desertions are great preparations partly because they give much experience of the vanity of all creatures he hath shewed you learne how little they availe in the day of wrath so that you may see you part not with so great matters if you doe part with the world God hath shewed you that life is not in them and that you may live without them And partly because having felt greater evils you are more encouraged to indure the lesse You will not feare to fight with a strippling after you have encountred with a Goliah Moreover in the greatest deeps have you not seene how all your feares have vanished and all your sorrowes passed away by the light of Gods countenance shining forth upon you and so you see that the joy of the Lord is strong It is a signe of much a Afflict'â— dat intellectum quos Deus diligit castigat Deuâ— optimum quemque out mala valetudine aut luctu affuit Sen. love and that you are highly set by with God when he thus leads you into severall states for this is to lead you by the hand to see all that may bee seene and if hee did not intend much good hee would not bestow so much worke upon you you stand in this in the greatest conformity to CHRIST when through many tribulations and afflictions you enter into glory God keepes you from much soyling by constant rubbing and useth the sanne so much to blow away the chaffe and keepeth you awake by these stirres some troubles ennoble the spirit of a state which would degenerate into effeminacy by constant peace winds fanne the aire and purge it and the running and restlesse waters are most cleare This may suffice to have pointed at some Causes of Gods cutting off the comforts of the Saints Having hitherto treated of the Case of the afflicted soule I now come to the Cure The Cure I shall not need to enlarge my selfe much here having beene somewhat copious in the Cure of the first kind of desertions There are two sorts of men that walke much without the consolations In the first the cause is naturall in the second spirituall As for the first Of melancholicall persons who are oppressed with melancholly that darke and dusky humor which disturbes both soule and body their cure belongs rather to the Physitian than to the Divine and Galen is more proper for them than a Minister of the Gospell It is a pestilent humor where it abounds one calls it the devils bath Balneum diaboli These men cannot walke clearely but as a light in a darke Lanthorne shines dimly so is the soule in such a body the distemper of the body causeth distemper of soule for the soule followes its temper a Mores sequuntur temperaturam corpovis Galeâ— this disease worketh strange passions and strange imaginations b Terribilia de fide hurribilia de divinitate and heavy conclusions It is not possible such a man should be quiet till he be cured the seas rage not more naturally when the windes blow than this man hee may sometimes be elevated as it were into the third heavens but anon he will bee brought as it were into the lowest hell But I leave such with this advise when they finde their temper to be naturally or accidentally melancholike to use all such waies as God hath prepared in a naturall way for as the soule is not cured by naturall causes so the body is not cured by spirituall remedies But I shall direct my selfe to those whose heavinesse of spirit is from spirituall causes Of the sleepie soule These persons are of two sorts 1. Sleeping These persons are of two sorts 2. Awakened First there are some slumbering and drowsie spirits who are fallen from their former comforts and know it but make up that want in the creature in which they take delight living in the meane time without God As it was in the former kinde of desertion so it is in this God is departed and either men know it not or minde it not but beare their dolefull losse with a stupid and a sinfull patience or rather with a stupid dulnesse But if you finde your selves in such a case consider what a contempt of God this is to bee willing to live without him and to powre out your hearts upon the creature you must looke for a bitter scourge except you repent or else God will leave you to walke on to your graves in a dull and a low way It is a wofull change to descend from communion with God and Christ to these poore things below And how little doe you set by all precious promises the favour of the great and eternall God and the blood and love and presence of Jesus Christ that can bee content to live in such a state Looke upon others how their soules have melted when God hath beene estranged from them where is your love faith feare hope life that you can indure to be so if these were not all asleepe you would take up a cry for your former happinesse and sit downe and weepe over your present misery Is the losse of a friend in the earth so grievous and is a friend in heaven of no more account you live in a spirituall adultery because your husband is neglected while other things are entertained Awaken your selves and seeke to regaine your former peace and joy in God Secondly Of the awakened some are awakened and see their losse and are affected with it this sort though it have more sorrow yet is in a better way than the former I will to both these propound some 1. Perswasives I will to both these propound some 2. Directives For perswasion consider Motive 1. Comfort is your strength 1. That comfort is your strength The more a man seeth and feeleth the love of God the more the heart is established There are three great assaults and trials that a man is exposed to 1. Tentations to sinne He that will walke in the way of God shall not alway saile in a calme the great Leviathan will shew himselfe hee whose victories have beene many even among the highest Saints Now if your hearts bee filled with comfort you have a strength greater than the world For the manifestation of divine love is the incendiary of love which is stronger than death So long as love to Christ is kept up the heart is safe love is a strong garrison and makes the soule impregnable And while you keepe a fresh and cleare sight of the love of God and Christ it feeds love and keepes it up in strength Adde to this that comfortable enjoyment of God doth carry the heart aloft it makes the conversation to be in heaven and while a mans way is above he is safe from the snares below Then the heart is in danger to bee ensnared when it wanders in the creature as the foule is in danger when she is upon the earth but when she is mounted upon the
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
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
Though a man may have grace living and stirring without peace yet he cannot have peace without the life of Grace Peace and Comfort are fruits of the sanctifying Spirit and as there may be a root without fruit but there cannot be fruit without the root so though there may be the spirit quickning and sanctifying without comfort He that waÌ„ts Gods quickning presence is either in a lethargie yet there cannot be true comfort without the quickning spirit One of these two evils befall a man from whom God is departed g Aut furit aut patitur mirum gravitate soporem Ovid. met 15. and to whom the workings of the power of God is denyed Either he falls into a spirituall lethangie being as one asleepe whose spirits and senses are bound up so that he is in a shadow of death neither hearing nor seeing nor tasting the things of God and so is bereft of all spirituall joy and comfort When a man is in a state of deadnesse hee is dead to all things that are spirituall and they also are as dead things to him The promises that are fountaines of life to a living man are as dry and empty cisternes unto him yea Christ and heaven and the love of God though they are the food the strength the life of a man in a healthfull state are to the languishing soule as meat to a sick stomack the glorious things of the Gospell are to him as a withered flower or as a sealed book he hath no use of them 2. Or 〈◊〉 spirituall frenzy In the day of estrangednesse of God Or in a phrenzie a man is often much disquieted now the remembrance of his former blessed dayes torments his soule with griefe and the feares of utter Apostacie and irrecoverable declination from God doe vexe it with feares and horrors yea Conscience may pronounce sad judgement upon him and he may conclude himselfe an hypocrite and Apostate and one under wrath so that either through insensiblenesse or unquietnesse of spirit hee that hath not his former vivacity and vigour of grace cannot have comfort in such a state It is possible to be deserted of outward inward gracious presence in a great measure 4. All these may possibly befall a man at once hee may have outward straits and inward troubles at once and this is the lowest pitch of misery that a beleever can fall into CHAP. IV. Of the first sort of desertions the withholding of assisting grace THe first sort of desertion is in regard of spirituall life and grace And it is either Reall Or in appearance onely Concerning this maladie and sicknesse of the soule as it is reall I will treat in this order Handling 1 The state 2 The symptomes consequents 3 The causes 4 The cure First of the state which may be thus described The first kind of desertion is a suspension of the arbitrary and customary influence of the spirit of grace Then wee are deserted of God when he suspendeth or withholdeth the arbitrary and wonted influence of the spirit of Grace That I may more perspicuously expresse the thing I will take this description in pieces and explaine it in the parts of it In the description are two things that require opening 1 The Act. 2 The Object The Act is Gods suspending Here note 1 The act suspensioÌ„ a negative act not taking away but not giving c. it is a negative Act a not giving or putting forth that which was wont to be it is not the taking of any thing from a man which was inherent but a denying of somthing that was assistant it is not ataking out but a not putting â—n as when a cock is stopped or turned there is no diminution of water in the vessell under it but onely no addition the vessell is not made emptier but not fuller or as a child when he is set downe out of his Fathers armes is weaker yet not by any losse of his personall strength but by the withdrawing of his fathers help The Father takes not away any of his childes ability but denyeth his owne aide so God when hee deserts his servants withdraws himself and his Spirit yet so as that wee must conceive it not to be a spoiling them of what he had planted in them but a not conferring of that assisting Grace which he was wont to give this will be a little more cleare in the next thing The next thing in the description is the object or the thing which is withholden from a man in this case which is the Arbitrary or wonted influence of the Spirit of Grace here are three things in the object to be observed 1. 2 The object 1. not the presence but influence of the spirit It is the influence of the Spirit of Grace The presence of the Spirit is one thing and the influence is another there may be the former without the latter the influence may be abated but the presence never faileth As the soule in the body is ever equall in her habitation but not in operation her power not acting yet her presence continuing 2. 2 Not influence which is necessary to It is the Arbitrary influence of the spirit which is Suspended There is a twofold influence of the spirit First necessary and constant Secondly arbitrary and inconstant The necessary influence of the spirit is never denyed and it is that which God affoords his people to life growth 1. God is ever present to uphold his Saints in life Sustentation that though diseases may molest them yet their feet shall not bee moved they shall not sinke Psal 66.9 As that hand of power which wrought in the creation workes still in the preservation of all things Iohn 5.17 so the spirit workes still and by a Divine power supports the new creature so that it shal not fall back into its first nothing David found this hand of God staying him in the midst of all his weaknesses Neverthelesse I am continually with thee thou hast holden me by my right hand Psa 73.23 Psal 17.5 2. So that life being wrought by the spirit of life Augmentation never dyeth and as the spirit worketh alway to the conservation of spirituall life so it worketh ever to the growth of grace a Christian is ever growing he groweth when he seemes to himself and others to stand at a stay yea to decline hee groweth alway really though not apparently nor equally as there are seasons in nature so in grace Grace hath her springs and Autumnes but as nature is ever tending to perfection so grace is ever ripening and increasing yea even in tentations and desertitions when God seemes to leave his people he is about the worke of perfecting the new man as in the lopping of a tree there seemes to bee a kind of diminution and destruction yet the end and issue of it is better growth and as the weakning of the body by physicke seemes to tend to death yet it
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
