THE CASE AND CURE OF A deserted Soule OR A TREATISE Concerning the nature kindes Degrees Symptomes Causes Cure of and mistakes about Spirituall Desertions BY JOS SYMONDS Minister of St. Martins Iremonger-Lane London I opened to my beloved but my beloved had withdrawne himselfe and was gone I sought him but I could not find him I called him but he gave me no answer Cant. 5.6 Venit cum manifestatur et cum occultatur abscedit adest tamen sive occultum sive manifestum Aug. ep 3. p. 10. LONDON Printed by M. Flesher for Luke Fawne and S. Gellibrand at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church yard 1639. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull and much Honoured Lady the Lady REBECCAH RUMNY Madam FOure yeares agon I preached upon this subject of spirituall desertions not having then the least thought to put it to the Presse But a strong streame of importunities hath borne me downe My love to my friends hath subdued me to them They besieged me so strongly that they have entred and taken away the keyes of the City and pillaged me of my purpose and this little thing which they cal good booty but they are mistaken But now they have it much good may it doe them I stood out against them not because I prized it but because I thought it not good enough for them It shall much please mee if they having made a prey of it find it worth their having Since it doth fall into their hands the good blessing of GOD goe with it that it may bee better to them than the richest spoyles Madam in this businesse the next thing that I desired was to reserve the first for you and to stamp upon every one some small impresse of my obliged respects unto you Ladyship Besides mine owne engagements which are neither few nor meane your great worth was sufficient to wheele my thoughts in this kind towards you Among other excellencies your charitable disposition like a rich fountaine running with large streames of goodnesse many wayes renders you deservedly honoured of all It is true noblenesse to bee of a large and diffusive spirit He that is all for himselfe must receive all his thankes from himselfe but to doe good to others begets a strong reflexion of true honour Selfe is a poore center of a mans actions This is right earth All things that have affinity with the Heavens move upon the center of another which they benefit Madam I beseech you seeke to bee still more blessed in a close conjunction and sociall operation of true charity and sincere piety that these may stand as unwithering Crownes upon your head and when your old age shall give up to approaching death you may goe to Heaven full of faith and full of workes These asunder are dead but where they meet they have life in themselves and give life to their owners This life when your life shall end he wisheth to you who is and will be Your La pps ever bounden Ios Symonds A Preface ACcesses and recesses are not proper to him that by his immense presence filleth all a Locis corporalibus non extenditur nec includitur Aug ep 53. p. 235. and cannot be where he is not nor cease to be where he is True motion is found in such things onely as are subject to locall circumscription God is said to come or goe to be present or absent 1 In respect of manifestation as the Father speaks He commeth when hee is manifested and goeth when he is hid b Aug. ep 3. p. 10. Novit venire non recedendo ubi erat novit abire non deserendo quo venerat id ibid. 2. In respect of operation So God is said to be where he worketh as wee say the Sunne comes into a house where it shines into it Time was when God was with all men both by gracious manifestation and operation and this was mans happinesse But sinne hath separated betwixt God and man and they are departed each from other the division began from man yet the Divine goodnesse tenders reconcilement but man will not In this man is become unhappy that he hath lost his God and knoweth it not yea he counts his losse gaine and his gaine losse hee would be happy but he erreth in his choice he is ever moving never at rest willingly absent from the greatest good unwillingly labouring with the greatest evill Though other things are quiet in their place and rest in their end yet mans place where he is pitched is strange to him and his end vexeth him all his life is labour c Sicut quo plus à centro recedis ut ad plura pergas eo magis amittis omnia sic animus à seipso fusus immeÌ„sitate quadam diverberatur mera mendicitate coÌ„teriturcùm natura cogit unum quaerere multituâ—â—o non sinit Dionyapud Gibe p. 77. Non ille ire vult sed non potest stare Sen. ep 94. Nihil potest quietare hominis voluntatem nisi solus Deus Aquin. and his motion is but a vexatious shifting from vanity to vanity from evill to evill from bad to worse this soare cryeth for healing and that which he thinkes to finde a lenitive becomes a corzive while he thinkes to cure the wound he makes it deepe d Postquam posuisti me contrarium tibi factus sum contrarius mihi Eern. and is his owne tormenter The Heathen blundered in confused guesses how to redresse the state of man they saw an unhappinesse but neither knew the cause nor cure yet something they assayed when they propounded those two rules to repaire the breach 1. To reduce things to the first principles of nature 2. To live according unto nature These rules are usefull if rectified and rightly used First reduce things to their primitive originalls and lay them againe in the wombe whence they sprang This experiment would profit much Looke into the world and you shall see a confused mixture of good and evill but you must divide them wisely and pursue them to their beginnings