in great affliction from the world that which can comfort must be something greater then the world or if afflicted by terrors of conscience comfort cannot be but by one that is greater then conscience if death sin hell wrath disquiet the soule what good in heaven or in earth can weigh downe these but God himself Secondly God workes comfort First preparing the soule note how this comfort is wrought by God There are three acts of God concurring in this work of comfort Preparation or disposing of the soule for comfort by giving sight Preparation or disposing of the soule for comfort by giving faith Preparation or disposing of the soule for comfort by giving fitnesse Collation of the matter of comfort Attestation c. 1 God illuminates the understanding to see the true fountaine and proper object of true comfort By illumination with the meanes and conditions of it till a man know the excellency of spirituall things with their sufficiency and eternity and till he see them haveable and attainable either the heart is deluded with the dying vanities of this sinfull and mortall life or held under the terrors of a guilty accusing misgiving and despairing conscience Though there be incomparable worth and most delightfull sweetnesse in Jesus Christ yet what is this to him that dwels in darknesse the understanding is the gate both of life and comfort and as the heart rueth not what the eye seeth not so it joyeth not in what it knoweth not It is necessary to true and strong consolation that a man have a sight 1 Cleare Dark visions breed but weak comforts darknesse is the harbour and womb of doubts and in this case so far as the soule doubts it dyes If a condemned man have a pardon but so written either for letter or language that he cannot reade or understand it though his pardon is his life indeed yeâ— it is but small comfort at present 2 Extended The heart cannot bee established and filled with comfort till the latitude of the object of comfort appeare except the minde see things in all their due requisites which makes them able to comfort fully there will bee somewhat wanting to a peacefull state as if he see a worth but not fitness or if that yet if not the possibility or if that yet not sufficiency or if that yet not perpetuity I say if any one of these appeare not the heart will remaine unsatisfied what a check to contentment in a thing is this when though a man seeth it is good yet he saith it is not fit for me it pleaseth not or it is not possible I cannot obtaine it or it is not sufficient it will not serve my turne or it is fading and not certaine I may lose it againe 3 Actuall For not knowing good but minding good doth comfort habituall knowledge doth not comfort it hath a power to comfort but till our knowledge be actuall it gives not actuall comfort it is but as fire in the Embers which warmeth not except it bee blowne up the rich promises laid up in a knowing man is but as bread in the Cubbord which except by actuall knowledge the minde feed upon it starves If a man have much wealth in his Chest except he take it forth for his use wherein is he happier than a begger though the Well be full of water yet except a man draw it out he may thirst We must not forget our consolation unmindfulnesse breeds uncomfortablenesse when therefore God will give comfort he is the remembrancer of his people 4 Serious For fleeting thoughts breed flashie comforts passant viewes and glances of the minde cannot raise a setled comfort nay rather they discomfort as much by their vanishing as they comfort by their presence The fruit of such sights of God Christ heaven c. yeeldeth a present but a transient blaze of joy like fire in straw soon up and soon downe yea this sweelnesse leaves a bitternesse and wounds the heart to lose that so quickly which iâ— had so happily so that by such transitory gusts the soule learnes more indeed how to prize the things for sweetnesse and how to lament them for their absence not his comfort but his sorrows are increased by such cursory viewes howsoever this is sure except our light be permanent our comfort will be transient and the heart will be still unsatisfied these fits of glaring light are but like night-lighinings which make not day it is night still in the soule because the Sun sets over it when therefore God comforteth he fixeth the eye of the soule upon himself and the good things of his grace The second act of preparation of the heart for comfort is working of faith By working faith which is the main organ of comfort though a man know the Gospel yet except he beleeve it all the glorious treasures of grace and mercy in it are but as a golden dreame or a pleasant tale or as a fire which is painted on a wall which yeelds neither light nor heate the word profiteth not him that beleeâ—eth not This was the case of the lews they had great promises made to them But the Word preached did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it