in his ordinances one principall quality is a poor hungring heart for his promise is to powre out waters upon the chopped earth and to fill them that hunger so farre then as he upholds in thee an humble and thirsting spirit he is graciously present with thee speake oh you poore in heart and you that seeke him with hungring affections doth not the Lord meet you with comforts and with influences of life how oft doe you goe from his house with your hearts laden with his hid treasures and burning with an heavenly fire falling from his presence upon you oh the streames of spirituall graces which water the valleys while the mountaines are left parched and dried if you be growne proud and livelesse if your thirstings after the ordinances are abated you shall finde God proportionably hiding himselfe and locking up his mercies from you you being dead in your selves all things are dead unto you 2 Consider what quickning you finde in the use of the ordinances Whatgood in the use of them it may be time hath beene when thou wert wont to finde God feeding thee with milke and the honey of the Gospel and causing his glory to passe before thee in his house but now those dayes are gone the word doth not warme thee cheare thee humble thee quicken thee as in former dayes but thou commest for Mannah to feed thy starving soule and findest none thou commest in deadnesse and goest away without life thou commest with diseases and sores of spirit and art not healed the Gospell is hid unto thee that ministery that is a shining burning light to others is to thee without power others are melted molded cheared elevated and strengthened and blesse the Lord meeting him with gladnesse and praise who meeteth them with life and peace but thou findest none of this yea the word that did sinke into thy soule as the dew that fals upon the tender herbe is now of none effect it causeth not thy heart to mourne rejoyce yeeld feare love as in times past the golden c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod Rhodiis fertur contigisse showres are restrained and thou art left as the mountaines of Gilboa Thou comest to the Lords table but he bids thee not welcome as he doth his children his friends he gives thee not so much as to taste or but to taste of his cup which others drinke of in thy sight to their inestimable comfort nor to eat of his childrens bread tell me then hath not God withdrawne and estranged himselfe if a father will not bid his son when he comes into his house so much as to drinke or afford him a kinde looke will he not say My father is offended and doth estrange himselfe Time hath beene when the company of the Saints was deare in thy esteeme and a sweet conveyance of grace into thine heart but now thy delight is not with them nor art thou quickened by them but conversest with them as the dead with the living Thus if the blessing of the ordinances be not upon thee as before know that God is not with thee as before Object But may not a man conclude amisse supposing God hath left him because he findes no good by the ordinances may it not be a mans own fault or may he not thinke he hath no profit when he hath Ans Yea but the answer to this followeth in the place of seeming desertions onely for the present I will propound one thing which will cleare the case whether you enjoy a comfortable communion with God in his ordinances For there are flashes of fleeting affections and transient and fading impressions which fall upon the hearts of men but they are not such as come from Gods speciall presence know therefore that if Gods saving presence in his ordinances doth distill the dewe of spiritual blessings upon thee it makes thee growe they are food indeed and do incorporate themselves into the soul and so become an effectuall nutriment the stony ground received the seed with joy and many of Iohns hearers did rejoyce in the light for a season but they were not changed by it there was not a power in it to bring them unto God such flashes are fading things but they that receive the word as an engraffed word finde a mighty power in it turning the stock dayly into its owne nature the Gospell comes to them not in word onely but in power also and in the holy ghost 1 Thes 1.5 Where God is in his ordinances there is power 1 Thes 2.13 CHAP. XIV Causes of Desertion they are for 1 instruction that nature and grace may bee better knowne 2 the one in its sinfulnesse and weaknesse the other in its freenesse and necessity HItherto of the state of the Deserted Christian with the Symptomes and Signes now I come to the third thing the causes of Gods withdrawing which are especially two 1. Instruction 2. Correction God by withdrawing the ayde of his Spirit doth teach us the knowledge of our natures Desertions are instructions his grace 1. By this he unmasks the quality of our nature and opens the state of a man in himselfe to himselfe In generall of the quality of our nature which point of knowledge as it is most needfull so most difficult the eye of the minde being like the eye of the body which can see all things but it selfe But because the knowledge of a mans selfe so much conduceth to his end therefore God sundry waies leads his people to it and among all glasses there is none that gives a clearer view of the temper frame and state of humane nature than our life before conversion and in desertion for then a man is most truly himselfe and as the truest picture is then drawne when the body is without her covering and ornaments because often the blemishes of the body are hid in its adorning and the body shines with a beauty borrowed from an externall dresse so in Desertion when a man is left most in his colours and shape he may best see what he is Particularly Desertion makes a man see In particular 1. His sinfulnesse while God is mightily present with restraining grace Of sinfulnesse bridling in and keeping downe the violence of corruption a man cannot think it hath such a power in it or that it is so great When the master or keeper is by the dog or beare his authority muzzles and chaines them up but upon a fit occasion if there be none to curb them you shall see the utmost of a most fierce and cruell disposition which before lay hid And as in a garden so long as a gardiner is in it weeding it dayly and diligently it seemes faire and pleasant nothing appearing but wholesome herbs usefull trees good fruits fragrant flowers and pleasant walks but when the hand of the gardiner slacketh it self then the cursed nature of the ground will appeare and it brings forth of her owne and is overrun
God doth plentifully recompence the diligence of the Saints in their spirituall affaires and this he would have all men beleeve in their first comming to him That he is a rewarder of them that seeke him diligently Heb. 11.6 But it is just that he that labours not should not eat he that digs not for the pearle should not finde it but that the fruit of spirituall slothfulnesse should be a decay in spirituall estate 3 Neglect of duties and exercises of godlinesse you know the promise Neglect of duties To him that hath shall be given c. Matth. 25. that is he that useth his taknt with fidelity and sedulity shall increase in the same talent I say in the same i Abbot in Tomps Diatr for else it holds not that he that useth the talent in one kinde shall thrive in another for what a man soweth that shall he reape but such as are idle and negligent shall grow worse and worse duties of godlinesse are a Christians trade and he that is slacke in them shall be on the losing hand God will punish the unfaithfull servant and the wages of the idle shall be rods and stripes Now the failings in duties are these 1 When they are omitted Not done this hinders spirituall growth k Inaequabilitas in bono non modo est impedimentum progressus sed causa regressus c. Plut. de profectu virt for not onely contrary acts of vice but cessation of acts of vertue doth weaken the better part we must not think that the livelines and vigorous stirring of spirit gotten in our approach to God in any duty will last alway we live by prayer and reading and meditation as we do in the flesh by food and sleepe and other naturall refections and as the body though it be filled to day and spirits are much cheared yet if there be not a constant use of food it will wax weake so it is with our soules l Quae sunt in motuad finem perficiuntur per motuÌ„ ad finem quia per motum fincm assequuntur Aquin. if they doe not daily and constantly feed themselves in God become feeble and languid yet it must be noted that it is not meere omission but the voluntary omission of duties which hurteth when the heart hangs off and forsakes it as a thing unpleasant then it is in the way to lose it selfe and much of that sweet communion which it had for when the heart withdrawes from God then God withdraws from it Lev. 26.27 28 2 Chron. 15.2 2 When though duties are not omitted yet are slightly done Ill done a Christian may as well lose by doing good evilly as by doing what is evill and as well by misdoing of good as not doing remisse acts weaken habits as well as contrary acts m Aliqui actus ab habiâ—u procedentes diminuunt habitum si negligenter fiant lazinesse and idlenesse in spirituall endeavours are sccret theeves robbing us of many heavenly influences from above cold prayer is like a bow slacke bent which will not deliver the arrow home to the marke where God reaps most he soweth most if we sow to the spirit we shall reape of the spirit any duty which is not spirituall and lively is like a sacrifice without life which God will not accept n Sapiens nummularius est Deus nummum nec falsum nec fractum recipiet Bern. de temp 109. all is lost labour which is not done in the spirit and as our actions are formed by our spirits so our spirits are much formed by our actions he that accustometh himselfe to doe good superficially will become superficiall in goodnesse we should never come to God in vaine nor thinke the duty well done till we finde God p Nunquam abste absque te recedo Bern. ep 116. 3 Private and secret converse with God in duties Especially private duties a man may doe much in the view of others with abundant flashes of affection yet have little of God publike actions are often though materially spirituall yet formally fleshly being produced by humane respects the heart filled with ambition or such other advantage which fils her sailes for the present and beares her on but that which hath its rise from fleshly principles doth not worke to the advancement of spirituall grace secret duties are free from such mixtures and ingrediences as doe debase both the action and the spirit and to a well tempered soule are very precious Consider then what you are in secret where no eare can heare no eye can see no hand can reward but Gods alone â—â— What are you in confession of personall failings in supplication of such supplies in thankfulnesse for such mercies as none are privie to but God and your selves for if you be lesse active and serious in your retired and closet duties then in those that are more open and publike it is evident that something without you doth make the difference and if worldly motives are the wheels upon which your hearts are moved it is no wonder if God meet you not with largesses of quickning grace 4 Not watching this is a great cause of declining for the way is narrow Not watching the heart apt to stray q Nihiest in nobia corde fugacius Greg. past cur part 3. c. 1. §. 15. and there are many things to drive and draw you from the path of life r Hostem foris non habebat domi tamen reperit de Solomone dictum Can. de repub heb l. r. 13. nunquam cessat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut Hannibal de Metello apud Plut. and though there were none without us to put us out of the way yet there is a sinfulnesse resident in us and active and when you goe from God you goe from life for your life is in him and from him in nature causes worke strongest in a propinquity as the fire communicates more its heat to that which is neare it then to that which is farre distant from it so the closer we keepe to God by a watchfull and diligent carefulnesse the more he powres into us of his fulnesse By nature we were afarre off and in that condition we were like those in the remote Northern parts which darknesse and desolatenesse doth inhabit because the Sunne hath little or no converse with them we were then without God without Christ and without hope in the world Eph. 2.13 but by grace we are made neare and so have fellowship and communion with God but if by heedlesnesse and folly we goe out from him we have cause to blame none but our selves that we are lesse happy in the enjoyment of him yea if God let loose upon us corruptions from within and tentations from without to beset us and much to spoile pillage waste and weaken us CHAP. XVI Of grieving the spirit causing desertion GRieving the spirit Å¿ Res delicata est spiritus Dei Tert. this causeth God to withdraw
yea it works not onely an eclipse of favour but dissavour they vexed his holy spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and be fought against them Esay 63.10 we must not conceive that there is any passion in God therefore that we may cleare this matter note that the spirit may be considered as having a dwelling in us or others so it is subject to passion that is that which is of God that renewed and heavenly quality in the Saints may be molested oppressed vexed so the Saints may grieve themselves and they may grieve others doing that which brings disquietnesse of spirit and though this spirit be humane yet in a sort it is divine and when the renewed part is grieved we may say the spirit is grieved as that unpardonable sinne which is a malicious opposing of the knowne truths and heavenly graces in others is called the sin against the Holy Ghost How the spirit is said to be grieved as it is in it selfe and so it is impassible but yet it is said to be grieved 1 Because those things that are the effects of griefe in a man are sometimes done by him as God is said to repent Gen. 6. and it is said he cannot repent Numb 23.19 that is the forme of repentance which is a change of minde cannot be in him who is unchangeable but the effects of repentance are wrought by God and these being signes of repentance when God doth them he is said to repent as when a man undoeth what he had done it is a signe he repents so when God was about to pull downe the fabricke which he had raised it is said that God repented that he had made it In like sort God is said to be grieved when he doth that which men grieved by others use to doe that is when he chides rebukes withdrawes c. 2 Because the spirit may have cause of griefe that may be done which gives just cause of griefe and which usually with men works griefe now it is not every sinne which is said to grieve as every offence with man works a displicencie but onely greater offences and evils worke griefe Now the things by which the spirit is grieved Spirit grieved by may be referred to two heads 1 Dishonour 2 Disobedience 1 Dishonour honour is a tender thing Dishonour and by how much the greater it is by so much the more dishonour grieves t Malim de me dici nullum esse Plutarchum quam Plutarchum esse malum et pejus duco mala de Deo sentire quam Deum esse negare De superstit We dishonour the Spirit 1. Negatively when we give not that esteeme to his graces comforts ordinances promises influences that we owe especially if our defect be common as a King would take himselfe dis honoured if his proclamations embasses pardons favours should not be entertained with high respect especially by such as are not onely subjects to his power but the objects of his speciall grace and favour when the Sabbaths are not our delight the word our treasure the promise our joy Christ our life then is dishonour done to God who made these ours by his Sons bloud and reveales offers and seales them by his spirit 2. Spirit dishonoured First directly Postively so we may be guilty of dishonour two wayes 1. Directly 2. Occasionally 1. Directly 1. When we have low esteemes of the counsells and comforts of the Spirit By low esteeme of it when we accept them not gladly keepe them not diligently being such precious fruits of so inestimable mercy if a friend send to his friend his counsells of love and the tokens of amity and they be rejected he counts himselfe dishonoured much more in this case doe we dishonour him who is so glorious and so gracious 2. When we preferre other thing◠before him Preferring other things before it as the wisedome of the fles◠before his counsells and sinfull contentments beggerly treasures vanishing trifles before his comforts what greate dishonour then that the things of the world should sit in the throne and the things of God in the foot-stoole that the slave yea the enemy should have more respect than the supreame Lord 3. When we charge our failings upon the spirit Charging our failings on him as if a subject should father his bastard upon the Prince false opinions boasting that we are taught of God rash and precipitant fiercenesse calling it the zeale of the spirit licencious walking styling it Christian liberty lumpish unchearfulnesse titleing it godly sorow and presumptuous peace naming it the comfort of the spirit what is this but to father errour madnesse wickednesse and dull or sullen sadnesse upon the spirit which is a spirit of truth a spirit of holinesse and a spirit of comsort Putting spirituall things to base employments 4. When men put spirituall things to base imployments as when we use our knowledge or any gifts of ability spiritually to pride covetousnesse fraud or any worldly end u Lucernam sur accrndit ex ara sovis c. repentè vocem sancta misit rebgio sceleste spiritu culpam lues in phaedr fab l. 4.68 this is as if the sacred vessels in the temple should be put to common employments or as if we should use the royall robes of a King to act a play This was Simon Magus his sin Acts 8. who would gladly have purchased those rare gifts of the spirit Themistocles graecum a pud persas interpretem intersici jussit iniquum ratus graecam linguam in iesum Barbarorum convertere Plu. in Them that he might seeme some body and enrich himselfe and thus many even of the godly doe much offend putting forth their parts too much to their owne advantage now what is this but to serve thy selfe of thy God and to make spirituall gifts the price of worldly vanities and what dishonour is this 5. When we are ashamed of the spirit before men When ashamed of him as when we dissemble and hide our graces lest we should be scorned when we count it a dishonout to us to be judged and called spirituall or persons walking in the spirit were it not a dishonour to a Prince that a subject and servant should be ashamed of his master his livery and service this is greatly threatned Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him also shall the Sonne of man bee ashamed when he commeth in the glory of his Father with the holy Angells Mark 8.38 2. As the Spirit may be thus dishonoured directly The Spirit dishonoured indirectly when we occasion others todishonor him so also he may be dishonoured by us when we doe such things as occasion it As when by our faulty and unholy conversation we occasion men to thinke and speake evilly of God thus did they whom God taxeth Ezech. 36.20 23. Rom. 2.23 24. these things seldome goe unpunished if blasphemy