Ascend by the scattered beames of happinesse in the world to the Sunne of righteousnesse from whence they flow and descend by the black and bitter streams of misery to the poysoned spring that sends them forth and you will see two originalls of both God the fountaine of life and sinne the root of death In this way of reduction of things to their causes a man may see as in a glasse what he was and what he should be what made him miserable and what would make him happy It is mens unhappinesse of two guides to choose the worse brutishly declining reason to be led by sense seeing enjoying and suffering things without inquisition into their parentage This is true folly to dwell in the surface of things not penetrating into their inmost nature utmost end formost rise A wise man seeth things quite through from first to last he asketh three questions of the things be meets with What are you Whither goe
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
a death in him we trust that he will yet deliver us 2. Cor. 1.10 4. It workes more closing with Christ the death of comfort occasions a greater life and strength towards Christ both in desire of him and dependance upon him and for this cause God shakes the soule with earthquakes that it may stand faster upon its true basis and foundation that which at first brings the soule to Christ is his worth and our need and the more wee see our selves necessitous the more our hearts gather in to Christ the soule must have some rest and if it finde none within nor without it is carried to Christ as Noahs Dove to the Arke That which is the first coard to draw to him hath also a strength to bind to him therefore God gives his people sad visions of sin and wrath that by being shaken they may roote themselves more in Christ this was Gods great â—ime to set up his Son as the hope and helpe of his people and as that glorious meanes by which hee may diffuse the beames of his mercy and love upon men and hee loves to see the Saints advancing him by flying to him and abiding in him And the more they goe forth to Christ and seeke the Father in the Son the more they are blessed Christ is the rock of the Saints and when they are knit to it they stand fast the nearer they are to Christ the nearer are they to all happinesse God will not looke friendly upon the soule but through Christ he will not poure out the spirit of comfort but through him and as comfort comes by comming so the oftner the soule comes and the more it converseth with Christ and resteth on him the more comfort it will finde at last Christ will tell you many secrets and open his fathers bosome to you when you stick close to him And this advantage comes by desertions that the soule is so frighted with those stormes which it met with that it is afraid to bee any more out of its harbour but seekes to dwell under the wing of Christ and to keepe closer to him than ever it did before and so this affliction brings forth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse in them which are exercised thereby Heb. 12.11 Cause 4 4. Cause The correcting and healing of some evill in his people He doth it for their profit that they may be partakers of his holinesse Heb. 12.10 There are many things in the Saints which are very repugnant to that filiall state in which they are set by grace and it is no wonder if God take such courses wherein he seemes not to bee a father to them that are not as children to him I will instance in some particular evils which God will not beare with but doth visit in his people with this and other rods 1. Deadnesse and dulnesse of heart Sometimes living men are in a livelesse state their hearts are so benummed that they seeme to lye among the dead the former vigor and activity of their graces is gone and they are become barren and unfruitfull now as in a lethargie or apoplexie Physitians use strong and sharpe medicines so God casts the soule into a feaver to get off this stupidity and hangs their soules over the mouth of hell and makes them to drink of that cup of red Wine the dregs whereof the wicked of the earth shall wring out and drinke Ps 75.8 that by this strong potion he may quicken their dull and sleepie spirits Deadnesse is such a state in which a man is neither receptive nor active neither fit to receive good nor to do good and such a case is not tolerable for in this Gods ends are stopped for he calleth out his people to be vessels to receive mercy to hold forth his name but he can doe neither that is dead Nature it selfe loves not a dead thing it is both unusefull and uncomely for where life faileth there is corruption as in the body a mortified member doth putrifie and not onely it selfe but others therefore as a man useth all meanes to recover the life and spirits in his body so God doth with his people David lay in a slumbering drousinesse a long time but at last when he lay like Ionah sleeping by the sides of the ship hee sent a storme into his soule to awake him then he revives like another man 2. Fearelesnesse of God this is a temper to which the Saints are apt to grow as Children are wont to grow sawcy and presumptuously malepert and irreverent till the fathers frowne and majesticke austerenesse take down their spirit God will not be carelesly dealt with though he allow us confidence and holy boldnesse in approach to him and converse with him yet he expects a due sense of his Majestie and greatnesse Let us have grace whereby we may serve God with reverence and godly feare for our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.28 29. Though he be a father yet he is a terrible an holy and an Almighty God And therefore to