to drive us out of it and then indeed he was a spirit of bondage to which he hath reference when he sayes to feare againe because he was once such to them and such the Holy Ghost then might bee and then witnesse to them that their estates were damnable for then it was a truth in tha they had lived in an estate of bondage whereunto damnation was immediately due and had they dyed in it had certainly fallen upon them But when once he by making a man a Son hath become the spirit of adoption to him then if ever he should put him into such apprehensions and feares againe he should witnesse an untruth Therefore for the comfort of them and all beleevers he tells them that he never crosseth nor reverseth his testimony of adoption but his office is to be ready as a witnesse to seale to it but our owne hearts and Satan But yet though the Iudge doth not condemne any more yet the Iaylor may trouble and affright us 1 John 3. 12. our own hearts may condemn us God may give Satan leave to cast us into prison to clap bolts upon us again and to become a lying Spirit of bondage to us as hee became a lying spirit in the mouths of Ahabs Prophets and he may give up our hearts to be fettered with the cords of our own sins Prov. 5. 22 and to be ensnared with its own inventions and feares and jealousies For a more distinct understanding of this §. 2. to manifest how it comes to passe that all this befalls Gods childe Yet the Spirit hath some hand in the distresse I will shew how farre the holy Ghost proceedeth in it and puts forth his hand towards it and what Satans work is where he strikes in and our owne hearts to worke further and deeper distresse then the holy Ghost by himselfe alone intended For unto these three severall hands is the whole to be ascribed the works of Gods Spirit and his concurrence therein carefully to be severed from Satans as light from darknesse at the first Thus farre then the Spirit of God may concurre in this darknesse that befalls his childe 1. Privatively 1. Privatively to withdraw his testimony He may suspend his testimony and the execution of his office of witnessing adoption hee may withdraw his comfortable presence and hide himselfe for a moment and conceale his love as other Fathers will sometimes doe As David did when yet his heart was towards Absolom He may not admit him to see his face he may shut a Sonne out of doores when yet he doth not cast him off Iohn 20. 23. He may retaine their sinnes as Christs expression is that is call in the patent of his pardon which he had passed under his hand and seale in earth Mat. 18. 18. that is in their owne consciences take it out of their hands and custody and call for it home againe into the pardon office in Heaven and there keepe it And also when Satan comes and gives in a false witnesse and evidence and our owne hearts thereupon likewise condemne us the Holy Ghost may stand by as it were silent and say nothing to the contrary but forbeare to contradict Satan by any loud testimony or secret rebuking him as he doth at other times as Zach. 3. 1 2. 2. Positively 2. Positive in 2. things He may further proceed 1. To reveale and represent God as angry with his childe 1. To represēt God angry by immediate expression of wrath on the conscience for such and such sinnes formerly committed and make him sensible thereof not barely by concealing his love but by making impressions of his wrath upon his conscience immediately and not by outward crosses only Thus Esay 57. 17 18. God not onely hid himselfe and was wroth that is expressed his wrath by hiding himself but I smote him and was wroth and v. 16. he contended and was wroth that is fought against him as an enemy as Esay 63. 10. and this with his wrath upon his spirit for it followes that the spirit was ready to faile and the soule which he had made so as it was the spirit which was the white God shot at and wounded and that so deepe that it was ready to faile and come to nothing which Solomon calls by way of distinction a wounded spirit which who can beare and differenceth it from all other afflictions upon the outward man which strike the spirit but through the cloathes of the body mediately for sayes he The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmity that is all such outward afflictions wherein it suffers but by way of sympathy and compassion but when the spirit it selfe is laid bare and naked and wounded immediately by Gods wrath which only can reach it and wound it Who can beare this Thus towards Heman God did not only hide his face from him Psal 88. ver 14. but His fierce wrath went over him and thy terrors sayes he cut me off ver 16. not wounded him onely but even cut him off and and such impressions of immediate wrath as expressions and effects of Gods anger the Holy Ghost may make upon the spirit of his childe for it is a truth that God is angry and wroth with them when they sinne which anger he may make knowne not onely by dumbe signes in outward crosses and effects but by an immediate witnessing and plain and expresse speaking so much to their consciences and making them to feele so much by scalding drops of his hot displeasure let fall thereon And as other Fathers shew their anger by whipping the bodies of their children upon this ground as sayes the Apostle because they are the Fathers of our flesh Heb. 12. 