Heb. 4.2 g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h. c. Caleb Joshua qui soli crediderunt sic Chrys Theoph. Oecumen At intelliguntur potius ipsi Judaei Par. c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vt vinum aqua temperatum fit mitius utilius infirmis ita ardua illa promissio opinione major incredibilis non admisâ—a side non profait Cornel. à lapide à cibo bene condito ducit Metaphoram Camer in Respons ad Quaest in Hebr. at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Legunt Syridc vers Beza Marian. Estius Aug. in Psal 77. c. As exceeding strong drink not tempered and qualified profits not nature so those great promises so much exceeding opinion and expectation of reason not being mixed with faith did not profit them or as some conceive the Metaphor lyeth thus as he that drinkes of an empty cup so were they not beleeving the promise to them was but as an empty cup or as in the margin of out Bibles they were not united by faith to them that heard i. e. to them that beleeved so that they had not the same benefit by the word Faith then is a necessary requisite and that 1. as a condition upon which comfort is given 2. As an instrument by which it is received for faith gives the promise a life and subsistence though not in it selfe yet in us except the Gospell be beleeved it hath no dwelling no roote no power no life no being to us but is as a thing that is not therefore God works faith which doth enable and dispose the soule to sucke sweetnesse from the breasts of consolation Joy and peace are fruits of faith Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in beleeving
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
is he building and preparing him to be a more excellent structure The gardiner digs up his garden pulls up his fences takes up his plants and to the eye seemes to make a pleasant place as a waste but wee know he is about to mend it not to mar to plant it better and not to destroy it So God is present even in desertions and though he seeme to annihilate or to reduce his new creation into a confused Chaos yet it is to repaire its ruines and to make it more beautifull and more strong The glory of the second temple was greater than the glory of the first Hag. 2.9 In the repairing of an house we see how they pull down part after part as if they intended to demolish it but the end is to make it better it may be some posts and pillars are removed but it is to put in stronger it may be some lights are stopped up but it is to make fairer lights So though God take away our props it is not that we may fall but that he may settle us in greater strength hee batters downe the life of sense to put us upon a life of faith and when he darkens our light that we cannot see it is but to bring in fuller light as when the starres shine not the Sunne appeares repairing our losse of an obscure light with her clear bright shining beams So then we see that though God doe forsake his people yet not totally not for ever not ceasing the affection of love but the acts and not those which concerne our being but such as concerne our well being As abundant quicknings and aid of grace victorious and triumphant power over sinne the cleare and satisfying testimony of his Spirit c. CHAP. III. Foure other considerations about desertions HAving premised these things in the generall I shall now come to the specialls to speake of these desertion in their severall kindes and first as they befall the godly Desertions as they befall the godly are of two sorts Withdrawing of 1 Influence of grace 2 Of comfort 1 Inward 2 Outward For all the complaints which the Saints doe make of Gods hiding and withdrawing himselfe arise from one of these three grounds or all 1. That God doth not carry on their spirituall life as he was wont 2. That he gives not that peace joy comfort assurance as he was wont A man may want Gods gracious presence in outward things yet enjoy his internall presence in the soule yea often there is most of God within when least without 3. That he brings them into outward straits and doth not deliver them Before I come to speake directly and particularly of these I will propose foure briefe observations about them 1. That a man may misse much of Gods externall presence in the sweet and comfortable way of his providence providing protecting and ordering all occurrents to contentment yet may enjoy inward communion with him his soule may be most abundantly animated and quickned with the Spirit when he hath most discouragements without yea God is wont when he gives least in the world 2 Cor. 1.4 5. to give most of himselfe and his people seldome have much of the fatnesse below and of the springs above at once as the sunne and the stars appeare not together But when hee shuts up all doores of hope and helpe in the world then he sets open the doores of heaven So Saint Stephen when hee saw nothing but death in