correct the sinfull boldnesse of his people and to cause them to stand in awe of him hee sometimes shuts in his favour and keeps state by concealing himselfe as the Persian Kings shunned familiaritie and were seldome seene that they might be more a Persona Regis sub specie majestatis occulitur Iust l. 1. honoured The feare of God is one of the maine pillars of his throne and so farre as he is not our feare he is not our God therefore he hath ever shewed himselfe in his power and greatnesse unto men when he came to give the Law hee came in great Majesty with fire blacknesse and darknesse and tempest and the sound of a Trumpet c. and so terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly feare and quake Heb. 12.18 19 21. yea and in the Gospell it was foretold that God would shew wonders in Heaven above and signes in the earth beneath blood fire and vapour of smoake the Sun shall be turned into darknesse and the Moone into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord come Ioel. 2.31 Rom. 10.13 Acts 2.19 20 21. When he came to publish peace to the Gentiles hee came with great terror in judgement upon the Jewes and struck off the branch naturall that the Gentiles might not be high minded but feare Rom. 11.20 And in particular persons he so workes by intermixtures of frownes and favours majesty and mercy that they may learne to walke as those Churches did In the feare of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Ghost Acts 9.31 It is not a servile seare or a feare of discouragement which God expects but a feare of reverence a feare intermixed and tempered with love there is a great difference in feares a man feares a beast and runs from him a man feares an enemie but hates him but a child feares his Father and loves him yea therefore hee feares because hee loves they shall feare the
you Whence come you He lives not like a subject to the world but as a Lord he examineth and judgeth all things he suffereth no vagrants but keepes all in order hath the genealogies of all things and reduceth them to their severall Tribes There is a certaine voice in things inviting home and proclaiming the causes to which they owe their being they carry a tye in which they are linked to their principles and by this line men might have conduct through the labyrinth of the Vniverse to the first causes Secondly Another rule is given Live according to nature This sounds harsh Qui mali sunt cos malos esse non abnuo sed eosdem esse purè atque simpliciter nego nam uti cadaver hominem mortuum dixeris simplicitèr verò hominem appellare non possis c. â—oeth d. consolaet Phil. l. 4. Prosâ— 2. Quicquâ—d à bono deficit esse destitit quo fit ut mali etiam desinant esse quod fuerant Idem Prosa 3. but it is because it is in their mother language who never heard of Christ but a good Interpreter will easily helpe the businesse There is in all men an implanted inclination to happinesse and an home borne Pilot to carry this in a right course but it is true though the former be not hurt yet the latter is a man is another thing then he was the soule is quick of foot but dull of scent her sayles are strong but her compasse is marred The practicall judgement the soules steares-man is dim sighted and takes rocks for harbours sea for land west for east earth for heaven But herein is mans great unhappinesse God hath opened a way to renew those blurred characters of knowledge which yet remaine as the light in the ayre after sunne set but man regardeth not The Scriptures are given by inspiration of God to make wise unto salvation but men are so farre from due seeking to lighten that glimmering snuffe of naturall understanding at this fountaine of light that they are in love with their owne darknesse they hate the light because their deeds are evill Finding the power of conscience a check to their lusts they resist it whereas they should rectifie conscience by the word and affections by conscience they perversely cast off conscience to give way to sinne yea of a grave counseller they turne it into a base flatterer to applaud their greatest folly and wickednesse But what will the end be Shall God come againe with tenders of mercy and a new league of friendship and shall man hang off Let those especially consider this to whom God hath come with many gracious visits and potent workings yet they come not in I did purpose and promise in the beginning of this Treatise to speake of Gods leaving such but I wanted opportunity at present I say no more now to them but this It is dangerous to despise grace and to resist the Spirit if he depart woe unto you your latter end will pay you for your folly and stoutnesse The day is comming in which God will follow after foolish man no more wonder at his patience that hath waited on the world some thousands of yeares already but this long lasting patience hath fixed its period then blessed are they that enjoy him as for all the rest adieu for ever then God will depart fully and eternally it shall no more be said Come but then Goe ye accursed into everlasting fire You have now your choice here is God and the world But this is folly men take that in a disjunctive sense which is offered in a conjunctive It is not said God or the world but God and the world In some consideration indeed they are divided but most make the worst choice Here begins that vast distance betwixt the Saints and the wicked they set out at first from one point but more diverse yea adverse wayes according to the difference of their ends a godly man when first he chooseth God becomes an happie man for his choice is his guide which sets all the wheeles in a right motion love is as