Proposition It is safer to exceed then to come short it is safer to extend you selves by over-abounding then to c◠short it savours of a better spirit wh◠a man is free though in excesse the when he is slack and back ward and is not so much evil by abounding so◠what to pinch the flesh as by abating suffer losse in the spirit the things the concern the body are not of such va◠as those that concerne the soule 〈◊〉 so much the more cause you have 〈◊〉 ther to leane to the right hand because as there is a greater worth in the w◠on the right hand so there is usually disposition inclining rather to the 〈◊〉 hand Few men offend in passing their bounds More men are found defective in giving almes then excessive and so where one is in any way of piety carried with too full a gale an hundred lye becalmed where one piece is more than weight many are found too light 4 Proposition Fourth Proposition A man must not make his disposition a rule alway Which in three cases is hardly bounded That a man must not be ruled by his own disposition but must seek arule to walk by for in some men the heart hangs with perpetuall hungring after converse with God that if there were nothing to limit them they would scarce doe any thing else and there are three things draw the heart still unto God 1 Great comforts in meeting God in duty Great comforts these make the soule to say as David It is good for me to draw neare to God Psal 73.28 When God opens himselfe and his treasures and lets in his people to his presence and feasts them with spirituall and joyfull sights and tasts this makes them loath to leave but they hang unto duties as the child to the breast and finding so sweet a conjunction of plenty and sweetnesse are filled with delight and are ready to say to all things else as Abraham to his servant when he went up to the mount Stay thou in the valley the spouse vns with her beloved and found him as a apple tree among the trees of the forrest whose fruit was sweet unto her taste hee led her into his wine-cellar and she was ravished with his love and greatly solaced in his sweet embraces and now see what care shee takes to keep that which she joyed to have and feared to lose I charge you oh ye daughters of lerusalem that ye stir not up nor wake my beloved till he please Cant. 2.7 But in such a case it is a point of obedience and self-deniall for a man to leave his banquet to do that which he is called to and we should so prefer God to all our comforts as to bee content to come downe with Moses from the Mount when he hath businesse for us below 2 Love to God Great love this is of a living and large disposition and apt to draw the heart much out he that loves come as a friend he loves to come and converse with God and even then when his necessities are not urgent yet his heart is drawing heaven-wards as the wife loves to be with her husband c. 3 Necessitousnesse of spirit Great necessities when one is sensible of great wants great corruptions tentations feares then he is apt to be over-solicitous and active especially when such an afflicted spirit hath either both of these two things 1 An opinion that all good lyeth in duties When men thinke that a hard heart may be softned a stiffe heart bowed a corrupt heart changed and all good attained by labour and sweate men that know what it is to want these will worke even their soules out of breath and are so carried with desire of the good that they are not sensible of the labour But remember all lyeth in Christ and therefore you must seek it from Christ by the meanes if you make duty and endeavour your refuge you are deceived 2 If there be an opinion that God will not accept lesse this is the case of many they have been at prayer and that not only in sincerity but with importunity and with a full tyde of spirit and yet they are afraid to betake themselves to their employments out of opinion that they have not done that which is sufficient but that their occasion and necessity cals for more still but herein men have under-thoughts of God as if he were like the gods of the heathen that did not heare or as if hee were hard to be entreated For a close of this businesse I will in a briefe view present some things that are considerable in way of satisfaction in such cases Farther considerations to cleare the question 1 Distinguish between occasions and duties ordinary and extraordinary Distinguish betwixt duties ordinary and extraordinary for as when an extraordinary or great person comes all stand by and give him place which we will not if an ordinary and common man come so affaires and things of the world and nature doe stand for their own and will not be set aside for ordinary duties to waite at the closet dore as when an extraordinary service is performed Your time is divided betwixt heaven and earth therefore you must not only give to both but with equality each must have his owne 2 There is a time to waite as well as to work Know there is a time to waite as well as to work when you have presented your suites with what strength you are able now faith must come in and lay hold upon the promise and you ought to beleeve that God heareth for you have his word The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his eares are open to their prayers Psal 34.15 Remember you come not to God to obtain a promise and grant but it is obtained in Christ you must only sue it out by prayer and whatsoever you aske in Christs name beleeving you shall receive it Mat. 21.22 so Davids practise he begins often with prayer but ends with praise it is want of faith that causeth unquietnesse though you should not rest in your duties yet you should rest in the promise if God heare not at first yet he will heare at last yea he heares when you thinke hee heares not But you must give God time that is all he requires the thing shall be yours but the time is his doe with your prayers as with your seed be patient til God come Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it untill he receive the early and the latter rain Ja. 5.7 Be ye also patient stablish your hearts for the comming of the Lord draweth nigh When you have preferred a petition to the King you do not fall presently to write another but you waite a time convenient and then you move again so doe with God the doore is open you may come again in due time but live by faith and
unseasonably in conference hearing fasting praying he cannot upon just ground expect Gods assisting presence and blessing in his way and so on the contrary Answ 3. Sometimes a man is above ordinary course called to some worke and here we finde the calling of a man to be of God 1. When he hath a particular word d Quilege privà ta ducitur publica non constringitur apud Episc Sarisb de justitia operum c. 42. so Abraham had a particular charge to leave his Countrey and to slay his son in Sacrifice So Peter also had a particular word to walk upon the water and God failed them not 2. A strong bent and inclination of heart so Paul was bound in his spirit to Ierusalem though dangers waited for him Acts 20.22 so it is judged of Ehud in killing Eglon of Phyneas in slaying Zimri and Cosbi 3. When God fits not onely with a disposition but with a spirit for the worke as when he called Saul to the Kingdome he gave him another spirit 4. When he gives peace of heart in their way and beares them out against all accusations from within or without so Paul and Silas had this testimony of their calling to their worke a spirit of glory resting upon them Quest Quest But evill men have sometimes a great flush of spirit courage ability peace and confidence have they this of God Answ 1. Ans 1 God may employ even wicked men and may for the service of himselfe and of his Church fill their sailes with a full gale of great gifts and carry them on with a strong hand so he helped Cyrus He saith of Cyrus hee is my Shepheard and shall performe all my pleasure Esay 44.28 and Thus saith the Lord to Cyrus whose right hand I have holden or strengthned c. Esay 45.1 2 There is a naturall strength which may doe much some have a naturall vigour and confidence which enables them to do and suffer much 3 Mens lusts and sinfull ends and respects may adde activity and vigour to their spirits in good actions e Vis Hug. Grot. de verit relig Christ l. 2. Iehu was zealous but that flame of zeale was inkindled by the love of the kingdome and many others do much but it is by the strength of their self-love and politique ends 4 There is a diabolicall power of that Prince of the ayre who worketh in the children of disobedience which makes his zelots as God hath his f Pertinacia haeretica est obduratio voluntatis ipsorum obligatio diabolica qua eos trahit quò vult sicut vult ut furiosi casustinent ex insania cordium quae vix sanitas sustineret Guilielm Parisiens de tentat resist Vid. eundem de virtutib cap. 21. as Pharaohs Magitians wrought like unto Moses so Satan transformes himselfe often into an Angel of light and in a way of seeming piety and devout zeale makes many to be valiant Champions But there is this difference of that common assistance of the spirit of God to evill men and of the strength from nature lusts or Satan from that which the holy Spirit gives to the godly in their wayes 1 That which is from naturall temper lusts or Satan is often found in an evill cause as Sauls Zeale before he was called of Christ was madnesse against the truth 2 Only the spirit of holinesse works by love to God others for other ends 3 Only the spirit of holinesse makes more holy by all assistance which it affordeth this only wins the heart so that the more God is with him in his way the more he loves him and loves to serve him and so hath this evidence that it is from God because it tends to him so Davids heart was silled with love when God appeared for him Blessed be the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my supplication the Lord is my strength and my shield my heart trusted in him and I am helped therefore my heart greatly rejoyceth and with my song will I praise him Psal 28.6 7. Let this suffice in this digression for briefe answer of these questions now let us returne to the direction be sure you keep in Gods way for you cannot finde God but in his own way when the arkâ— and pillar of fire the word moves before you walke after it and then yoâ— shall finde God pouring in himselfe and girding your Ioynes with strength 〈◊〉 Waite on the Lord and be of good courage and he shall streng then thine heart waite I say on the Lord. Psal 27.14 Feare thou not for I am with thee be not dismaid for I am thy God I will strengthen thee yea I will help thee yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousnesse I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand saying unto thee feare not I will help thee feare not thou worm Iacob and ye men of Israel I will help thee saith the Lord and thy redeemer the holy one of Israel Esay 41.10 13 14. It is a precious promise a man may say and sigh in himselfe alasse the worke is great and I am weak but God saith I will strengthen thee and help thee and if the difficulty be too great for thee yet it is not too great for me But a man may say alas they that war against me are many and great and I cannot stand before them I finde mighty lusts strong disputes strong tentations but see what God saith ver 11 12. They that strive with thee shall perish they that war against thee shall be as nothing and as a thing of nought they may come against thee but thou shalt be above them they shall vanish they are no more then a shadow But a man may say I finde my heart shaking at the sight of these sons of Anah and I am ready to say in my selfe I shall one day fall by the hands of Saul to this God answereth 1. by a repulsion of feare in a word of encouragoment Feare not nor be dismaid which he repeates again and again 2. by â—teration of the promise I will help I will help I will strengthen thee I will hold thy right hand as if he said I will surely do it 3. by calling in his attributes as witnesses and assurances I am Iehovah one that is and will give being to all my words I am the holy one one that cannot deceive you 4. by pleading his relation and affection I am thy God I am Iehovah thy God thy Redeemer as if he had said I have given my selfe to you and have undertaken to save you and therefore feare not though thou art but a worme Iacob yet will I uphold thee oh then that we could now in our way rejoyce and say as the Prophet The Lord Iehovah will help me therefore shall I not be confounded Esay 50.7 CHAP. XXIV Sixth and Seaventh means Be doing and wisely and diligently use the meanes of grace BE doing many cry Lord help
