a King holding all in subjectiō and draw near and see the strength of it Consider the City that she is mured in it is man an active creature and as fire is more fierce in gunpowder that in wood and rebellion stronger in a generall than in a peasant so sin is stronger for the subject of it hence it come that the devils exceed man in wickednesse because their natures are more active and more potent sin also is in the whole man therefore as fire that hath hold in every
of this cup which wee have in hand This makes heaven sweeter and puts the soule upon more longings for it because there it knoweth it shall not feare nor sorrow any more Constant joyes in such a condition as this is in the world sute not more than constant feastings in times of heavinesse we are freed from the power of sinne but in part so we are but in part freed from afflictions And it is probable except grace were more abundant that constant peace would have ill consequents Paul was tempted after his exaltation that he might not be exalted Comfort belongeth not to sanctification but glorification therefore the fulnesse of it is kept till wee bee set in glory Comfort is the reward of holinesse therefore the perfection and stability of it is kept till that time when holinesse shall be perfected and the perfection both of grace and peace is deferred that when Christ shall appeare in glory this may set out the day When Christ came in the flesh God powred out much of his Spirit at his ascension and will powre it gloriously when all shall be consummate then Christ shall shine among all his Saints and the fulnesse of their perfections as the Sunne attended with all the starres in their brightest glory Till that time while you are children under tuition and at schoole you will meet with frownes as well as smiles and correction daies as well as play daies and it is well the day is comming that hath no night and joy that hath no sorrow with it Cause 2 Second Cause in Iudgement to the world God might send out his Saints as starres in glory that all eyes might gaze on them but he will not all things are in a mystery and hidden to the world the graces of the Saints hid under many infirmities and the comforts of the Saints under many sorrowes in just judgement upon the world God is wise and knoweth how to fit the same things for many ends Christ came in a poore estate and his glory and majesty was covered with a cloud and mantle of a meane outside and why was this It is true it was for satisfaction of Justice for the sinne of his people but it was also in Judgement to the world he was a precious one yet because hee came not in State and pompe he was a stone refused of the builders and so a stone of stumbling and a rocke of offence 1 Pet. 2.7 8. And because the Gospel came not with humane dresse and externall ornament The preaching of the crosse is to them that perish foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1.18 God hath not stooped in the matters of heaven to sense as he hath in the matters of the world he will not send unto men any from the dead nor yet shall any walke among men with shining robes of heavenly glory The things of this life are seene and tasted but Spirituall things are conveyed most in a spirituall way If Adam had continued in his integrity God would have manifested himselfe to the world as a man to his friend and not onely faith and reason but the senses should have beene blessed in communion with God but now he so disposeth of all things that even his people walke by faith and not by sight he will not give such a sensible demonstration of his bounty to the world that it may justly perish in its wickednesse if it will not beleeve Moses and the Prophets and if they will not beleeve the Gospel The world is led by sense though the Scriptures testifie of the excellency of redemption and adoption and of the great happinesse of the Saints yet they foolishly cast away faith and the word and run to sense and finding the heires of glory to be often sad beholding not their comforts but their sorrowes they conclude that the way is worthlesse and that religion is but a sower grape and as bitter waters and as the way of the desart Cause 3 Third Cause To establish them in more full comforts x Nube selet pulsa candidus ire Dies Ovid. there was darknesse before light in the world after the strong winde which rent the mountaines and brake the rocks came the still voyce in which God was 1 Kings 19.11 12. And as God often sends great comforts before great afflictions in the world Christ was transfigured in the Mount before his great agonie in the garden so he often premiseth affliction of the soule before great comforts and the soule is setled the more afterward as the tree is rooted more by shaking It is Gods method to bring first to Aegypt and through the Sea and wildernesse and then to Canaan The Apostle prayeth that they may bee strengthened and established but when After yee have suffered a while 1 Pet. 5.10 When the soule hath passed through straits and hath seene the wonders of the Lord in the deepes it is advantaged much to further establishment 1 Because that comfort and evidence which comes so immediately from God is strongest when a man hath beene taken off from all his foundations and God hath appeared unto him in the desart it is a strong demonstration of his love and wins the heart to much love and to strong confidence as if a friend when he is offended and hath us at an advantage so that he may in justice and can undoe us if then he spare and not onely so but is as Esau to Iacob turning wrath into love and anger into compassionate kindnesse this much knits us to him to love him and cleave to him as a good and a fast friend indeed 2 God gives much proofe and evidence of the truth of grace which he hath wrought in them when he makes them see they had hearts that could love him even when it was doubtfull to them whether he loved them when the truth of grace is evidenced clearely it brings much comfort and what greater evidence of an upright heart then to follow God when he seemes to flye away and to love him when hee seemes to abhorre and hate them to weep upon him in love when he seemes armed with weapons of death y Qui nec iratum cessat colere numen Sen Diis fruitur iratis superat crescit malis and to powre out the soule to him when hee seemes to be powring downe fire and brimstone upon them 3 It gives hope that if darke clouds do arise yet they shall be scattered againe the sense of former troubles may helpe to conclude that such deeps are passable and the soule will be apt to say there is hope concerning this z O passi graviora Daus dabit his quoque finem Virg. experience of mercy is a great helpe to faith and holds up the soule that it will not fall so flat and lie so long under discouragements againe It will helpe and furnish the heart to pray much because God hath beene intreated in such times before and to say as the Apostle having delivered us from so great