true of all Wee know not how to pray as wee ought Rom. 8.26 Therefore the spirit helpeth our infirmities and by a gracious conduct leads us that wee walke aright as the Master guides the hand of a young writer to write according to his copie and as the father in leading his childe drawes him because he is unwilling helps him because hee is weake guides him because he is apt to lose his way so God is said not onely to draw Cant. 1.4 Ioh. 6.44 and to help Rom. 8.26 but to order and direct his people Psal 37.23 Psal 119.133 2 Thes 3.5 A Ship may be rigged and have a fitnesse to saile yet it wants a winde to move it and a Pilot to guide it 3. Assistance is to corroborate and fortifie in some eminent difficulty As suppose a man mightily assaulted by some strong lust armed with occasion 3. To corroborate in difficulties opportunity and Sathans strong power in such a case God is wont to underprop and shoare up the soule with strong aide also how should a bruised reed stand against such a blast m Cum via dura fuit jam tum mihi currere visus plus homine est Vas fragile mentis nostrae quo gratiae thesaurus continetur gravioribus tētationibus saepe concussum tandem frangeretur nisi auxilits divinis fulc iretur Greg. de Valent. t. 2. disp 8. q. 1. pun 6. Dei est eum qui stat statuere ut per severanter stet eum qui cadit restituere Concil Trid. sess 6 can 13. 22. ibid. vide etiam plura ibid. apud Aqun sum 1. 2 ae q. 109. a. 10. As a father when he seeth his childe like to be devoured by some ravenous creature makes supply of the childes weaknesse by his own strength The Apostle Saint Paul was in some great temptation Sathan had shot some arrow at him but God suffered him not to fall but told him His grace should be sufficient for him 2 Cor. 12. At another time Sathan tooke up other weapons assaulting him with the terrours of troubles and of death hee brought in an Emperor against him whose power and majestie hee thought might have daunted him but God was a pillar of strength to him that hee was not moved All men left him but God did not leave him The Lord stood by me and strengthened me 1 Tim. 4.17 In Afflictions also this assistance is wont to be afforded and in hard seasons The same Apostle also found God here he was put to many an hard shift for his living he passed through nakednesse and hunger and thirst and want which was able to have broken the heart of a man but saith the Apostle I am able to doe all things through Christ that strengtheneth me Phil. 4.13 Thus God is wont to stand by his servants in hard brunts but when he comes not with supplyes and aid they faile and faint temptations overcome them distresses overwhelme them difficulties daunt them Thus wee see what that arbitrary influence of the spirit is but there is another thing to be observed that Desertion is a suspension of the arbitrary influence which wee were wont to enjoy For note there is a twofold influence or assistance 1 Extraordinary 2 Ordinary The extraordinary is Assisting grace I extraordinary when in some extraordinary case God comes in with more abundant help leading the soul in triumph over all assaults mightily corroborating not onely valiantly to withstand them but also gloriously to conquer them This as it commeth upon extraordinary occasion so it ceaseth usually with it and the ceasing of it is not Desertion The ordinary assistance is that which usually a man hath in the course of his life Ordinary when this is abated and withdrawne then a man is deferted When a man is not what he was wont not so cheerfull ready constant in doing good when hee doth not nor can doe as hee was wont as time hath beene when hee lived more with God but now his heart is fallen from that heavenly communion with him he could formerly mourn bitterly in the remembrance of his finnes but now the heart is frozen and cannot relent he could have prayed with much affection and holy boldnesse but now the heart is cooled weakened straitned indisposed c. When it fares thus with a man he is Deserted But here I will adde a few Advertisements to guide the judgement in this point of Gods withdrawing his assistance Note 1. it is never wholly denyed 1. God never denyeth it wholy to a faithfull soule though some degrees of divine help be denyed so that the soul languish in a sort and sinke into a state of deadnesse and dulnesse yet there is life and that both habituall and actuall Gods clock never stands there is no such deliquium gratiae no such swoun of the new man in which all acts do cease It may be so ill with a Christian that he may fall from his first love in the acts of it in a great measure Apoc. 2.4 5. He may be much impaired that there may leeme to be but the remaines of what was before and these remaines also may be ready to dye Apoc. 3.1 2. But God will not quite depart he will keepe the root and the seed of God shall