the wing to the fowle or as the oares to the boate which move it and order it (a) Nec faciuÌ„t bonos vel malos mores nisi boni vel mali amores Aug. ep 53. p. 236. When this is done God and man brought together this sweet meeting and amiable conjunction is a great part of the plot of that eternall love of God who chose us that wee might be enhappied by answering his choice of us with our choice of him that hee may dwell in us and wee in him Me thinkes this world is like the Kings Court Si terram amas terra es Si DeuÌ„ amas quid vis ut dicaÌ„ Deus es Aug. children here are taken with pictures and feed their eyes and fancies with hangings and fine things but the wife and grave Statesmen passe by these their businesse is with the King most men stay in the out roomes and low things of the world and so are meane but blessed is the generation whose eye desire and way are unto God The creature is not capable of an higher blessednesse then to have God for his God They that dwell in God have a true dwelling men who live upon the creature doe not dwell but roll as Ships at sea or travell as wandring vagrants in God there is quiet abode and perfect rest for here is no evill nor want of God here is enough and such as may fit all times all conditions all occasions soule and body fully Here in these deepes are wonders for the minde to feed on here also is sea-roome of goodnesse for the vast appetite of man to floate in (a) Tu Deus te diligenti ostendis te sufficis ei Id. conf 12. c. 15. and the satiety of the appetite breeds all repose and joy Oh the delectablenesse of this condition In this is a depth of riches deepe riches that cannot be sounded and rich deepes that cannot be exhausted the Man CHRIST is the blessed channell betwixt the Fountaine and the Cisterne through which grace life peace strength glory come by a gratious and a glorious convoy every vessell shall have its fulnesse to all eternity sometimes indeed while this life lasteth the streames come fuller and sometimes slower sometimes Christ stayeth the current that we may thirst that after thirsting we may drinke againe with redoubled pleasure This is the maine of a godly mans unhappinesse that he neither hath a full nor a fixed state of comfortable communion with God in the world after sweet meetings come sad parting 's Nothing is fixed there is a flood and ebbe as well on land as in the sea and as well in things spirituall as in things naturall even those that are strongliest knit have a time of parting Nothing in nature is more conjunct then its owne frame yet this compacted composition admits a dissolution Man the epitome of the
case must beâ— right with confidence in the migâ—â— and mercy of God you have abundant cause of chearefulnesse in comming to him for besides this thâ—â— it is his glory to heare and that â—â— intercessor who hath taught us 〈◊〉 pray that we bee not ledde into temptation but to bee delivered from evilâ— and prayed for us himselfe is with him m Christus inter nos petitor cum patre dator non utique nos hortaretur ut peteremus nisi dare vellet Aug. Ser. â—9 de verb Dom. Erubescat humana pigritia plus vult ille dare quam nos accipere ib. and deare to him consider this is Gods glory that the life and strength of his people depends upon him he helped Iesus Christ our head Esay 42.6 and if he should not helpe you the work would not be perfected and so all that Christ hath done would come to nothing God hath called you to this way and hath appointed you by it to come to him so that his end should fayle if he help not for this cause you have but little in your selves that you might live dayly upon his almes God leaves in you necessity n Donum habitualis gratiae non ad hoc datur ut per ipsum non indigeamus ulteruis divino auxilio c. etiam in statu gloriae quando gratia erit omnino perfecta homo divino auxilio indigebit hic autem aliqualiter gratia imperfecta est in quaâ—tum hominem non totali or sanat Aquin. Sum. 12. q. 109. a. 9. that he may better shew his mercy he will uphold what his hand hath built you have experience of his presence if he had not beene with you you had not now beene with him his promise is with you Loe I am with you alwayes even to the end of the world Matth. 28.20 It is a full promise like a streame of living waters running in the Church for ever he saith not I will be with you but I am with you that we might be confident of his constant presence and he hath laid up much treasure in this promise and therefore bids us looke well into it exciting by thâ— word Lo which he sets as a Beacon oâ— a hill or as a speciall marke upon the head of this promise as having much in it Therefore come unto God in much assurance he hates suspitions and jealousies Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in time if neede Heb. 4.16 This may be your comfort that what you have not is your selves you have in God and what you have in God is yours by promise goe then and sue God upon his owne bond God will be sought o Poterat nobis etiam non orantibus dare sed oratione nostra nos voluit admonere à quo accipiamus haec beneficia Aug de bon persev c. 7. prayer is the key of the promise Ezech. 