is like 〈◊〉 mine not half broken up yea often whe◠you are neare to springs of life yo◠cease to digge the diligent hand maket◠rich a hungry soule findes many sweet meales in your leavings God would give much of himself if you would stay by it what if nothing come at present doe with the ordinances as with a pump dwell at it and the waters will flow it is not much hearing but wise hearing that carrieth the blessing the word must be laid up and must soake into the heart Ioh. 8.37 p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Camerarius Sermo meus non penetrat in vobis Ludov. de Dieu Secondly let me adde a little for indutement to put you upon seeking God in this way 1 Consider it is Gods way therefore you must not expect good without it it is his way and he will make it good he hath appointed the meanes for this end and therefore they shall prosper that use them his power wisdome goodnesse stand all inviting you being as so many seals of this truth that they shall live that heare and they say to thee Oh thou that art named the house of Israel is the Spirit of the Lord straitned are these his doings doe not my words doe good to them that walk uprightly Micah 2.7 2 His promise is with you how fully hath he expressed himselfe in this Incline your eare and come unto me he are and your souls shall live Esay 55.1 2 3 q Verbum Dei animae vita virtus victus custodia c. Bern. And hath not Christ annexed his prsence to his ordinances for his people good unto the end of the world Mat. 28.20 Look then at the ordinances in the promise and see how God hath engaged himselfe unto his servants if you could beleeve you would see God more in his Sanctuary but as it is said that Christ wrought no more miracles in his own countrey because of their unbeliefe Mat. 13.58 so God shuts in his power from working because your hear◠is shut up in unbeliefe you should go◠with gladnesse to the house of God as to a place of feeding and healing rejoycing in hope to finde an effusion of the Spirit from on high according to the promise 3 God hath done it you see by these meanes he prevailes upon men and turnes from darknesse to light and raiseth from death to life you see others how they flourish in the Courts of Gods house as trees by the water side and have not you your selves found God often causing the ordinances to come as Ships laden with rich treasures for you hath not your heart burned when you have heard him speaking have not some sermons been as Elias Chariot hath not Christ come often when his Disciples have been together why doe you not then upon such experiences walk diligently and chearfully in the Gospell 4 It is Gods glory to meet his people it sets out his goodnesse wisdome power mercy faithfulnesse r Caesari cum statuas Pompeii delapsuras erigi jussit dixit Oice. ro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Flut. de capiend ex hostib utilit as the Sunne in clearenesse it makes his name precious his wayes sweete his people fruitfull and herein saith Christ is my father glorified that ye bring forth much fruit John 15. therefore you have cause to seek to enjoy God in this way 5 Consider with whom you have to deale 1. One that knoweth who seek him he knoweth who are his friends and seeth all the reachings of thy heart after him Christ asked the woman whom shee sought but he knew shee sought him and so shewed himself unto her the childe may seek the mother and she may be ignorant of it but there is not a prayer not a sigh after him but it is in his eare not a teare for him but it is in his eye 2. He can doe what you desire he can carry you on as upon Eagles wings he is a fountaine of life and hath enough for you and for thousands 3. He is pittyfull he is sensible of your case ſ Heb. 4.15 Compassio cum impassibilitate perdurat Bern. de grad humil he knoweth your need of him what weaknesse you are left in if he be not with you what tentations and lusts break in what sorrow and heavinesse if you enjoy him not 4. He is the author of that desire which you have after him and God knoweth the meaning of his own Spirit these desires hee sent from himselfe to bee as Pharaohs Chariots to bring Iacob to Ioseph and when they have brought you to God will he not accept you he would not have sent for you if he meant not to helpe you therefore seeke him with faith and diligence in the meanes that you may have his presence for your guide and guard in all your wayes CHAP. XXV Three counsels to such as are deserted NOw I come to deale with such as are forced to draw this sad conclusion against themselves that God hath departed from them and I feare when men seriously consider what hath beene said that it will be found that not a few have cause to sit downe in the dust and to poure out teares in the sad sense of their grievous losse of the quickning presence of God Me thinkes it is visible in some that they are changed and have declined from that lustre life and activity of spirit which seemed once to be aloft and to be elevated to an excellent height of holinesse and heavenly mindednesse but now lyeth groveling in the dust with clouds and chaines of evident darknesse and death upon them And now I wish for such a spirit that I might come to them with like successe as the Angel to S. Peter when he lay sleeping in the prison The Angel of the Lord came upon him and a light shined in the prison and he smote Peter on the side and raised him up saying arise up quickly and his chaines fell off from his hands and he went out and followed the Angel Acts 12.7.9 God hath sent us also to strike off mens chaines and to open the iron gate that leades into the spirituall City and hath given us the hammer Ier. 23.29 and with it the key of the Gospell Luke 11.52 And oh that he would mannage these by his strength that men might be delivered that are in prison In dealing with such I will take this course to draw them out of these deepes I will lay down the matter of perswasion arguments to prevaile rules to direct First the matter of perswasion or the things that I plead for are 1 To consider well whether you be not in this case 1. Counsell Consider if it bee not so Call home your thoughts and send them as spies throughout all the Region and see if you finde Christ in it as in former times see if thy soule lye not as Jerusalem when the Babylonians came upon it are not the wals broken
hearts to himselfe and the Saints doe not rest in these they doe not match with the handmaides the fruits of Gods love are sweet When for losse not onely as bitter but as a signe of Gods displeasure and because they are sweet therefore God is precious Christ is pretious to them that beleeve 1 Pet. 2.7 4. When your sorrow is not onely for the losse as it is your evill but also as it betokeneth displeasure in God a true friend is grieved when his friend leaves him and casts him off not onely for his owne great losse but for his friends anger he can as well be without his friend as without his love and is as loath his friend should be displeased as himselfe endammaged 5. When because by this losse you are disabled to serve him When your sorrow is that you have lesse strength to serve him grace hath a great recompence in it selfe but can you grieve that by bringing your selves into this state of deadnesse you have lived to little honour to your God When you can submit to all tearmes of reconcilement and are not now able to doe much for him this is ingenuous sorrow 6. When you can gladly submit to all conditions of reconcilement and of restauration though God require much or impose much yet you count all nothing in comparison of God can you say Lord command me chide rebuke smite doe what thou wilt ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquit Themistocles Eurybiadi plagasque minanti dum sanum in praelio cōsilium decerit Plut. though it be through a desart yea through a Sea of straits and troubles yet I am content to goe so I may arrive at last at my desired end if I may have thy good presence it shall be enough if thou wilt come to me if I may come to thee every way shall be sweet though I goe thorow thornes and bryars to the raking of my flesh and the effusion of my blood yet this shall be nothing to me if I may enjoy my God who is all in all to me When your sorrow is ingenuous then you will find God yea indeed he hath found much whose frozen heart begins to thawe and to dissolve it selfe in showres of teares for the return of God unto his deserted soule the Lord hath looked upon thee if with Peter thou weep bitterly t Tunc peccator visitatur a Domino quando compungitur ad lacrymas nam et Petrus tunc flevit quando in eum Christus respexit Bern. de mod bene viv ser 10. Secondly bewaile the cause this is part of that cure which the great Physitian of soules prescribed to Ephesus languishing in a like disease I have somewhat against thee Bewaile the cause of the losse because thou hast left thy first love remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent Apoc. 2.4 5. Quest Whether the substraction of the quickning influences of the spirit be alway for sinne Ans 1 Answ 1. Sometimes it is like he doth it not because his people have sinned but for higher ends as Peter was left to be strangely foyled with fears of suffering falling exceedingly beneath his former spirit and resolution yet not for any particular sin of his but as it is likely that he might see how unable he was of himselfe that so all the glory of his future heroick acts and sufferings might come not to himselfe but unto Christ and so Paul was buffetted that he might not be exalted God let loose Satan not to punish but to prevent his sin 2 Cor. 10. so the case stood with the blinde man John 9.3 Ans 2 2 There is also cause in us though God make it not a cause to himselfe and to his action therefore your way is to consider your wayes Ans 3 3 God usually doth it for sin and if you search the Scriptures they testifie that sin is the usuall spring of this evill Sin separates betwixt us Esay 59.2 he bath threatned If we forsake him he will forsake us 2 Chron. 15.3 Quest Quest How a man may finde out what sin is the cause Answ Answ First sometimes the cause 〈◊〉 visible and a man can scarce look besides it 1. When upon some particula◠grosse failing a damp hath fallen upon him in such a case God points at the sin and discovers the cause of his displeasure by this sudden punishment inflicted on him Scriptures afford man◠instances of discovering the sin by th◠time of the punishment 2 It may be there hath been an eminent neglect of those meanes by which life was upheld and grosse carelesnesse in omission or palpable remissenesse is duties vanity of minde sinfull affections and other evils connived at have so broken in that a man may plainly se◠the time when his fall began and whe◠his sun began to set Secondly Upon consideration 〈◊〉 though the cause be not transparent i◠may be discovered and for help in this I will propound foure rules 1 Pursue your losse and sad condition to the birth of it consider how long this night of darknesse hath been upon you look back to the dayes in which you were happy in a living communion with God if a man have lost a thing hee bethinkes himselfe when he had it and where and so as much as may be pursueth his losse to the very time and place It may be when you come to this you will have much light to finde out how you lost your treasure God goeth not away upon small offences you will by searching finde the gap that let in these floods 2 Consider what things have beene most pressed by God from time to time upon you for though the whole law and all righteousnesse be enjoyned to all yet there are some things more especially pressed so Iosuah was much pressed to courage so much as if it had been his only taske Be strong and of a good courage only be thou strong and very couragiou◠Josh 1.6 7 9. The Israelites were mightily among other things called on to take heed of forgetting God and what he had done when they should possesse the land of promise Deut. 4.9 Only take heed to thy selfe and keep thy soule diligently least tho◠forget c. Chap. 8.2 5 10 11 14 18. And after their returne from Babylon some things especially were againe urged as not to mixe themselves with the heathen which things Ezra Neh laboured much in and to build the temple which the Prophet Haggai againe and againe enforceth c. So every Christian according to his station temper measure of gifts and graces relation age course c. is put upon some things in a speciall manner heare what the spirit saith the voice cals upon you it may be for more humiliation or more meditation or more thankfulnesse prayer reading zeale mortification of particular lusts now if you have been deafe to these cals it is like here grew the difference betwixt God and you for here is great
neither destroy thee c. Deut. 4.29 30 31. Take then the counsell of the Prophet which he gave to Israel when God was departed from them Oh Israel return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips Hos 14.1 2. That you may finde the like favour and God may do for you as hee promised to them I will heale their back slidings I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his roots as Lebanon his branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the Olive tree and his smell as Lebanon c. ver 5 6. When Ephraim repented and mourned God pittied him I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke turne thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God c. Is Ephraim my deare Son is he a pleasant childe for since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Jer. 31.18 19 20. You see then what encouragement you have to seek in this way for peace with God and for the quicknings of his Spirit which you have lost sin armes God against you but he cannot hold back mercy from the humble his promise hath given repentance a power to prevaile with him and he will not contend with the broken hearted hee hath a speciall eye upon mourners and will not hide himselfe from the cry of the afflicted a contrite heart is a sacrifice which he will accept Psal 51. He is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit Psal 34.18 The father z Quit ille nobis intelligen lus pater Deus scilicet Tam pater nemo tam pius nemo Is ergo te filium suum etsi acceptīe ab eo prodegeris etsi nudus redieris recipiet quia redisti Tertul de poenitent Patris cibus est salus nostra Beda Ambr. in Luc. 15. of the Prodigall made hast to receive and welcome his straying son and rejoyced that hee that was lost was found again and that he that was dead was alive againe Luke 15. this is the way walk in it if God should deny such he should deny himselfe because he hath said though he hath been Sorely displeased turne you unto me and I will turn to you Zach. 1.2 3. Till you repent your sin is continued and conse quently Gods displeasure Therefore consider seriously of your case for want of serious thoughts doth great hurt so that though the heart bee affected yet not enough it seeth often that all is not well and knoweth the cause yet because these things lye not upon the spirit by ponderous thoughts a man beares his misery happily complaining but not wisely and strongly endeavouring to remove it And the heart is not soone brought downe you must hold up the objects of spirituall griefe by consideration that they may be able to beare downe the heart therefore be much in pondering these two things 1 The sad effects of the losse of God see what blindnesse barrennesse weaknesse depravednesse vanity feares accusations of heart what cryes and clamours in your soules and now what if afflictions come how will you be able to live in such a time other then a dying and a feareful life what if death come either a black cloud of darknesse will over-spread you or a storme of affrightments and terrors will torment you and now remember your sinne hath brought all this upon you 2 The sinfulnesse of the