the world Then saw heaven opened and Christ sitting at the right hand of God Acts 7. Such mercy found Iacob when he was a poore pilgrim in a strange land then he saw that heavenly ladder and the Angels ascending and descending as a pledge of Gods care and their readinesse for his good Gen. 28.12 The abundance of the spirit both of grace and peace is usually powred forth in a day of sorrow as when the dough which the Israelites brought from Egypt was spent God gave them bread from heaven And there are 2. causes of it 1. Gods tender love which is such that he will not add affliction to his peoples sorrow Because Gods love is such that he wil not adde sorrow to sorrow When therfore he is pleased in his wisdome to put a cup of affliction into their hands he is wont to give them also the cup of consolation when he casts them into outward straits he doth recompence it with inward inlargements The Church never had such full predictions of Christ and precious promises of great mercy as when the most dreadfull evils hung over her head as appeares in the prophecies of all the Prophets And the faithfull usually finde their worst dayes their best dayes and when they meet with troubles they find most peace This the Apostle witnesseth As the sufferings of Christ abound in us so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ 2 Cor. 1.4 And though our outward man perish yet our inward man is renewed day by day g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 die die ut Tertul. legit in li. de resur carn i. e. quotidie Vid. Esti com in lo. 2 Cor. 4.16 2. The capacity of the soul is widened The capacity of the soule is inlarged in affliction and enlarged in affliction heavenly communion with God is sweetest in an evill day and the soul longs after God that in him it may finde all supplyed which it wants in the world Now the more God stirs up desires of himselfe the more the soule is prepared to communion with him and the more it hath of him the hungry man eats most and hee that is most athirst drinks most When the life of nature and sense is cut off the soule seekes a life in God and is much in all endeavours of injoying God now she seekes him in prayer she enquires for him in the word and by all meanes reacheth hard after him So David when he was in the wildernesse panted and breathed after God hee prayeth hee cryeth his thoughts are with God all the day yea in the night he meditates upon him and saith he My soule followed hard after thee Psal 63.8 2. One may want the comforting presence of God yet have the quickning presence One may want inward comfort yet not be deserted in respect of the influence of grace the tenure of grace and peace is not the same a man may lose the sence of grace and yet retaine the life of it Though he be more happy that hath grace and peace yet hee may be as holy that hath grace without peace yea and as the clouded summers sunne yeelds more comfort to the earth than a bright shining winters sunne so when the soul is most clouded it may be most quickned when the light of Gods favour is hid the quickning heat of the spirit may most abound 3. He that loseth Gods quickning presence loseth also his comforting presence The comforting presence is never without the quickning presence
in you as heretofore 4 A man is not so humbled the practicall understanding being renewed Not humbling is the Count Palatine d Curopalates vid. Seld. honoris tit next to God in the palace of the soule the power of judgement is in its hands it hath power to send out writs to summon men to its barre and to examine causes and to passe sentence and when God is with it it will afflict and chastise the soule for sinne So it is said that Davids heart smote him 2 Sam. 24. but when conscience groweth carelesse and men judge not themselves when they condemne not and afflict not themselves for sinne but the sword lieth still in the scabbard and execution is not done but crimes are winked at the offender is justified or spared it is a signe of a sleepe fallen upon them and that God hath withdrawne himselfe or if you be judged by the light yet are not humble if you can shift and ward off the blows of conscience so that it cannot wound you the efficacie of it is weakned and God is departed David was in this case his conscience was too dallying and indulgent it did not arrest him nor seise upon him with her wonted Majestie because God suffered him to he for a time as he permitted him to fall but when the spirit came in the ministery of Nathan then conscience was armed with a stronger power and laid hands on him bound him in chaines and laid him up in prison and now David humbleth himselfe confesseth his sinne weeps and sighs and mourns night and day and could have no quiet till he had his pardon and was reconciled to his God Psal 32. CHAP. IX When a man is deserted the minde is more vaine and abated in frequency complacencie consistencie in holy thoughts