36.36 37. Though God be our friend he may passe by us if he be not called in but when he is going from us prayer takes hold when Christ made as if he would have gone further being come to I maus The disciples constrained him saying abide with us and he went in to tarâ— with them Luke 24.28 29. David found God when he â—ought him In the do when I cryed thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul Psal 138.3 When the angell sounded glory to God he proclaymed peace and expectation or hope to us as some reade it Luke 2.14 p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expecto unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expectatio Lud. de Dieu 3. The end of your desire must bee observed for if your end be wrong you are not like to speed take heed of drawing downe the things of God to your ends for this is evill Looke to the end it is a making of God to serve you for the end rules and all that leads to it is beneath it the and is above the meanes and all the meanes as Iacobs sonnes sheases bow to Iosephs sheafe doe homage to the end they are all for the ends sake and what a thing is this to set God in a servility to our designes if the vessells of the temple might not be put to common use how much lesse the help of grace take heed therefore of seeking your selves and desiring assistance to advance your selves this is to desire God to lend his help against himselfe and to make his Spirit the ladder of our ambition it is as if a Pyrat should crave ayde of his Prince to rob his Country or as if a subject should pray his Soveraigne to help him to lift the Crowne from his head to set it upon his owne head you may seeke your selves your owne ends are allowed you but they must keep their place God must be your last end come then and say Lord help me that I may honour thee I owe all to thee but I can doe nothing without thee if I have life from thee I will live to thee what I receive from thee I will lay out for thee restore unto me the joy of thy salvation uphold me with thy free Spirit this is Davids prayer but what is his end Then will I teach transgressors thy wayes and sinners shall be converted unto thee Psal 51.12 13. As if he had said helpe me by thy hand and I will help others Draw me and I will bring company with me we will run after thee Cant 1.4 Againe the words following also shew the like spirit in him O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shen forth thy praise Psal 51.15 as if he had said my tongue is like an instrument prepared if thy mercy may but touch the strings it shall sound forth thy name I will runne the way of thy Commandements when thou shalt enlarge my heart Psal 119.32 Hold thou me up and I shall be safe and I will have respect unto thy Statutes continually ver 117. Thus bee you faithfull with God and his helpe will not fayle you but while your eye is on him his hand is with you CHAP. XXII Fourth meanes keeping the favour of God with Directions how to doe it FOurthly keep his favour Direct 4. Keep Gods favour and you shall keep his presence love delights and dwels with love though the Lord have married you to himself in a covenant that is unchangeable yet you may have lesse of your husbands company except you keep his love it is not inevitable transgression but voluntary offences which separateth betwixt God and you q O pus est ut tu non recedas ab eo qui â—unquam recedit opus est ut non deseras non desereris noâ—cadere non tibi occidet si feceris casum ille tibi faciet occasum si autem tustas praesens est tibi Aug.
disobedience when a man sinne against such strong and continued cals a friend takes it ill when he is often denyed and long put off in a thing much desired and strongly requested 3 Listen to conscience for that is Gods deputy and it will tell you what it is that God takes ill at your hands observe at what dore conscience layeth this sad birth this miserable plight of soule which you are in for that is like to bee the Father as God witnesseth with our spirits so usually he chides with them at least he never chides without them but when he will rebuke he sets conscience to doe it heare then its errands and receive its charge it may be it will say this is thy pride or thy slightnesse in duties thy neglect of God and Christ thy harboured lusts c. I deny not but Conscience may erre and doth often charging that as sin which is no sin or making sin greater then it is or accusing a man of that which he is not guilty of or judging and condemning when the sin is pardoned therefore I adde 4 Pray the Lord to shew you wherein you have offended it was Elihu his counsell to Iob in his sad case Surely it is meete to be said unto God I have borne chastisement I will not offend any more that which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will doe no more Job 34.31 32. And when you are convinced of the evill of your wayes then look on them mourn over them◠what a thing is this that I should provoke him to leave me in whose presence I have had such light such life such strength such liberty such peace such victories such treasures such joyes Heare oh ye heavens for I have committed two great evils I have forsaken the fountain of living waters an◠have digged to my selfe cisterns broken cisterns that hold no water Jer. 2.12 Oh wretch that I am that that precious communion which I had with my God was of no more esteem with me that those sweet streames of comfort which I now want but then had from the well of life those quickning beames from the Sun of righteousnesse those refreshing those ravishing sights and tasts of Jesus Christ those pleasant banquet◠which I had in the ordinances and i◠duties those blessed embraces of the everlasting armes of the Lord my God were of so low account with me that I should lose them by my folly I have been careful to keep my name my state my health yea my vanities but I have not been careful to keep my God that life and comfort of the Spirit which Christ purchased with his blood I like prophane Esau have sold for nought Woe is me that the Spirit of Jesus Christ should come in mercy to make his abode with me and yet hath no better entertainment