9. So for the like reason may God shew his anger and chastise his children by lashing their spirits For he is the father of our spirits as he speakes in the same place And likewise our spirits and the very bones and marrow of them doe lie open and naked to him with whom we have to doe and his word and spirit being quick and powerfull and sharper then any two edged sword Heb. 4. 12 13. are able to divide and cut even to the bones and marrow as the same Author speakes Yet withall so as when he expresseth his wrath thus upon their consciences hee doth not witnesse that this is an eternall wrath which he hath conceived against them for it is but a temporary displeasure It is but for a moment as Esay speakes the indignation of a Father nor is it a wrath which revenging justice hath stirred in him Heb. 12. 6. but Fatherly affection And though the Spirit tells them that God is displeased yet never that they are accursed that is a false collection made out of it 2. By shaking over him the threatnings of eternall wrath Yet 2. The holy Ghost may proceed yet further herein so farre as to bring forth and shew
doe as he pleased and useth no other arguments in the 38 39 40 41. Chap. God indeed never wants a cause nor doth deale thus where sin is not yet as it is said of the young man that he was blinde not for his sinne nor his parents yet not without it but for the glory of God it was an act of Gods prerogative so here God had higher ends of glorifying himselfe in the patience and conquest of such a champion as Iob was and of confuting the devill who accused him of serving God for nought the falsenesse of which to demonstrate God tryes conclusions with him as also to confute the opinions which in those dayes were generally received as may seeme by his friends arguings and also the 37. Psal That godly men did prosper and flourish outwardly according to their godlinesse for these and the like reasons God did it However 〈◊〉 gives Iob this good and seasonable counsell to make this use of it to search into his sinnes Chap. 34. ver 31. 32. And God might well take liberty to deale thus with Iob because he could make him amends as afterward hee did in restoring double to him and indeed it was but the concealing awhile of his love as many parents love to doe by their children and yet to shew it the more in reall effects as God even then did in making him more then a conquerour A second case extraordinary is when hee intends to make a man a wise When God intends to make a man wise and able to comfort others able skilfull and a strong Christian Wise namely in this which is the greatest learning and wisdome in the world experimentally to comfort others This may seeme to bee the reason of this his dealing with Heman Heman was brought up in this schoole of temptation and kept in this form of desertion from a youth Psal 88. 15. He was put soone to it and so deep lessons had he set him as hee had like to have lost his wits as hee sayes there yet in the end when God raised him up again this Heman who lived about David Solomons time is reckoned among the wisest of his time and one of the foure that were next to Solomon 1 Kings 4. 31. So that great Apostle was a man exposed to the same combats that others were he was buffeted by Satan 2 Cor. 12. filled with inward terrours as well as those without what was this for Not so much for any personall cause of his owne as to make him able to comfort others 2 Cor. 1. 4 5. For that comfort which answers a temptation in one mans heart will answer the same in anothers the same key will unlock twenty locks that have the same wards So when temptations have the same wards that key which unlockt one mans bolts will serve and answer to anothers It is not every word that will comfort a weary soul but onely a word in season ver 4. of this 50. of Esay that is which is fitted to the parties case now who are they who have such apt and fit and seasonable considerations to comfort such but those who have had the same temptations and the like distresses This art of speaking peace and comfort and words in season is the greatest wisdome in the world and not learnt but in Hemans schoole Temptation was one of Luthers masters And therefore of abilities of the ministery Christ in this Chapter instanceth in this ver 4. and calleth the tongue of him that is able to speak seasonably to weary soules the tongue of the learned and therefore Iob 33. 23. to raise up one whose soule drawâ—s nigh to the grave is said to be the worke of 〈◊〉 of a thousand which is easily granted if you consider the danger of such a distresse In Scripture it is called the breaking the bones Psal 51. because the strength of a mans spirit that should uphold it as the bones the body sinkes with in him now to be a bone-fetter is not every mans skill he must have special art and cunning and a Ladies hand as we say that is meekness pitty which also are never kindly but when we have tasted the like or may feare the like Gal. 6. 1. The Apostle commands them to set such as one in Ioynt again as the word signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lest thou also be tempted it is the work of one that is spirituall You that are spirituall restore such an one It requires skill to get out every shiver to meete with every scruple and set all streight againe It is also called the wounding of the spirit Solomon A wounded spirit who can beare Prov. 18. 