cause why did you neglect and despise your God if you had not set him shamefully at a low rate you would not have turned your back upon him what Could not the infinite Majestie and mercy of the Father the incomprehensible love of the Son the unutterable comforts of the holy Ghost prevaile with you Do you see what you have done have you not said to the Father I neither fear thy Majesty nor desire thy mercy and to the Son I care not for all thy love nor yet for thee that dyedst for me and to the holy Ghost I regard not all thy saving counsels living influences and high refreshments doe you not heare these pleading with you each for himselfe and each for all they are one and what you have done in this you have done against each and against all weigh well then what your carelesnesse and disobedience amounts to that you may meet him with an humbled spirit drenched in teares and clothed with shame put case now that God should requite you in your kinde and that his heart should not be towards you then you might bid peace yea life yea hope adieu for ever Consider further how God did follow you and entreated you not to goe from him did he not tell you he could not beare contempts and that you would repent it at last and will see that what you have done against him you have done against your selves did he not kindly use you and were you not alwayes welcome to him Oh my people what have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me Mich. 6.3 and when you were going did he not cry after thee Returne thou back sliding Israel and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am mercifull and I will not keep anger for ever Jer. 3.12 Yet you would not Consider now how long you have lived without him and how often God hath called upon you to consider your waies if you will let your thoughts out you will finde abundant cause of griefe and when you seek him with repētance you will finde him in mercy drawing neare and he will forget your unkindnesse and you shall heare no more of them doubtlesse your sinnes this way are very great so that sometimes God hath been put as it were to a stand what course to take when God had promised mercy to his revolting people he addes But I said how shall I put thee among the children and give thee a pleasant land and I said thou shalt call me my father and shalt not turne away from me Jer. 3.19 When the Church had been disloyall she at last fell to this course of repentance and see the issue A voice was heard upon the high places weeping and supplications of the children of Israel for they have perverted their wayes and they have forgotten the Lord their God returne ye backsliding children and I will heale your backslidings ver 21. and oh that you also would tread in their steps and say We come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God ver 22. CHAP. XXIX Two other
your selves againe and what is 〈◊〉 your sorrows and labours to this recompence if God will return agaâ—â— you will thinke all labour and paint well bestowed oh how sweete will 〈◊〉 be after such a time of deadnesse how sweet will a cleare understanding and an established faith be after such mists of darknesse and unbeliefe how sweete will liberty be after so long a time of cruell servitude how sweete will victory and rest be after so long and so bloody a war now the Ordinances will be as the greene pastures in which your soules shall feed and delight themselves now you that did dwell in the dust and were compassed about with hellish lusts and uncleane spirits shall be filled with the Spirit of Christ and shall converse with God it will be a sweete time when all things shall become new when your diseases shall be turned to health and you shall renew your strength as the Eagles when Christ shal come into his ancient throne Ps 103.5 and rule you with the Sceptor of his grace And I pray God that all that have been deserted may seek him and finde him This shall suffice for the first sort of spirituall desertions viz. reall now followeth another sort if I may so call it desertions only in appearance CHAP. XXX Of Defertions in appearance only with causes of mistake in this Case HAving finished the first sort of desertions or Gods with drawings of the quickning influences of his Spirit which are when men are really so deserted I now come to those desertions which seeme such but are not 〈◊〉 godly man sometimes may and doth draw sad conclusions against himselfe and conceives that God hath departed from him when it is not so And this mistake proceeds from such causes as these 1 Fearefulnesse 1 Cause Fearefulnesse this abounds 〈◊〉 some more then others the matter 〈◊〉 weighty and in such cases man is apt to feare as one upon a Towre though the place be strong and he sure yet when he lookes downe he is appalled at the dreadfulness of the precipice counts himselfe in danger This feare is 〈◊〉 creased in men because they know they may sinke into such deeps and they see many have fallen now as in a time of pestilence and great mortality feare so takes hold of some that they thinke sometimes that they are strucken m Quod fore posse timet moestus adesse putat and that they also are going to the house of silence and darknesse when as they are in healthfull state so sometimes men think in this case And the tempers of some spirits are such that they are apt to feare there are dusky clouds of Melancholy darkening their reason so that they thinke with that melancholy King that they of men are become beasts and so are ready to depose themselves from that Princely state which they lived in to feed with oxen And to all this there is a working of the Prince of darknesse labouring to hide the light and to encrease the darknesse and sadnesse of a fearefull soule and this feare being raised doth create dismall visions and apprehensions that a man seemes to himselfe to bee metamorphosed and thinkes he is as one cast out from God when yet his case is good 2 Mistake in the cause of present deadnisse Mistaking the cause of their present state 〈◊〉 When they are cloggeâ— with indisposednesse and ill disposednesse they lay this to Gods with drawing himselfe which indeed is the fruit of their owne carelesnesse slothfulnesse and untowardnesse they take not painâ— with themselves but suffer their heart to dy and to be depraved and then 〈◊〉 out that God hath forsaken them theâ— is an aptnesse in men to charge God buâ— awaken your selves lest God withdraw indeed 3 Misjudging themselves Misjudgeing themselves Error in judgement occasioned by They thinke worse of themselves then they are and there are sundry things which occasion them to mistake 1 Spirituall poverty A poore man is apt to domplaine Spirituall poverty and an humble maâ— is apt to thinke meanely of himselfe There is that maketh himselfe rich and hath nothing and there is that maketh himselfe poore having great riches Some mens hearts are high when their worth is low n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de Athanasio Naz. the emptiest eares stand highest but the richest Mines lye low an humble Christian is a rich treasureâ— yet he thinkes he is worth but little But I must tell you all is not gold that glisters all in a godly man that seemes grace is not there is a bastard humility as well as a genuine humility true humility is Iudicious though it thinke meanely of it selfe yet justly it judgeth not against truth false humility is distempered and erres in Iudgement I say it is a melancholy distemper in the habit of humility which can see nothing but ill sights it can see no good when it lookes this way it cannot see wood for trees it ever is in substraction in its account of reall worth and matter of encouragement but ever in multiplication and addition beyond measure of faults and wants and all matter of discouragement Aske him how he doth and he will tell you he is a very beggar a miserable man a bankerupt full of sinne empty of God he is nothing hath nothing seeth nothing tasteth nothing doth nothing yea he will tell you but who can beleeve him that knoweth his rich worth that he is worse then nothing o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc unum se scire dixit quod nihil sciret Socrat. apud Laert. 2 Hungring and thirsting after 〈◊〉 grace Hungring of spirit this is a sweet companion of humility but it hath this property to leâ— the soule still outward and is so sering in seeking what it hath not that it minds not what it hath a coveâ—ouâ— man is ever poore because ever wanting hee forgets what is behinde and is still pressing to that which is before p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. Graec. It is the fault of such as are filled with strong desires after God that they much for get what they have received pride â—ver feeds on what it hath but humility seeth best what it hath not But you should remember that strong desirâ— after God are strong evidences of his presence other things are first desired and then attained but spirituall things are first attained and then desired without these the heart would rest without God and as it cannot be without some chiefe good so it would seek it out of God but when it is wheeled about with a strong by as towards God doubtlesse God is there 3 Much love Much love This also is neare in blood unto the two former and is an occasion sometimes of sad thoughts in the heart Love hath qualities which expose the heart to trouble 1. It is jealous ever fearefull least it should lose the happinesse which
now it hath in enjoying God this sometimes rising high inclineth to thinke that God is gone it is the nature of a fearefull heart to fall from care to feare from feare to jealousies from jealous suspitions to sad conclusions as the mother out of the vehemency of affection to her childe if hee bee out of her sight first taketh care then is filled with feares and sad conjectures at last cryeth out where is my childe 2. Love is liberall and is never satisfied it would still doe better and be better and the more it is the lesse it seemes to it selfe and is so enlarged in dispositions and resolutions to doe good that as it knoweth it cannot doe enough so it is apt to thinke it doth almost nothing hence many complaints arise that it is not with them as in former dayes that which they did before seemed much then because love was not much and now all seemes little because love is great But you should consider that God is much there where he workes much and that this flame of love is blowne up by him for God is love 1 John 4.16 that is to say the fountaine and author of love as love is eminently and infinitely in him so it floweth from him And he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him CHAP. XXXI The false Rules of mens judging themselves causing mistake in this case IUdging by false Rules The first false rule Lesse vivacity is a third cause of mistakes as for instance 1. Men judge that they are deserted and feare they are in a state of declension because they have lesse quicknesse and vivacity as they conceive then they have had I confesse this is an ill signe Here 4. considerations about vivacity of spirit yet this may be where there is no just cause of such sad conclusions and to satisfie such let me propound foure things 1 Distinguish betwixt Gods working in gifts and his working in graces Distinguish betwixt Gods working in gifts graces God is sometimes pleased to carry up the gifts of men very high when their spirituall life hath not a proportionable elevation we see he is much this way sometimes in men that are not good gifts are given to the members for the body and for others sakes oftentimes he poureth out great measures and beareth them on with a full gale of assistance and when the work is done to which those gifts serve then God may withdraw I doubt not but many saithfull preachers may finde a weaknesse and dulnesse in their gifts in Judgement upon the people for the deafnesse of the hearers he smites the messengers dumb and so in sundry cases it may fall out it is said Christ could doe there in his owne countrey no mighty worke c. Mark 6.5 his hands were as it were tyed and bound his power was suspended because of their unbeliefe and where God had some great work to doe he opened the hearts of the Apostles and much enlarged their spirits wisely therefore distinguish betwixt gifts and graces though you be not able to doe as you have done yet see into the frame and disposition of your hearts towards God for that may continue when the other fadeth It may be you have not occasion for the use of gifts as heretofore and except they be used they grow dull inevitably as the most expert Musitian by disuse may lose his skill But note here that where there is occasion and use of gifts and they are not stirred up but suffered by idlenesse and carelesnesse to be quenched this is a sin against the Spirit and breeds a damp not only upon gifts but upon grace 2 God may and doth give sometimes more full assistance to the graces of his people then he will perpetually continue God in some cases gives more then hee will continue and the abatement of this is no just cause of concluding that God hath forsaken them 1 In times of seeking to him In times of actuall converse with him and of mediate converse in prayer and meditation and the like there is a fuller taste of him than at other times a godly man enjoyeth God in all things but especially in duties of piety there is an evident reason why a man hath more of God then because grace is now acting and feeding upon God duties are the meales of a Christian and other actions are his work he comes in duties to receive strength in other things be useth it as the body gets strength and refreshment by eating and draweth it out in working and then comes to repaire it againe by eating times of immediate approach to God are meeting times there is a mutuall visit betwixt God and the soule and this is the proper end of these things that God and the soule may meet together it were an happy thing if those impressions which the foul receiveth at such times were abiding but such is our condition here that wee must hunger and eate and when wee are filled we shall hunger again Heaven is the place of constant life there is a continuall feast but here we cannot have it so the minde is but finite and being of necessity to converse with other things besides God it cannot be expected that it should be so constantly filled with him so much a man enjoyeth him as he seriously mindes him therefore they that neglect duties or slightly perform them must needs lose much of God but it is not to be expected to carry such a spirit in other employments and in other actions as in conversing with God though the more a man hath in duties the better he will be in all things In times of great necessity and the fitter to meete God in his seasons 2 In times of great necessity God is wont to afford more of himselfe then at other times when tentations afflictions and dangers are many and great then as a father when his childe comes to a ditch or deepe way which hee cannot passe takes up the child into his armes but when hee is got over setteth him down againe so God in such hard cases ministreth more abundant ayde which he doth not continue alwayes Hence we see that even the weakest of the flock become Lions and those that seemed to be but little prove like mighty Champions victoriously conquering all difficulties and treading under feete the glory and terror of the world yea the feares of death it selfe These by the transcendent noblenesse and high courage of spirit so far above their ordinary pitch doe declare that there is another power with them than their owne which makes them so gloriously to exceed not others only but themselves also As the Spirit came upon Sampson when the Philistins came upon him so it is in this case but God is not alwayes at so much cost when the necessities of his people are lesse then he gives them their accustomed pension when Israel was in the desart a place barren of comforts