I set the doores open that he might depart yea by entertainning lusts and vanities I have made him weary of his dwelling and he is gone in anger that came in love u Lysimachus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. Apophth de sanitate tuendâ that which I begged with teares and enjoyed with comfort I have lost for sin oh what have I done against my God yea what against my selfe what madnesse was this to gain my lusts and lose my God like that great Commander who sold himselfe for a draught of water Thus break open the rountains within and adde sorrow to sorrow drink your teares like water and mourne and mourn again say oh my folly that have lost that for want of care which now◠would redeeme with my blood bu◠when once God is gone who can te◠me when he will returne againe he◠goeth from many and takes leave for ever and now if I goe long in heavinesse I may thanke my selfe if my soule be spoiled with long hostilities and tyrannies of the power of darknesse if my sins rage like the Sea if I walke a◠a shadow of death my owne hand hath brought all this upon me for God left not me till I left him x Tu me non deseris nisi prius ego te deseram Aug. in Solilo cap. 14. Yea further cause the waters of sorrow to rise yet higher look upon former times and say what was I then what am I now my silver is become drosse take up the lamentation of the Church and make it yours How is the gold become dimme how is the most fine gold changed the stones of the Sanctuary are poured out in the top of every streete the precious sons of Zion comparable to fine gold how are they as earthen pitchers the work of the hands of the potter they that fed delicately are desolate in the streetes they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghils her Nazarites were purer then snow they were whiter then milk they were more ruddy then Rubies their polishing was of Saphire but now their visage is darker then blacknesse their skin cleaveth to their bones it is withered it is become like a stick we are orphans and father lesse our necks are under persecution and we have no rest servants have ruled over us and there is none that doth deliver us out of their hands the joy of our heart is ceased our dancing is turned into mourning the crowne is fallen from our heads woe unto us that we have sinned for this our heart is faint for these things our eye is dimme Lament 4.1 2 5 7. Chap. 5.3 5 8 15 16 17. Look about you and gather matter of sorrow into your hearts cast your eyes upon your wayes and say how little good have I done how much evill how poore is my life my duties like things without life and my unfaithfulnesse appeares as the light in all my wayes I wonder how I could own such actions which stand all like the children of beggers clothed with ragges and full of vermine cast your eyes upon others and say such as had lesse engagements lesse encouragements then I are got far◠before me the last is first and the first last many are grieved and dulled by my deadnesse that should have been quickned by my life look up to God and say Oh foolish and unjust man have I thus requited the Lord my God look up to heaven and say I might by sowing much have made my harvest rich and full but now it is just I should reap little that have sowed little yea that having sowed vanity I should reap iniquitie Repentance is the way to make up your losses and to repaire your ruines God hath promised grace and mercy to the penitent y Qui delictis poenam per judicium destinavit idem veniam per poenitentiam spopondit Tertul. de poenit When thou art in tribulation all these things are come upon thee or have found thee if thou turne to the Lord thy God thou shalt finde him for the Lord thy God is a mercifull God he will not forsake thee
seene nor eare heard nor c. 1 Cor. 2.9 The Gospel is divided into Doctrine The Gospel is divided into History The Gospel is divided into Prophesie 1. The Doctrine hath in it somewhat that is evident and easily falling in with reason for there are things in it appertaining to naturall Philosophie as elements men beasts trees c. to Ethicks as all the morall rules and vertues to Oeconomicks precepts for ordering of families to Politicks lawes for Cities and Common wealths These a naturall understanding can deale with But there are other things of more high nature which are called Supernaturall as the Trinity Incarnation Resurrection c. these are above reason 2. The History this is of things past and have no evidence to sense for what can the eye see of Paradise the Flood the Arke c. nor to reason by any thing in themselves how should reason conclude that such things have beene but that they are related and revealed 3. The Prophefie this is of things to come and so to come as that a man cannot see them as a Philosopher may see the effects in their Causes for they come within such a course nor can any creature by reason conclude their futurity but as their being depends upon Gods Will so their manifestation that they will come is only by Gods Word Hence it is that nature being so unapt to receive things upon trust and desiring to see all hold to rules of sense and reason is very hardly brought to beleeve the Gospell Because of this unbeleevingnesse wee need a divine assistance which is the working of faith and witnessing unto faith or to the beleever the truth of the Gospell there are many witnesses of the Gospel therefore it is frequently called the Testimony there is a cloud of Witnesses miracles Heb. 2.4 the Ministers and Apostles and Prophets among them especially Acts 10.43 c. 26.16 c. 5.32 the Saints Esay 43.10 but the Holy Ghost is the head of this Grand