14. As the power of sinne wounds so the guilt also and the one as incurable as the other and it being the spirit of a man which is wounded that which must heal it must be somthing dropt into the heart that may come at the spirit and there are to be peculiar elective plaisters to heal these wounds because these wounds are usuall of a differing nature for some objections there are that often the learnedst men never met with in bookes and Satan hath devised methods Eph. 6. of tempting soules deserted which hee useth againe and againe and know those depths and fathome them a man shall not unlesse hee hath beene in the depths himselfe as Heman speakes and then he shall see such wonders of God in those depths which none else ever saw and thereby gaine such wisdome as to be able to encourage others by his example to trust in God and call upon him so David Psal 32. ver 5 6. The third case extraordinary 3. In case of abundance of revelations and comforts God doth desert in case a man hath had or is to have from God abundance of revelations and comforts First in case he hath already had abundance of revelations from God As after that glorious testimony given to Christ at his baptisme This is my beloved son c. Mat. 3. ult Then was Iesus led aside to be tempted Mat. 4. 1. He points out the time to this very purpose In like maner doth God often deale with the members of Christ for the season and time of their 〈◊〉 and temptations This was also that 〈◊〉 Apostles case 2 Cor. 12. 7. Lest I should bee exalted above measure through abundance of venue lations a messenger of Satan was sent to buffet 〈…〉 That which he calls there the thorne in the flesh that prickt him is meant rather I thinke of a desertion and leaving him to distresse of spirit then of a lust for his scope is to glory in his afflictions ver 9. 10. Now if it had beene a lust it had beene a thing not to bee gloried in Againe it was a messenger of Satan therefore something externall and it buffeted him he was as a meere patient in it as a man buffered is in the exercise of lusts our spirits are active besides he prayed it might
A CHILDE OF LIGHT WALKING IN DARKNESSE OR A TREATISE Shewing The Causes by which The Cases wherein The Ends for which God leaves his children to distresse of conscience TOGETHER WITH DIRECTIONS HOW TO COME FORTH OF SVCH A CONDITION With other OBSERVATIONS upon Esay 50. 10 and 11. verses BY THO GOODWIN B. D. IOB 34. 29. When he hideth his face who can behold him Printed at London by M. F. for R. Dawlman and L. F. at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard 1636. HONORATISSIMO DOMINO ROBERTO DOMINO BROOKE BARONI BROOKE de BEAUCHAMPCOURT HEROI EXIMII ACVMINIS SVMMI CANDORIS PIETATIS AC LITERARUM CULTORI FAUTORIQUE OPELLAM HANC LABORANTIS CONSCIENTIAE CONSOLATORIAM IN PERPETVAE OBSERVANTIAE TESTIMONIVM DO DICO CONSECRO THOMAS GOODVVIN To the Reader THat which drew these Sermons from mee next to thy good was to right my selfe They were first preached eight yeares since and some notes thereof were to say no more dispersed into the hands of many to my prejudice They are here presented as they were preached with little alteration or addition in method style or matter Onely to make up the Treatise more compleat I entirely added against the publishing thereof that whole discourse about Satans part and hand in these desertions beginning at Chap. 6. In handling which I trust I have not at all incurred that severe increpation of the Apostle against curious speculations about angels Col. 2. 18. of intruding into those things which I have not seen ground and warrant for in the word Sure I am I have endeavoured to follow the Schoole in their Labyrinths herein no further then I found a Clue of Scripture and right reason clearely guiding and warranting my way Without which I account the wayes of this old and winding Serpent in his communications to us to be as Solomon speakes Prov. 30. 18 19. Like the way of a Serpent upon a stone hidden and past tracing or finding out And lest any of the weaker readers especially those in distresse to whom more speculative and doctrinall discourses though about things practicall prove usually tedious and unpleasing should in reading that peece be discouraged at the first My advertisement is that if they finde that part of the way craggy or tyresome which I hope they will not they would divert out of it and come in againe at Chap. 11. from whence to the end they shall finde what is more accommodate to their understandings and conditions and more practically speaking to your distresse The blessing of heaven goe with it THO GOODVVIN THE TABLE Part. 1. A Paraphrase upon the words page 1. Chap. 1. The first and maine observation That a childe of God may walke in darknesse p. 5 § 1. What it is to walke in darknesse ibid. That thereby here is not meant ibid. 1. Insin ibid. 2. In ignorance p. 6 But in sorrow and discomfort ibid 1. And that not of outward afflictions onely ibid. 2. But chiefly inward from the want of the sense of Gods favour p. 7 Proved by 3. Reasons ibid. Chap. 2. The particulars of that distresse as contained in those two phrases Walking in darknesse Having no light p. 9 1. What the condition of such an one is ibid. § 1. As exprest 1. By having no light p 9. Light distinct from faith ibid A threefold light added to faith to cause assurance p. 10 1. The immediate light of Gods countenance ibid. Which a belever may want ibid. Proved p. 11 And how the want of it may stand with Gods love still continued and with the reall influence of his grace p. 12 2. The light of present graces ibid Which hee also may want p. 13 Or 3. Light may bee taken for the remembrance of former graces and evidences ibid. Which he may want p. 14 The reason of both ibid. How