but full of troubles and exigences God by his mighty power did worke greater things for them then ever after yet was hee still their God At the first comming of the Gospel the way being new and so subject to cavils and persecutions which Christ knew the world would raise against it he poured out more of his Spirit and wrought with more glorious power then in succeeding ages yet the promise of Christ stands firme Loe I am with you q Christus nobiscum 1. Politice ut Rex in regno Dux inexercitu 2. Oeconomice ut Pater in domo 3. Ethice ut ratio in homine 4. Physice ut anima in corpore Cornel à lapide to the end of the world 3 At and about the time of conversion there may be more quicknesse and vivacity of spirit then afterwards At the first conversion and hence many conclude that they are sinfully abated and that they are fallen from their first love But although I doubt not but that it is indeed a just complaint in many yet I beleeve that some doe charge themselves without cause Note therefore that by two things there may bee a greater flush of affection at that time then in after time 1 The newnesse of the condition naturally new things affect much the suddennesse of the change to be translated from blacknesse of darknesse into marvellous light doth greatly affect them in this case distinguish betwixt solid affection and fleeting passion the soule of a new convert is put into a kinde of astonishment to see so strange and sudden a metamorphosis as if he were become another man and the whole world turned upside downe so that heaven stands where the earth did and the earth in the heavens place high things are made low and low things are set on high these things put the soule into a maze but much of this will weare off suppose a man going to execution in great heavinesse and feares and in the way his pardon with promise of the Princes favour is brought to him me thinkes I see his heart leaping his spirit dancing and the man filled with abundant joy But marke him and in processe of time you will see much of this vanishing yet his life is still as deare as ever or suppose two persons marryed sweeth conjoyned in deare affections and after many dangers and difficulties happly enjoying each others desired company what a flush of joy what a violence 〈◊〉 affection is mutually expressed but 〈◊〉 time much of this ceaseth but true loâ—e still remaineth Count not all that grâ—â— which is working at the time of the 〈◊〉 conjunction of Christ and the souleâ— there is much passion in it yet such at is holy and good but as it was stirred upon a speciall occasion so the occasion ceasing it may cease and yet the caâ—â— may be good the Iews were as theâ—â— that dreamed when they were first delivered but that dreame did not alwayes last the lame man when he was firâ—â— healed was seen walking and leaping and praising God Acts 3.8 but thoughâ— he was alwayes glad of his recovery yet he did not ever leap and dance 2 God doth more at the first conversion for his people 1 He gives more assistance for now â— man is entring upon a new way a way of difficulties and all the power of hell comes out as Pharaoh to reduce their escaped captives therefore God covers them with his hand and fils them with strength to grapple with this legion and â—o break through these difficulties 2 God often poures in much comfort it that time When the Prodigall was returned his Father made him very welcome and calleth to his servant Bring forth the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and shooes on his feete and bring hither the fatted calfe and kill it and let us eate and be merry for this my Son was dead and is alive he was lost and is found Luke 15.22 23 24. Here was more then of necessity not only shooes but a ring not onely clothes but the best robes here is feasting and joy and cheare This Son was as welcome afterwards yet had not this entertainment every day it may bee some of that comfortable presence of God which hee then affords some of that abundant joy may cease because it was given upon a speciall occasion anâ— yet no just cause given to raise such saâ— thoughts that God hath for saken you 4 There may be lesse activity Activity of spirit varieth much as the body changeth no from change of the spirit but of nature the body may be more feeble sicknesse or age may clip the wings of activity take off much of a mans former vigor the body is the instrument of the soult and as he that rides upon a weak and tyred horse cannot ride post so when the oyle of naturall life and vigour begins tâ— wafte it cannot burn so cleare as it was wont wee see in sicknesse when the naturall strength is decayed how the losse of spirits degrades them from that high lustre wherein they were admired in the time of health by the way it may be a Caveat and warning to carelesse and dilatory spirits to be better husbands in opportunity and while their blood is full in their veines and their arteries are rich in spirits to take hold of time by this golden forelock and to make their voyage while they have full tyde and winde lest when death creeps on and by diseases hath dismounted them from their vigour they finde darknesse and sleepinesse to binde them in chaines But for those whose feete did run in the wayes of God and who were as the winged bird when youthfulnesse and vigour was in them and their breasts did flow with milke and their bones were full of marrow though now nature being decayed they seem lesse yet their case is safe and good Alas when the keepers of the house tremble and the strong men bow themselves and those that looke out of the windowes are darkened and when the Almond tree shall flourish and the grashopper is a burthen and desire falleth when the silver cord is loosing and the golden how breaking when nature is brought to this low state how can it be that there should bee that livelinesse of soule which was before Second false Rule they think they are deserted because they doe lesse It is dangerous to abate in doing Eccles 12.3 4 5 6. Second false rule Men think they are in this sad condition because they doe lesse then they have done And I say that this is an ill signe simply considered because all things worke as they are and I desire not to be mistaken here for I would not be so injurious to God or cruell to men as to nourish a slothfull and backsliding person in his Apostacy and carelesnesse but I say this that it is possible lesse may be done then hath been yet without all losse of life for besides
bee right or no But now wee see often times that even men that have much grace and quick sighted understandings are much in feares of their owne estates and have given themselves for hypocrites unsound yea dead yea damned men reade Psal 88. and there see Heman as a sad instance of such an heavy condition Grace lyeth often so hidden that they that seeke it cannot finde it in themselves p Habitus fidei est secundùm Theologos medium incognitum saepe enim non sentitur Baron apod ad Turneb Tetragon 4. Consult that text Rom. 8.16 The Spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirits that wee are the children of God Besides the streame of Interpreters who give testimony to this testimony of the Spirit let the place it selfe be considered 1 The Text In which there are three things which come in as props to this truth 1 The Spirit witnesseth with our spirits q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here are two distinct witnesses our spirits that is our conscience or understanding renewed and Gods Spirit God keepes the course which himselfe appointed that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every thing shall be confirmed 2 The Spirit himselfe r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non idem Spiritus qu. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut Erasm vis Estium sometimes the graces and gifts of the spirit are called the spirit as Iohn 1.15 Acts 6.5 1 Cor. 14.32 Gal. 3.2 But so it is not to be taken here ſ Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the spirit in this place is the Holy Ghost himselfe for so it is expressed not the Spirit but the Spirit himselfe t Non modo vox praestiti charismatis sed praestantis illius paracleti Chrys Non solius charismatis vox est sed donantis Spiritus Oecumen the graces of the Spirit are witnesses as every effect is a witnesse of its cause so God left not himselfe without witnesse to the heathen Acts 14.17 but by his workes did declare himselfe so Christ saith his works be are witnesse of him Iohn 5.36 But this is not all the testimony which the Spirit gives to the Saints but himselfe doth it saith the text 3 With our Spirits There is the particular application of the Spirit it is not thus the Spirit witnesseth that those that beleeve are sonnes as if it were onely a testification of the truth of the Gospell but it is thus the Spirit witnesseth with our our spirits that we even we are the Sonnes of God 2 Consider the Context the thing which the Apostle for their comfort would prove is that they shall live v. 13. but how doth he prove it because they are sonnes ver 14. and that they are sonnes he gives a twofold evidence 1 The Spirit of adoption by which they cry Abba Father But they might say may not men be deceived and claime a childs place with God when he is a stranger therefore he addes secondly the Testimony of the Spirit The Spirit himselfe beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the sonnes of God As if hee had said you have a sure ground of assurance u Si homo Angelus Archangelus aliquid promiserit forte quis dubitaverit suprema vero essentia Spiritus Dei testimonium nobis intus perhibente quisnam dubitationi locus Chrys apud Par. for not onely your owne spirits but God with them joynes in testimony that ye are children But concerning this testimony note 1 That all the Saints have it not at least in such a measure as to settle the heart clearely in this perswasion that they beleeve and are children nor is the testimony of our owne spirits alike in all but as the graces are more evident and conspicuous so is the testimony clearer and herein differs the testimony of Gods Spirit and our spirit our spirits give testimony according to the measure workings and evidence of our graces but the Spirit of God gives often lesse testimony to the best Christians and all have it not at least not in a satisfactory degree 2 It is a testimony which for ought appeares in the word may cease they that have it may want it though it be true that when once the testimony is obtained though it abide not it selfe actually and alway yet the efficacy should so that it is weaknesse to doubt againe because it is the voyce of God a judiciall sentence 3 It may bee discerned from all phantasticall How this testimony is discernable from delusion or diabolicall Enthusiasmes 1 It discovers it selfe in those that have it as the light of the Sunne doth difference it selfe from all other lights so that he that hath a full testimony knoweth it to be of God Ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you John 14.17 And it must needs be so else the testimony should not be sufficient for the question would still remain undecided concerning a mans condition It is as much to be regarded who speaketh as what is spoken x Tam refert quis quam quid Though a man heard a voyce from heaven or a voyce within him declaring and pronouncing his reconciliation and adoption yet except he know it is of God it will not satisfie As if a condemned man should have newes of his pardon yet except he know it is the Kings act it cannot quiet him 2 It is ever according to the word the witnesse of the spirit and of the word is the same there are two voyces or determinations or testimonies of the word the one is concerning the way the other concerning the end that is the word saith They that beleeve shall bee saved but then the question is who beleeveth to this the word answereth by describing what that faith is which saveth and so as the rule gives sentence of that which is to be ruled by it when the word and faith in the heart are brought together by examination the word eytheraccepts or rejects approveth or disalloweth of faith as it is in it selfe true or false but as when the gold is brought to the touch-stone though the stone may give it for true gold yet the examiner may want skill to perceive this testimony so it is in this case the word is the Law by which all are judged but as in a Civill State there is need of a Judge to open and apply the Law to particular cases so there is need of the Spirit to joyne with the word to give out not another verdict but that of the word which is made more intelligible by the Spirit not varyed but opened Still the testimony is the same so that the Spirit never looseth where the word bindeth therefore those that live in pride idlenesse or any other way of sin and pretend assurance of salvation given by the Spirit are deceived for if a man be such as the word condemnes there is no absolution from God while he continueth such