jury Heb. 10.15 1 Ioh. 5.6 he comes with his testimony and setleth the heart in assurance of the Gospell that it may finde firme ground and sure footing so long as faith is wavering comfort will be unstable the house cannot be strong if the foundation be weake the Gospell is the foundation and if that bee laid firme the whole fabricke of peace will stand strongly able to beare out all stormes and tempests The second question is concerning themselves Their interest and their interest in the Gospell For though a man know clearly what that faith and holinesse is which gives him a reall title to the promise yet he may be unable to know his faith to be that faith There bee many things which make true faith often hardly discernable 1. Great imperfection it is hard to know certainly when 1 plant is newly put up above ground what it is a low faith hath but little evidence there is a light in every grace to shew it selfe but as it is with some starres they are so small that they are scarce seene so a man may have faith and yet not be able to say positively and peremptorily that hee doth beleeve 2. The similitude of false faith and true a man may know in generall what is requisite to the nature of gold yet when he comes to apply his rules he may bee puzzeled because art can exactly imitate nature yea so as that a famous Painter was deceived by a flye which though it was artificiall yet he thought was naturall 3. The conscience is not alwaies a competent Iudge because it may be clouded with feares and jealousies 4. Satan often doth so snarle this question that the soule is not able to extricate it selfe Wee need therefore the helpe of the Spirit whose Office it is to be our Comforter And as conscience in its Court is witnesse advocate and Iudge n Ipse accusator Iudex Carnifex vermis remordens Quintil. l. 5 Instit so is the Spirit he is a Witnesse giving evidence concerning the fact that this is done i. e. that the man doth beleeve he is an Advocate to plead the lquity of his Cause and that by the law of grace he should live he is the Iudge by pronouncing sentence applying the Law of grace in a judicial way and saith the soule shall live But all are comprized in the testimony for it is a testimony clearing and determining the Case That there is such a testimony (o) S.S. donat animae pignus salutis scilicet test imoniuÌ„ quod silius Dei sis of the Spirit as doth evidence the â—yuth and sincerity of grace and consequently a personall interest in the promise appeares farther by these Arguments 1. Ber. Serm. 2. in Pent. ArgumeÌ„ts proving this testimony The spirit of bondage and the Spirit of adoption are opposed each to other Rom. 8.15 Now the thing wherein they are opposed is their proper working the one causing feare the other peace Looke then into the worke of the spirit of bondage and you will finde 〈◊〉 doth not onely enlighten the soule to know and apprehend in generall wrath against sin and to apprehend what sin iâ— but it evidenceth to a man particularly that his waies are waies of sin and conse quently works a kind of plerophorie of hell a dreadfull expectation of wrath upon himselfe so that a man comes to conclude upon conviction I am the man who have transgressed and I am the man which except salvation come to me in Christ shall be damned And as the spirit of bondage thus joyneth in the sentence of condemnation by stirring up clearing fixing and strengthening the conscience in like manner the Spirit of adoption worketh with Conscience in the sentence of absolution reconciliation and adoption 2. If the Spirit be a Comforter which will not be questioned it must witnesse the truth of our beleeving and by that our interest in the promise because till this be done till a man bee assureâ— that his faith is saving hee cannot bee satisfied in this question which now troubleth him whether hee shall beâ— saved or whether mercy be his portion There are three maine steps to comfort 1. Salvation comes through Christ in the free promise but here it yeelds 〈◊〉 other comfort but this it may bee miâ—â— if I receive it 2. The heart goeth 〈◊〉 to take hold of salvation this is a farther step to comfort and here the foundation is laid but yet though this bee sufficient to life and salvation in the end yet it is not sufficient to peace and consolation at present a man cannot bee satisfied till hee attaine a third thing which is this a knowledge that hee hath rightly and savingly received salvation 3. If the knowledge of the true definition of faith and holinesse were sufficient to give assurance to him that truly beleeves that he doth truly beleeve then none that are so qualified and doe reflect carefully upon themselves can be uncertaine or doubtfull whether their faith
till God awake them with rods and raise them by kindling a fire about them rebellion brings many loads disobedience and impenitence are springs of bitternesse a fire comes out of this bramble to burne the Cedar of Lebanon Cause 5 5. Cause to shew that He is the God of all comfort 2 Cor. 1.4 He keepes the cisterne empty that wee may looke to the Clouds above that the pleasant fruit of peace hath her rootes in Heaven our owne hearts though they may bee planted with pleasant trees yet of themselves bring forth nothing but bryars And God loves to shew himselfe the Lord of these treasures of comfort that the heart may have no dependance but in him and that it may alwaies feare because hee can soone turne the clearesâ— day into the darkest night Comfort is not given us in absolute possession but wee are alwaies tenants at will If God will hee can in a moment lay our hopes and joyes in the dust and strip us of all