grace may be exercised and not discerned p. 15 The reason ibid. § 2. What his condition is as expressed by walking in darknesse 1. To bee in doubt what will become of him p. 16 2. Stumbling at all comforts p. 17 3. Filled with terrours ibid. Chap. 3. The efficient causes of this distresse First the Spirit Whether he hath any hand therein and how farre ibid. The efficient causes of this distresse three § 1. The Spirit not the cause of doubting and despairing thoughts p. 18 § 2. Yet the Spirit hath some hand in the distresse p. 20 1. Privative by withdrawing his testimony ibid. 2. Positive in 2. things p. 21 1. By representing God angry through immediate impression of wrath on the conscience ibid. 2. By shaking over us the threatnings of eternall wrath p. 22 Chap. 4. How Satan and our hearts encrease this darknesse and distresse by false conclusions from the Spirits worke illustrated by the like in the illumination of temporaries The Spirits worke in both compared p. 24 Chap. 5. The second efficient cause of this darknesse Our owne Hearts The principles therein which are the causes thereof p. 29 § 1. By reason of our weaknesse as we are creatures ibid. § 2. Of an innate darknesse as we are sinfull creatures p. 30 § 3. Of carnall reason p. 31 Which as in men unregenerate doth reason for their bad estate So in the regenerate against the goodnesse of their estates p. 32 How potent and prevalent carnall reason is with us p. 34 And how desperate an enemy unto faith and the reason of it p. 35 The great advantage carnall reason hath in time of desertion p. 37 § 4. Of corrupt affections which joyne with carnall reason in this as jealousie suspition c. ibid. The rise of them and of their working in the heart p. 39 § 5. The guilt in our owne consciences remaining in part defiled p. 41 Chap. 6. The third efficient cause Satan His speciall malice in this temptation commission accesse to and advantage over us in this temptation by reason of the darknesse in us p. 44 Foure things in generall premised to explaine Satans working herein p. 45 § 1. Satan hath a speciall inclination to this kinde of temptation ibid. The reasons p. 47 § 2. God may and doth give up his child into Satans hands and permit him thus to tempt him p. 48 Which permission is granted him either 1. At Satans owne motion and request p. 49 2. Vpon the ordinance of excommunication ibid. Or 3. When that ordinance is neglected in case of some grosse sinne p. 51 Yet this permission is with difference from that giving up of wicked men to Satan p. 51 § 3. How able Satan is to tempt p. 52 § 4. That the exercise of this his power is much from the darknesse in us p. 53 A double advantage that Satan hath over us in the exercise of his power in tempting us p. 54 1. Of more neare and intimate accesse to suggest inwardly to our spirits ibid. 2. Of fit matter and fuell in our spirits to worke upon p. 55 Chap. 7. More particularly how Satan workes upon those three
use of as of a staffe as David compares it Psal 23. 4. whilest he thus Walkes in darknesse and through the valley of the shadow of death safely to trust and stay himselfe upon Psal 36 9. so as in the end to come forth to see Light in Gods Light for evermore You see likewise the prop of his soule in this condition On the contrary Of the 11. verse let us behold as all are here called to doe the best and most secure of unregenerate men encompassed about with all meanes and supports of confidence and comfort whether of Legall righteousnesse of their owne which these Jewes made boast of together with the addition of all worldly and outward comforts both which the Prophet here compares to Fire and sparkes as preserving Light and comfort in them As 1 let their lives and naturall dispositions abound with never so many sparkes of legall righteousnesse which themselves have kindled for so he compares all those severall acts and performances of naturall and acquired righteousnesse struck out and educed from the powers of naturall principles improved which make a great blaze in a mans owne opinion esteem which yet not proceeding from the holy Ghost baptising them as with fire and renewing them nor from internall principles of regeneration which Christ compares to fire Mar. 9 ult are all in Gods account but as a sacrifice offered up with strange fire which was forbidden and are here said to be of their owne kindling And such were the sparkes in the light of which these Iewes walkt who went about to establish their owne righteousnesse Rom. 10. 3. and with confidence trusted therein and not on the name of the Lord. And further 2 Let these men be surrounded and encompassed about with the greatest splendor of worldly glory and abound in all those good things this world can afford them the comforts whereof Salomon in like maner compares to a fire of Thornes and the pleasures of it to the crackling of thrones Eccles 7. 6. as here to sparkes and let them keepe never so good fires to warm and cheere themselves withall lay on as much every day as shall even encompasse them about with sparkes and in the light and confidence of both these let them walke for many yeares despising that other poore beleever that feareth to be found in his own righteousnesse and refuseth to be comforted by any of these yet let them know sayes Christ who is brought in as the speaker here that when they have thus walk◠presumptuously and securely and even walke themselves weary as it is Isai 40. 