be with her but against him it hath chosen him as her chiefe treasure therefore can no more be without him than without her selfe 4. It hath had hopes of Gods favour time hath beene It hath had hopes when it saw it selfe in the armes of Christ and walked with some assurance that it had a friend in Heaven and therefore seeing now her hopes to wither and those golden daies to passe as a pleasant dreame it cannot but be much afflicted This shall be the bitternesse of the anguish of unsound hearts at last who after they have fed their soules with hope and have run out their daies in a paradise of imaginary happinesse finde when they come to die all those joyes and all that confidence to spend themselves like a vapour and the leane kine to eate up the fat sorrow and everlasting perdition comming instead of joy and salvation which they looked for oh who can utter this misery a man hurled from a pinacle of high and glorious hopes into a depth of eternall woe By this wee may guesse what it is for a deserted soule that hath reckoned long upon high things and now seeth such a change that it is forced to count it selfe deceived and to exchange her living hopes for killing feares and whereas she thought her selfe a child to bee cast forth as a stranger yea as an enemy 5. It hath had much in communion with God and Christ 5. It did enjoy God time was when the man was kindly used when God conversed with him as a man with his friend when he invited him often and entertained him in love and powred in much of heaven upon him therefore now to see God estranging himselfe yea frowning chiding arming against him cannot but bee a cutting to his soule David having lost the liberties of the ordinances which were better than his kingdome to him sits downe in heavinesse as one taught by the experience of his former happinesse the deeper to lament his present misery When I remember these things I powre out my soule in me for I had gone with the multitude I had gone with them to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise with a multitude that kept holy day Ps 42.4 And this was the affliction of the Church that she lost him in whose presence she had received such abundant comfort Cant. 5. the more the soule hath had of God the more bitter is her losse of him Secondly 2. From the object in respect of 1. Quality of it the object is such as if you weigh it you will see that a man cannot be at rest when God holds back and leaves him in this dolefull case Consider first the quality of the object there are three things in God which cause the wound of an afflicted spirit to bleed much 1. 1. Goodnesse Goodnesse because God is good therefore his disfavour is a great affliction this sweet balme the heart in such a day will turne into a sharpe corrosive and out of this sea of comfort will draw bitter waters this golden mine which is a rich treasure unto others yeelds that which the heart turnes into iron rods and sharpe swords to wound it selfe For first if it apprehend his goodnesse to bee his kindnesse and gracious disposition to pitty and mercy then it reason heavily oh unhappy wretch that there should bee so sweet a fountaine and I should not drinke of it that streames should flow forth towards thousands none to me I envie not others happinesse but I lament mine owne misery that I should die in the midst of life and perish in the midst of salvation God is so good so ready to shew mercy that sure he is highly incensed against mee who seeke and call and cry yet am not relieved if my wickednesse were not very great yea if I were in his heart at all surely he that is so good in himselfe and unto thousands would not thus reject me I am tossed night and day and carry an hell in my soule continually and if I were not as an enemie in his eye if I were a child his bowels would not hold I should surely be received who can reckon the heavy conclusions which the heart will draw against it selfe it is so disposed to its owne hurt that not onely against faith but against reason it will afflict it selfe turning the Sun into darknesse and the Moone into blood setching misery out of mercy and hell out of heaven Or if secondly the goodnesse of God be taken for his holinesse and perfection then they reason thus surely I am very evill whom goodnesse rejects if I had any sparke of good in me God would not cast me off but certainely he seeth my abundant naughtines therfore he setteth himselfe against me Thus sundry waies the goodnesse of God makes the hiding of his face and the manifestation of his displeasure to be very grievous 2. Greatnesse When a man apprehends the Majesty of God the feare of his disfavour fals heavy upon him Who knoweth the power of thine anger even according to thy feare so is thy wrath Ps 99.11 The favour of a man of power is of much worth and there is power in his wrath The wrath of a King is as the roaring of a Lion but his favour is as dew upon the grasse Prov. 19.12 The wrath of the God of power is terrible as thunder a Fulmen est ubi cum potentia habitat iracundia Sen. and as b Leonis voci tontus naturaliter inest terror ut multa animantium quae per celeritatem possent impetum ejus evadere rugientis ej us sonitu velut quadam vi attonita atquâ—â—icta deficiant Ambr. hexam lib. 6. cap. 3. the beasts fall downe astonished at the roaring of a Lion so the soule is overwhelmed when so glorious Majestie is incensed In God there is a twofold power A power first of Authority which is that power by which 1. He despenseth all things as having all in his hand as absolute Lord and Soveraigne And what a misery is this that he that hath eternall life and death heaven and hell in his power should seeme to be against a man this is the fulnesse of all evill when hee upon whose will all things depend becomes ones enemie the losse of a particular comfort and contentment is great but how much worse is the losse of all 2. By which hee judgeth all God being the Supreme Lord holds this royalty that all men and Angels are accountable to him in all things now to apprehend that the Judge of all the world will not shew mercy but will proceed in strictnesse of justice especially when a man knoweth that he is guilty many waies and that God is privie to all his sins must needs bee a sore shaking to the soule Though all friends and ministers yea though all Angels come in to comfort yet it will not satisfie because they are but subjects God is supreme
Lord and his goodnesse Hos 3.5 3. Slightnesse of heart there is a certaine wantonnesse and trifling disposition in the heart that men are apt to bee superficial and imperfect in their waies and this God visits upon them 1. Dallying with sinne they will be playing with snares and baits and allow a secret liberty in the heart to sin conniving and winking at many workings of it and not setting upon mortification with earnest indeavours though they be convinced yet they are not perswaded to arise with all their might against the Lords enemies but doe his worke negligently which is an accursed thing and for this cause God casteth them upon sore straits The Israelites should have done the worke perfectly when they were commanded to roote out the Canaanites but because they were slack and did it but by the halfes therefore God left them as a scourge and as briars and thornes to be alwaies an affliction to them When you are pressed to fight for Christ and have taken up armes against the rebels in your hearts if you fight not with all your strength and pursue the victory to the utmost till you finde your enemies dead before you God may give you into their hands to lead you into captivity and to hold you in chaines that will eate into your soules and may in this distresse stand afarre off as one that knoweth you not 2. Dallying with duties men doe them as if they did them not without heart in a loose lazy formall livelesse manner and when there is such idlenesse and negligence and indisposednesse God comes in a way of anger to whip up the slothfull and unfaithfull spirit Duties of godlinesse are not onely a debt to God but a reward to us therefore in slightnesse there is not onely unfaithfulnesse but unthankfulnesse also both the Majesty and the Mercy of God is despised and can God be well pleased with such things Remember the Wisemans counsell Whatsoever thine hand findeth to doe doe it with thy might Eccles 9.10 You are in an evill frame of heart when you can doe the weighty things of God with slightnesse and because you serve God so hee therefore comes with a kinde of expulsion and banishment and throweth you out of his sight that you see what it is to dallie with God 3 Dallying with Ordinances Slight and carelesse attendance upon them God comes in a way of gracious condiscension and stoopes downe with offers of grace and mercy to poore dust and sets before them Jesus Christ the most precious treasure of heaven and earth and calls them to a neare conjunction and communion with himself and holds forth precious promises of life but what is the carriage of the soule It neyther mindes these nor vouchsafeth God in all his goodnesse so much as a looke or if it be affected yet but little it makes no great haste nor useth much sollicitousnesse or pains about the matter but as if the things were of no great importance it is very moderate and easie in making towards them neither that high hand that holds them forth nor that bloud that bought them nor that worth that is in them workes much but all is slighted and therefore God comes in the quarrell of these high things to vindicate them from our contempt and teacheth the soule by the sense of misery to value mercy and by the feare of hell to prize Christ and to be more serious in the Ordinances as meanes of that good which they have learned to esteeme by the want of it The Apostles rule is to worke out our salvation with feare and trembling Phil. 2.12 Salvation is a tender businesse and of great concernment and therefore will not be dallyed with What thinke you Shall God set that before you which is better than the world for you to abuse you your selves take away the bread when the childe playeth with it and shall the bread of life be slighted shall God stand waiting upon you with calls and calls and with gracious offers and will you dally with him Hence is that black cloud which now darkens the heavens over you You are growne wanton and except the Gospel come in a dresse to please you you slight it therefore God puts you into straits and then you will come with a stomack b Num tibi cum sauces urit sitis aurea quaeris pocula Hor. Ser. l. 1. Sat. 2. and in earnest 4. Living too much upon the creature Quest When is that Ans 1. When it takes up so much of a mans time strength thoughts affections When a man lives too much on the creature spirits that he is unfitted for God when the soule is sicke with a surfet of the world drunk with cares feares delights so that the heart is stollen away and an indisposednesse groweth upon the soule towards God This was Solomons case till God fetched him by imbittering his waies to him The world is allowed for a way or Inne in our travells but not for our home to be a staffe in our hand but not to have a throne in our hearts For this cause God raines downe wrath and bitternesse upon our spirits to weane us from the world and thrusts out Hagar to give Sarah more full possession 2 When a man cannot be without the world When it gaines so much in our opinion and affection that we thinke there is no life or subsistence without it this is that for which God comes and takes off the soule with a storme and rescueth the poore captive with violence that was held in chaines and makes him to see of how little use these things are in an evill day When the soule falls to adulterous leagues with the world that they are so conjoyned that it lives and dieth with the world God brings his bill of divorce and turnes off as it were the disloyall soule to her miserable lovers that it may see the folly and wickednesse of its way 3 When a man can live without Christ the pleasantnesse and abundance of earthly contentments have so bewitched him that he becomes like a Prince that hath such fulnesse that hee can raigne without Christ and saith in his heart as those We are Lords we will come no more unto thee Jer. 2.31 Oh what unworthy carriage is this What is Christ shut out that the world may raigne Expect God saying and doing to you as he did to them Can a maid forget her ornaments or a bride her attire yet my people have forgotten me daies without number Thou shalt goe forth with thine hands upon thine head for the Lord hath rejected thy confidences and thou shalt not prosper in them Jer. 2.32 37. While the Sun shines and the Sea is calme you may sport your selves in the deepe but when the storme comes then the harbour will be precious God will teach you that your life is in Christ and in a day of feares and affrightments of soul you will say None but Christ none but Christ God
will bring all the enemies of Christ under his feete and if there be a treacherous disposition like Ioab exalting Adoniah into the throne of David God will bring it downe Christ must have his owne place the throne must not be given to another If you so set up the world that you count it happinesse and seeke it more than Christ and are more carefull to leave this then Christ unto your children God will arme himselfe against you to subdue this treacherous conspiracy and rebellion against his anointed 5 Intractablenesse and stiffenesse of heart this is another cause of the clouding of our comfort God deales with the heart by coards of mercies and by bonds of affliction but mercies move not and afflictions prevaile not therefore God takes another course as Physicians when gentle meanes profit not apply sharper God wil not lose any whom he hath called therefore if they be stubborn and stand like rocks against all ordinary meanes he will come upon the tenderest part and use the sharpest way and when he comes in stormes and clouds who can abide it his rebukes are more terrible than thunder The spirit of a man may sustaine his infirmities but a wounded spirit who can beare Now the soule is hard set and comes upon her knees to submit her selfe and melts like waxe and yeelds to any thing it seeth an absolute necessity of agreement with God when it is beleaguerd with such trouble on every side David had enough upon him to have humbled him but his heart was strong till God put the cup of trembling into his hand and this wrought so that it fetched up all and brought the man in frame Clay is easily molded but the marble must have many blowes the Sun beames will melt the soft but brasse must be put into the fire A tender sprig is easily nipped but a stiffe Oake must be hacked and hewed before it falls A stout spirit brings much sorrow upon it It is a grievous temper if it be not bowed to God it groweth worse and worse if it be bowed it is often with great violence in naturall causes resistance increaseth the vigour and operation of contraries when fire and water meet in strong opposition how doth the stronger rage till he have got the victory If a man enter the lists with a stout a strong Antagonist he calls up all his spirits and power that he may get the conquest If a King send to deale with rebells if neither proffers nor patience nor counsells nor favours can prevaile he armes himselfe against them God will overcome if faire meanes doe not the worke then he awakes himselfe as a Lyon and comes as a man of warre and le ts flye his arrowes into the soule Iob 6.4 God tryed Ephraim divers waies but his heart yeelded not at last when warning pieces did not bring him God mounts his Canons against him and gives him a broad side For the iniquity of his covetousnesse I was wroth Isay 57.16.17 and then hee strikes sayle and yeelds Ierem. 