our garments of joy and turne us into mourning And as light in the aire but as water not in the spring I but in the vessell so it may soone bee cut off God needs not goe farre to feeke a rod to whip us with if he doe but withdraw his comforting Spirit our spirit will soone proove an afflicting spirit The peace of the soule is by vertue of the power and presence of God but if hee depart all is in uproare our owne thoughts will bee as scourges the Roman Emperours kept Lions to destroy the Christians and our hearts are grates and dens of Lions if God let them loose on the rendings that are by them if God keepe not garrison the enemies will breake in so that all our peace is from him the brightest starre that shines most with light of comfort derives it from the Sun of righteousnesse And therefore that they may have a sight of that darke and dismall nature of their owne hearts he shuts in his light and then when the soule lieth in a mournefull and distressed case in deepes where it findes no nottome and whence none can deliver when a man seeth al creatures standing as dead pictures and reckons himselfe past all hope then I say God sheweth himselfe to bee the God of comfort by commanding light to shine out of darknesse and quieting the high and raging stormes which did beare downe all before them Cause 6 6. Cause To revive their esteeme of mercy When a man is first brought out of Babylon bee is as those that dreame the heart is full of gladnesse and the mouth of praise the birds sing sweetly in the spring When a man is newly brought out of the pit and delivered from the sorrowes of death which did compasse him about and from the paines of hell which gate hold of him while the prints of the chaine are on him and the scarres of his hurt remaine he saith as David I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplications Psal 116.1 I was brought low and he helped me Returne unto thy rest oh my soule for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee For thou hast delivered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feet from falling The soule is in a float at present but when the daies of mercy continue the remembrance of the daies of sorrow weares off and the fire of love begins to abate and Christ is not of so high account though at first hee was the chiefest of ten thousands the joy of their hearts yet now his love and kindnesse groweth stale therefore God sends back the soule into her old prison to feele the weight of her ancient irons and chaines and causeth her to put on her old cast garments of mourning that sackcloth and ashes which shee wore in the daies of old that by laying this rod upon her as the Prophet spread himselfe upon the dead child a new life comes into the dying love and now mercy is raised to its former price and Christ is advanced on high now the soule returnes with redoubled strength and with multiplied and increased thankfulnesse Cause 7 7. Cause That others may be instructed Sometimes God chuseth the most eminent to set them out as demonstrations of this That assurance is not essentiall to holinesse that their conjunction is not indissoluble weake ones might have thought their cause worse if they had seene much grace alwaies attended with abundant joy but now God sheweth that comfort and rejoycing is not alwaies the portion of the Saints that so in their darke nights when they see no light they may live in hope that the Sun will rise though their way be a darke way it may be a sure way 8. Cause Cause 8 To fit for speciall service They that goe downe into the deepes see many wonders which others know not Experience gives wisedome Many are kept in a low way and have neither strong feares nor strong joyes these are not as Davids Worthies but are Christians of the lower rank common souldiers many are carried much aloft in great hopes and flashes of joy but they much overlooke the things below many infirmities and failings lye undiscovered But when God fetches the soule downe and sets it to dig beneath this man is more enlarged in true wisedome and holinesse and carrieth a fuller knowledge of sinne and Christ and of hell and heaven than other doe and so is made a stronger and more compleat man As he that hath beene in all conditions and hath travelled through sea and land and seene many Countries gaines an excellency by his experience above others An bome-bred spirit is a low spirit God will not doe much with many but leaves them to this worke mainely to save their owne soules but he will use some as his agents and factors in his great designes and affaires of mercy therefore traines them up to the knowledge of heights and depths Some are ordinary passengers and it is enough for them to looke to themselves being able to doe but little for others but some must bee Pilots and therefore must bee acquainted with winds and seas and rocks and sands that they may not onely save themselves but others Afflictions come not empty handed but like a darke cloud bring much after them there are many things which a man cannot learne in bookes but hee must learne it in himselfe a Scholler may read and acquaint himselfe with the Art of navigation but that will not make him a good Marriner nor will the studie of warre make a souldier but experience makes both God doth all as in great freedome so in great wisedome and having appointed men to severall ends he leads them in severall ends and workes them in severall moulds out of the same lump hee makes some differing from others in forme quantity and excellency some metall which is for highest use he casts often into the fire It may bee God may call you out to suffer much for him and