THe third evill that befals the minde is vacuity and emptinesse Third evill in the minde vacuity and emptinesse when God withdrawes himselfe it becomes like an empty house without inhabitant when the cloud of divine presence fils his tabernacle and the foule receives oracles from his mouth then a man hath sweet converse with him and walks with him e Pedibus duntaxat terram tangentibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chr. hom 3. de incompr Dei nat is a man with his friend as it is said of Noah Gen. 6.9 and Enoch Gen. 5.20 God is his centre and he is much in pursuit of him My soule thirsteth after thee and I will remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches my soul followeth hard after thee Psal 63. he was much in the thoughts of God God was with him f De Ignatio fabulatur nomen Jesu cordi ejus insculptum invcniri and he with God when he went to sleepe yea when he awakened his heart was towards him When I awake I am still with thee Psal 139.18 yea I am continually with thee and what was the cause of it Thine hand upholdeth me Psal 73.23 an awakened heart hath God ever in sight I have set the Lord alwayes before me Psal 16.8 As water striveth to ascend as high as the head-spring from whence it cometh so a heavenly Christian as he springs from above is ever streaming thither but there are times when the minde becomes vaine and very empty of God and full of vanity either being like a watch that stands still or like a Conduit-cock that runs at waste either sleeping and not acting or pouring out and spending it selfe upon things that profit not In this state the soule hath lost much of a threefold excellency which it had 1 Complacency in holy thoughts 2 Frequency in holy thoughts 3 Consistency in holy thoughts First Complacencie time was when the thoughts of Gods glory and mercy and works and word and of Christ and other spirituall things Lesse complacencie in thoughts of God were as honey feeding and delighting the soule meditations were great refreshments and recreations they were wont to fill the heart with sweet content and comfort adding much to all spirituall life both of grace and peace How precious are thy thoughts to me Psal 139.17 Juvat immensospatiantem vivere coelo David reckoned his recourse to and converse with God among his chiefe treasures And indeed what is better to man in a right temper then from the Nebo of a spirituall meditation to behold Canaan and by heavenly mindednesse to walke with Christ and Angels and Saints in heaven to have that in a kinde of presence by this prospective which is yet so distant This I say peradventure was your happinesse but now you are changed and fallen from this glory your soules creepe on the dust and savour not the sweetnesse of the things above they hunger not so much after that bread of eternall life but feed upon vanities and worldly things you are not so delighted in slipping out of the world and retyring your selves that you might be with God nay haply it is become a burthen e Nulla res tam facilis est quin difficilis sit si invitus facias Sen. ep 12. to fix your thoughts on that which was your food and life before your minde is become heavy the earth hath got into your hearts and weighed them downe so that you finde it hard and tedious to pully and winde them up to such spirituall and setled meditations in which formerly you have had delight if it bee thus it is a signe that God hath much withdrawne himselfe from you 2. Frequency Lesse frequency it may be it hath been the dayly course of thy soul to visit heaven soaring on the wings of an heavenly minde and taking her flight to God and Christ as the Eagles that flie to the dead body Mat. 24.18 thou wast wont to finde in every place a passage to thy God and wert often improving that quicknesse of thy minde which is able to step from the deepest dungeon to the highest heavens in a moment The mind is so quick of foote that it is swifter than the Sun and can move further in a moment than the Sun doth in a day and thou wert wont to send this winged messenger and it returned unto thee like Noahs Dove with Olive branches of peace and comfort in its mouth Indeed a Christian drives two trades in the world one is seene the other is secret and in this he is busie when hee seemes to be vacant and is least alone when most alone when he is mured up within his Chamber or walking in a solitary way he is conversing with such companions as the world is not acquainted with he is speaking with God and hearing God speaking to him words of wisdome making him wiser than the Auncient words of reproofe piercing like a sword yet not to hurt but heale and words of comfort stronger than death and sweeter than life yea when he seemes to be in the deepes of affliction he is mounted above all sorrowes and his soule is above
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
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