remaine in him 1 Ioh. 3.9 Yea and the husband man is ever in some measure dressing and pruning and watering the branches of his vine Iohn 15.2 Esay 27.3 So that though they may beare lesse fruit sometimes yet at all times they beare some a Christian may doe lesse but still he doth something for though he may lose some help from God yet not all If hee cannot beleeve with that fulnesse of assurance and joy as before yet he can pray or if he cannot pray as he hath done yet he can sigh and groan and mourn As a spring under ground if it be stopped in one place breaks up in another so the Spirit of Grace if it be stopped in some parts yet it sheweth it selfe in others Though the sunne yeeld not an equall comfort to the plants yet a constant comfort it retires sometimes in part never wholly yea God often withholds his quickning virtue from some one grace for the perfecting and quickning of another hee sometimes leaves faith in a poor estate so that it may be much darkened and clouded with unbeliefe and Atheisme to raise up feare to awaken to watchfulnesse to enrich with spirituall poverty that the soule may mourne more seriously and seeke more earnestly after God sometimes he takes off his hand that held downe some present lust and suffers it to shew it selfe in monstrous shape and rage to pull down pride and advance humility and put the soul more to seek to be strong in God 2. It is not every degree of suspension of assisting grace that layeth a man in this forlorne estate Desertion is onely when the abatemēt of life is eminent as one forsaken of God
Direct 6. Be doing but they stirre not up themselves g Orans non operans iramprovocat Greg. mor. l. 18. c. 3. but thinke to live all upon supply from heaven but if you keep the seed in the garden God will not encrease your store you must plough and sow and in your endeavours looke for the blessing from above you have a life in you and you must put it forth God hath said he will help you that is you must doe what you can and he then will joyne with you h Dii facientes adjuvant Certate adjuvabo vincite coronabo Aug. apud Parisiens de ten resist c. 1. he hath said hee will meete you Esay 64.5 that is to say he expects that you should be comming and then he will come the mother will lead the child by the hand but the child must use his legges he will doe as men doe with young swimmers he will hold your head but you must use your limbs I shall speake more of this when I come to speake of such as seeme to be deserted of God but are not they finde 〈◊〉 deadnesse but it is not because God will not co-worke with them but because they doe not co-work with him I will at present onely say what David said 〈◊〉 Solomon his sonne arise therefore and 〈◊〉 doing and the Lord be with thee 1 〈◊〉 22.16 Sit not weeping and sighâ—â—â— for that will not profit you must be â—â—ing i Si lachrymae prodessent malis auro eas emeremus Plut. consol ad Apoll 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dictum Priami ad Achillem apud Homer Direct 7. Wisely and diligently improve the meanes of grace for God doth ordinarily worke onely in them and by them where they are afforded he hath shewed you the way of life if you walke noâ—â—â— his counsells no wonder if deadnesse and deformity of Spirit overtake you having spoken somewhat of this before I will here adde these two things 1. The faults of men in the use of the meanes 2. The inducements to use them rightly First there is a faultinesse in the godly often in the use of the meanes which weakens them and takes off thâ—â— vigour 1. Prophanenesse when men coâ—â—â— with slight and common spirits to theâ—â— holy things without due composednesse reverence and preparednesse this is to provoke God to forsake his sanctuary and to leave his ordinances uncloathed of their wonted working power and quickning vertue for this is not service that he can beare it overthrowes his Majesty and layeth his honour low when men come so before him If I be a Father where is mine honour Mal. 1.6 As if God had said your unholy and contemptible carriage in my worship declares that you set light by me and make nothing of me if you had me in esteeme as your God you would worship me as God Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly feare Heb. 12.28 2. Confidence misplaced when you make the minister his gifts graces prayers or the things that he administers your trust God will not beare it remember that gifts and ordinances though they be ordained for edification yet they are but instruments and the whole force of the Instrument depends upon the chiefe agent the waters of Bethesda heale not except the Angel move them k Ipsa adjutoria distinguenda sunt aliud est sine quo non fit aliquid aliud quo fit prioris generis sunt media instituta a Deo secundi est gratia Dei Aug. apud Camer coll amic p. 306. neither is he that