31.19 6. Rigidnesse and unmercifulnesse to the spirituall state of others the Saints are sometimes much wanting in bowells of pitty and tendernesse and apt by censures neglects contempts and rough dealing to break the bruised reed it is hard to pitty much till they have felt much for this cause Christ was a man of sorrowes that we might be assured of his compassion c Haudignara mali miseris succurrere disco Dido Virg In all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithfull High Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people for in that he himselfe hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Heb. 2.17 18. God chooseth broken vessels to powre comfort into that it may diffuse it selfe upon others Whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation 2 Cor. 1.6 Sense of the paines of a wounded spirit makes the heart tender and God loves such a spirit he abhorres pride insolence and unmercifulnesse in all but most in his children It is very unnaturall for fellow-members to be incompassionate one to another The relation requires love and love calls for mercy Christ is full of meeknesse and will not quench the smoaking flaxe nor breake the bruised reede and he that abounds in mercy loves mercy What if thy brother be low in gifts and grace yet know you not that the beauty of Christs body is made up as of the summetry and congruity so of the inequality of members and the least infant in grace is as the apple of his eye take heed of destroying by your uncharitable carriage the Temple of Christ or causing those to grieve whom he would not have grieved Is it for you whom he hath spared to deale so with your fellow servant your hard dealing is the way to bring you into prison and to lay you in chaines What if he be poore and meane yet looke not over him with disdaine Have not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons James 2.1 In this you are corrupt Judges Iudges of evill thoughts ver 4. these are chosen of God rich in faith heires of the Kingdome ver 5. If ye despise the poore it will occasion men to blaspheme that worthy name by which you are called ver 7. The Law saith If thou love thy neighbour as thy selfe ye doe well ver 8. You must be judged by this Law and hee shall have judgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy ver 13. What if thy brother have many failings or have offended remember the rule Brethren if a man be overtaken with a fault restore such a one in the spirit of meekenesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted Be are ye one anothers burthens and so fulfill the Law of Christ Gal. 6.1.20 Edoms sinne was great because he added affliction to Iacobs troubles Thou shouldest not have spoken proudly in the day of distresse c. As thou hast done it shall be done to thee thy reward shall returne upon thine owne head Obad. 12.15 7. Some great transgression there are dayly infirmities which have a pardon in course but though God be mercifull to the weaknesse of his servants yet if they sinne willingly and put out the light of Counsell he will put out the light of comfort If they breake the bonds of his government he will cast them into bonds of distresse David is a visible and knowne patterne in this case Sometimes the Saints take head and run like the wilde asse in the desart till her moneth come in which she hath tâ—avell and sorrow and sometimes they wound the honor of the gospel so bring a wound upon themselves a sword is sheathed in their soules and sometimes they will run to their old waies and this reneweth their old feares and breeds new troubles sometimes they lye long unhumbled
the sweete gust and taste of those things which did refresh the heart are cut off if God put forth himselfe in a way of help the thirst and labour of the heart will bee much after God Psal 63.8 but if God withdraw his hand either the heart lyeth sleeping and feeding upon inferiour things like the Prodigall who when he had not bread fed upon chaffe and draffe or else it faints in discouragement hangs the wing and lyeth in fruitlesse and mournfull dejectment either fearing to draw neare so great a God or thinking it in vaine to stir It is hard to live by faith when all sense faileth and to retain a living hope when feares break in like a flood All these things considered doth it not much concern us to endeavour to keep the good hand of God with us in all our wayes Let this suffice for perswasion CHAP. XIX Directions how to retaine a divine quickning presence with us THe next thing is directions how we retaine the happinesse of divine assistance 1 When you have it Direct Acknowledge it acknowledge it 1 With thankfulnesse prize it for it is a precious mercy it is a multiplyed favour With thankfulnesse how much have you in this one thing All the comfort and sweetness of duties the quietnesse and liberty from lusts the fruit and efficacy of ordinances depends upon this if God hold back this one mercy all these are gone consider what a difference is in your selves and wayes when you are carried in the gracious armes of God your helper and when you are left to walk in your own strength Oh how great is Gods goodnesse to you hee calls upon others for the same things and Conscience stands as Pharaohs task-masters requiring the tale of bricks but not allowing straw it impels and presseth but gives no enlargement of heart and buffets and wounds them for neglect as the hard Creditor that taking the poore debtor by the throat saith Pay me that thou owest me but yeelds him no power to do it thus God might deale with you also for he oweth not assistance to us but we owe obedience to him remember we had power and it is just to demand what we cannot doe because the weaknesse that is in us is of our selves we have impoverished our selves Therefore when in much mercy he puts forth his hand into the work with thee be very thankfull If the work be not done he is no loser if done and well done he is no gainer Iob 22.2 Chap. 35.6 7 8. Psal 16.2 But the gaine is all to thee all the good that comes by it is to thy selfe And this also take into thy thoughts it is a signe of great loving-kindnesse consider the infinite distance betwixt thee and the great God would a King sit downe to worke for and with a mean man in his trade to help to maintaine him one thing more I adde that you have cause to be thankfull because by this God testifieth his acceptance of thee and of thy way or else his hand would be farre from thee get therefore and keepe thy heart in a thankfull plight this is one way to continue it 2. With faithfulnesse With faithfulnesse take heed of taking from God to set up thy self u Iovi custoditemplum seque in sinu Dei sacravit Domitianus quod ipsum in se ditione Vitelliana conser vasset Sueton. in Domitiano Huc omne principium huc reser exitum Horat. l. 3. od 6. put not that to thy account which belongs to him take heed of sacrificing to thy strength or parts acknowledge that all the excellency of all thy actions is of him God is very jealous of his honour x Agasi cles extorris est sactus quod tripodem quem ipse ludis obtinuerat non dedicasset Deo Herod l. 1. and as I have said oftentimes leaves his people to feele their owne weakenesse because they honoured not his strength If the faculties of thy soule bring in willingly and plentifully offerings unto God say as David when so much store with much freenesse was brought in by the people to build the Temple Now our God we thanke thee and praise thy glorious name for who am I and what is my people that we should bee able to offer so willingly after this sort For all things are of thee and of thine owne we have given thee O Lord our God all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thy name commeth of thine hand and is all thine 1 Chro. 29 14.16 So the Apostle when in that distresse before Nero he was so couragious did not ascribe it to his owne strength but acknowledged that it was the Lord. The Lord stood by me and strengthened me 2 Tim. 4.17 It was his way to strip himselfe and to cast the honour of all his ministery and actions upon God By the Grace of God I am that I am 1 Cor. 15.9 10. y Si quid enim recti gerimus Domine auxiliante te gerimus tu corda moves c. Prosper and you see with how full a gale of Divine grace he was carryed in all his way Learne therefore in all things wherein the excellency and life of grace shines forth to know that as the starres shine not by their owne light alone but by a light which they have from the Sun so thy lustre and vigour in thy way is not of thy selfe but from him who is thy life that thou mayest not draw downe that to the feeding of thy pride which should be to the glory of God z Si aquam hauris puteum corona Fontinalia festus erat Dies Romae quo in foutes coronas projiciebant puteosque coronabant Varro l. 5. de lingu lat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what ever thou dost when ever thou art carryed through any service still say as the Apostle Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 I may say in a spirituall sense as Solomon in a naturall Honour the Lord with thy substance and the first fruits of all thine encrease so shall thy barnes be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine Prov. 3.9 10. As by the first fruits they acknowledged that all was his and that it was not their tillage and labour but the influence of his blessing which caused the fields to be clad with grasse and stored with corn so doe thou acknowledge that it is not any thing in thee but all of God that thou bringest forth the fruits of righteousnesse and then his promise is to be with thee and to make thee to abound still and to bring forth more fruit Psal 73.23 24. 2. Use his help when he comes with excitements and enlargements of heart Direct Vse it when you have it turne not back the inspiration of the Almighty quenching the spirit is often the cause why God shuts in
his Spirit I have spoken of this before but I will adde somewhat more here in discovery show men sinne against the Spirit Know therefore that thou mayest grieve the Spirit Grieve not the Spirit not onely by doing evill voluntarily against knowledge but also by omitting good remissenesse in good 1. By omitting of a knowne dutie By omission of duty when God sheweth you what is good and stands ready to helpe you if you walke not in your way you provoke him to leave you and because this is â—n evill so incident unto men through doth and worldly affections and distractions I will briefly declare 1. the sinfulnesse of it 2. For 1. It is sinfull It is a denying of Gods due the foolishnesse of it First It is a denying of God his due a withholding from him that which â— due to him as you are his creatures sovants children a people in covenant he comes not to you as that cruell sovant to his fellow servant Matth. 18.28 29. but he entreats and graciously moves for his owne he forgave you all your former debts and now though â—â— might demand the whole yet he is content to take it as you can pay it and will you now deny him the flesh calâ— and you yeeld the world command and you obey yet you are not debtorâ—â— these but to the Spirit Rom. 8.12 God comes with one hand to give as wâ—â— the other to take and he gives more to you then he demands of you â—â— gives you leave to aske him what sâ—â— you will Matth. 21.22 and is not bâ—â— ward to heare He doth not turne baâ—â— your prayer Psal 66.19 20. he nâ—â— have said upon your praying to him Solomon of Adoniah God doe so to â—â— and more also if Adoniah have not spâ—â— this word against his owne life 1. King 2.18 And if he should shut out your prayer what a sad case would you be in therefore be not of a withdrawing heart to deny God Consider further when you doe neglect and refuse to doe your duty you deny his Soveraignty and in effect you say as Pharaoh Who is the Lord that I should obey his voyce Exod. 4.3 and as those rebells this man shall not have dominion over us Luke 19.14 And your denying of God in this kinde Your denyal worse than the denyall of of others is worse than when the vicked and such as are forsaken of him doe deny him for 1. they stand not so â—ngaged unto God God hath not paid so deare for them You are more engaged he hath not done that good for them that he hath done for you they have not so given up themselves to him as you have done yet then they doe not what they know he visits their sin upon their heads God took the Kingly throne from that great King Nebuchadnezzar for his sin and so God dealt with his son Belshazzar the reason you may see Dan. 5.22 Thou O Belshazzar his sonne hast not humbled thy selfe though thou knewest all this 2. You deny God in a sinall matter You stand with God for a small matter having given up your selves to God if a man sue to a woman hetaketh it not so ill that she will not bestow her selfe upon him as being his wâ— that she denyeth him some particula duty 3. You have found muchgood in the way They never knew that of God not of his way as you have done they think it is a hard way and that God is an hard master but you have found much good 1. A gracious assistance God meeting you in the way with a gracious hand of help 2. A sweet recompence the work hath beene your wages it hath brought meat in the mouth There may be speciall and great finfulnesse in omission therefore it is very sinfull for you to withdraw from the way Secondly there be other particular aggravations of thesinfulnesse of this respecting the duty In respect of the duty neglect 1. In respect of the duty omissâ—â— becomes more sinfull When the duty is of great importance 1. When the duty is of great importance when much hangs upon it a 1. the dutyes of publick places Magistracy or Ministery for if such be neglected much evill followeth 2 the dutyes that have greatest influence into the life of a Christian as meditation searching the heart repentance c. If these be not done God loseth his due many other wayes because the spirit and life of other dutyes depends upon these all dutyes are necessary but some are of more importance there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these things must be especially minded Matth. 23.23 Luke 11.42 2. When the duty is much enforced When much enforced by former resolutions by present impulsions 3. When muchgood hath come by it When you have found much good in it 4. When it is most facile in respect of ability and opportunity in such cases the disobedience of the heart is greater When most facile and so the sinne also is greater 2. In respect of the neglect the sinâ—ulnesse is encreased In respect of the neglect 1. When it is extended when volintarily a man lives in neglect of that he knoweth When extended 2. When not lamented the heart being not only stubborne Not lamented but secure senselesse impenitent in these cases this sin becomes exceeding sinfull and very provoking 2. Secondly as it is sinfull so it is foolish As you have seene the sinfulnesse so cast your eye upon the foolishnesse of denying God what he calls for 1. Against true reason In every voluntary action you have a reason that moves you a Voluntas est appetitus rationalis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. l. 1. c. 10. especially when two wayes are set before you now then consider what it is that moves thee to withdraw thy selfe from that unto which thou art excited of God what is it the shunning of any evill thinke then if the good which is in Gods way be not greater then all evill and if the lesse of God be not a greater evill thin all the evill thou shunnest or what is it the difficulty of the duty think the hast thou not found the way smooth doth not God offer his hand with the to the worke what is the worke to the wages or what is it to gratifie thy seâ— with some present advantage think then if any thing can be good with out God and if there be not a greater good in his way and if thou maist not have that very thing in Gods way which thou seekest out of it Thus you will finde that without reason you deny God 2. It is a leaving that way which wisedome and goodnesse direct to God hath devised the best way for your good his wisdome and goodnesse have conspired to prepare that way which might be best for you therefore to follow your owne counsells and affections before his counsell is folly