pluteth any thing neither he that watereâ— but God that giveth the increase 1 Cor. 3.7 God hath not appointed these a things without which hee could not worke but out of liberty because it pleased him partly to convey himselfe iâ— a way sutable to nature the word and Sacraments being fit things to deâ—lâ— with intelligent and rationall creature and partly that his name might bee more honoured in the fellowship â—f many in the ordinances therefore oâ— trust must not be in them but in God 1 Cor. 2.5 3. Men come not to them for this end but as the empty spirits of men unchanged gather the chaffe and cockle but le ts goe the wheat and preferre a fine weed before the eares of corne so many that are good doe catch at things lesse usefull l In picturis Colores plus afficiunt quam lineae Plut. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 picturam amamùs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at orationem non quae convenit sed quae placet ibid. for the most part men haâ—â— what they seeke and no more in a fieâ—â— one comes to get wood another to piâ—â— flowers another to take ayre and the sheep come to get food m Sicut in agris apis captat florem capra germen sus radicem c. sic in legendis poematis alius hister am captat alius elegantiam idem ibid. there is a spirit among men too much carryed after difficulties novelties depths disputes and by this meanes they become to be like some children of swelled heads but weake limbs and little strength this should be your end to get life to meet God to be filled with the Spirit you may be fatted in gifts and leane in grace like a tree full of leaves and branches but empty of fruit knowledge is good when it is sought to a due end not to set up your selves above others but to set up God it were good to count nothing good to you till you finde God in it a thousand notions are but vanities and as empty clouds in the ayre except they dissolve themselves in showres of grace and holynesse upon the heart As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that you may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.2 4. Men use not the meanes in faith but are ready to say as Naaman what are the waters of Iordan except you believe you shall not see the power of God when you say in your hearts my heart is corrupt dead darke past curâ—â— what is this but to charge God with weaknesse and folly in appointing these helps that cannot profit though lusts and tentations bee many and strong yet remember God is able to deliver n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dixit Antigonus Nauarchae ob hostium multitudinem metuenti Plut. apophth 5. Not drawing out the efficacy of the meanes by prayer application neditation you should heare for hereafter the word should remaine upon you and you should mould o Ro. 6.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and forme you hearts to it and by it the benefit of the ordinances comes not alwayes at present they are like grapes that must bâ— pressed what encouragement doth God give oftentimes If you were wise you might get much doth not God preseâ—â— them sometimes like the flowing breasts now if you would lye sucking how might you bee filled you pâ—â— from you the word when it
all forts and batters downe all comforts in former evidences as wals of paper it cuts off all reliefe and presents God unwilling to hearken to any reconcilement and it hath also many abettors which contribute strength to make this man more bloody as temper of body which powers in abundance of darke and black thoughts and passions and the Censures of others who by their cloudy aspects and rejecting carriages do sharpen the sword in the hands of an unbeleeving and accusing conscience that it may make more gastly wounds and draw out fuller streames of blood Thus the soule like the man that fell into the hands of Theeves is left halfe dead distracting and accusing thoughts are worse than robbers a man may say of them what David said of Goliahs sword There is none like that 1 Sam. 21.9 Here is a soare battell when the soule like Saul fals upon its owne sword 1 Sam. 31.4 2. The power of God God hath given to Conscience a commission to afflict God hath a hand in all things working and ordering hee can send Hornets into the soule even stinging thoughts and piercing feares He ruleth much in mens spirits and in these seas raiseth stormes at pleasure though hee worke not despairing thoughts in his yet he ordereth that unbeliefe which is in them and as he orders the finfulnesse of mens hearts this way or that way not being a cause of it so hee doth in this case yea hee doth present sin and wrath so that the heart being left to its owne darkenesse and unbeliefe cannot but be a cruell and active enemie against it selfe and now as the Prophet said in that case so it may be said to a man in this case Oh thou sword of the Lord how long will it be ere thou be quiet put up thy selfe into thy scabbard rest and be still how can it be quiet seeing the Lord hath given it a charge against Askelon and against the sea shoare there hath he appointed it Jer. 47.6 7. 2. 2. Into Satans hands Into Satans hands God may leave his people much to the will of Satan as he did Iob and he out of envie at our happinesse enmity against God hatred of us is willing to improve all his skill and power to afflict the Saints so that a man may here take up that complaint His troupes come together and raise up their way against mee and encampe round about my Tabernacle Iob 19.12 5. Degree Degree When to all this other evils are added when to all this he adds an accumulation of other miseries as 1. the disfavour of the Saints this is a great cutting to an holy heart for hee construeth their favour and disfavour to be the reflexion of Gods and inded oftentimes God sets on his Children against such as hee is displeased with as a Master of a family saith to his houshold concerning a child which hee will correct for much stubbornnesse shew him no countenance eate not with him keepe not with him so here God saith with such a one have no amity no fellowship no familiarity it was a great griefe to Iob and he complaineth of it Hee hath put my brethren farre from me and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me my kinsfolke have failed and my familiar friends have forgotten me they that dwell in mine house and my maids count me for a stranger I am an aliant in their sight I called my servant and he gave mee no answer I intreated him with my mouth my breath is strange to my wife though I intreated for the childrens sake of mine owne body yea young children despised me I arose and they spake against me all my inward friends abhorred me and they whom I loved are turned against me c. Job 19.13.20 You see sometimes how even the nearest friends fall off with God and when divine grace is clouded nature it selfe is also clouded Heman also found this evill to all his evils Thou hast put away mine acquaintance farre from me thou hast made mee an abomination to them Psal 88.6 2. The losse of worldly comforts as peace liberty estate c. this was Iobs case Now when the soule is bereft of all comforts from heaven and from earth it is an heavie case 3. The losse of the meanes of grace God may remove his Candlestick and take away the Shew-bread the doores of his house may be shut or a man may bee imprisoned by sicknesse so that the clouds above and the springs beneath failing breed sore distresse 6. Degree Degree When all this is continued When all this is extended and continued so that a man complaines not of dayes but yeares of affliction a man may lie long in this miserable plight like Paul and his company to whom neither Sun nor Stars appeared for many daies a Nec mihi dant stellae lucem nec Cynthia lumen Causin aenigm 8. Acts 27.20 Hence come those mournefull sighings Lord how long will the Lord cast off for ever will he be favourable no more c. How many are the dayes of thy servant Psal 119.84 I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up Psal 88.15 There may bee much praying that God would breake these darke clouds and shine upon the soule a man may cry with Iob Oh that I knew where I might finde him that I might come even to his seat cap. 23.3 and with the Church may call after him yet may complaine Behold I goe forward but he is not there and backward but I cannot not perceive him on the left hand but I cannot behold him he hideth himselfe on the right hand that I cannot see him Jobâ— 23.8 9. I sought him but I could not finde him I called him but hee gave me no answer Cant. 5.5 Thou hast covered thy selfe with a cloud that our prayer shall not passe through when I cry and shout hee shutteth out my prayer Lament 3.8.44 A man may seeke him in the Ordinances yet not finde him yea his sorrow may increase God may seem angry with his prayer Oh Lord God of hoast how long wilt thou be angry with the prayer of thy people Ps 80.4 And the Word may seeme to bee against him and may make his wounds sorer so that those words may well be taken uâ— by this afflicted soule If I goe into the field then behold the slain with the sworâ—â— and if I enter into the City then behold them that are sick with famine hast thâ—â— utterly rejected Iudah hath thy soule lâ—â—thed Zion why hast thou smitten us 〈◊〉 there is no healing for us wee looked foâ— peace and there is no good and for the tiâ— of healing and behold trouble Jor. 14.18.19 CHAP. XXXVI The effects and consequent of this sad condition IN the next place let us view the effects and consequents of Gods withdrawing and leaving the soule in this uncomfortable case The effects are various according to the quality of the persons thus deserted which are of two sorts