13. weary of all their owne wayes and pleasures as they will be one day and then at their death beds thinke to lye downe and rest them They shall lye downe indeed sayes Christ and their bed shall be of my making and providing this you shall have of my hand ye shall lie downe but in a bed of sorow and despaire In which they shall lye downe never to rise againe CHAP. I. The maine proposition and subject of this discourse thence deduced That a childe of God may walke in darknesse That thereby distresse of conscience and desertion in the want of assurance of justification is meant proved THis to be the meaning of the words will more fully appeare in opening the severall propositions to be delivered out of them The first and maine observation That a childe of God may walke in darknesse whereof the first and principally intended is this That one who truly feares God and is obedient to him may be in a condition of darknesse and have no light and he may walke many dayes and yeares in that condition And herein §. 1. further to explaine the Text and bottome this great point well upon it 1. What it is To walke in darknesse and more particularly to discover what the condition of a childe of God thus in darknesse is we will first inquire what is meant by walking in darknesse here in this place First What is not meant here walking in darknesse is taken in the 1 Iohn 1. 6. for living in sinne and ungodlinesse 1. Not in sin in the commission of knowen sinnes or omission of knowen duties going on in the workes of darknesse But so it is not to be taken here For Christ would not have encouraged such to trust in God who is light and there can be no fellowship betweene him and such darknesse as the Apostle tels us Nay the Holy Ghost reproves such as doe leane on the Lord and yet transgresse Micah 3. 11. and besides the Text speakes of such who for their present condition feare God and are obedient to him which if they thus walkt in darknesse they could not be said to doe Neither secondly is it to be meant of walking in ignorance 2. Not in ignorance as Iohn 12. 36. it is taken For one that hath no light in that sense can never truely feare God Prov. 19. 2. nor obey him the heart that wanteth knowledge is not good sayes Salomon and so to walke in darknesse is accompanied with walking in vanity of mind Ephes 4. 18. But thirdly he meanes it of discomfiture and sorrow 3. But in sorow and discomfort As often we finde in Scripture darknesse to be taken as Eccles 5. 17. As on the contrary Light Eccles 11. 7. because it is so pleasant a thing to behold is put for comfort And that so it is taken here is evident by that which is opposed in the next verse walke ye in your light yet ye shall lye downe in sorow But fourthly of what kinde of sorow and for what Whether from outward afflictions or inward distresse of minde and conscience or to use Salomons distinction whether by reason of mans ordinary infirmities or of a wounded spirit that is yet in question And first it is not to be restrained to outward afflictions onely And that not of outward afflictions only which are called mans infirmities as being common to man which arise from the things of this world or from the men of the world though to walke in darknesse is so taken Esai 59. 9. and I will not exclude it here For in them also a mans best support is to trust in God and it is the safest way to interpret Scriptures in the largest sense which the words and coherence will beare But yet that cannot be the onely or principall meaning of it for besides what is further to be said to the contrary he addes withall and hath no light that is no comfort Now as Philosophers say non dantur purae tenebrae there is no pure darknesse without some mixture of light so wee may say there is not meere or utter darknesse caused by outward afflictions no outward affliction can so universally environ the minde as to shut up all the crannies of it so that a man should have no light And besides Gods people when they walke in the
him and shake over him the rod of his eternall wrath especially when hee hath provoked Christ by presumptuous sinnes already and to prevent his going on frowardly in the way of his heart And this both 1 by presenting to them and setting on all those threatnings which doe hypothetically and conditionally threaten even to beleevers eternall damnation such as that which wee finde Rom. 8. 13. If yee live after the flesh yee even you beleevers shall die for there is a truth in all such threatnings so conditionally propounded which reacheth Gods dearest children under a condition and with relation to going on in sinne to stoppe him and prevent him in which when he is a going on frowardly in the way of his heart the holy Spirit may bring home such threatnings to him with respect to such a course as he is entring into and accordingly stirre up the feare of that damnation thus threatned if he should goe on in those sinnes he hath begun to commit But to apply threatnings of eternall damnation simply to his person as that thou shalt dye eternally This the holy Ghost doth not speake to the heart of a beleever when he is a beleever And againe also 2 the holy Ghost may represent to him and minde him of all those examples of men in whom for their going on in sinne Heb. 10. ult his soule hath had no pleasure and of Gods dealings with them As how hee sware against many of the Israelites for their provocations of him that they should never enter into his rest and how he rejected Esau for the despisall of his birthright and all this with this end to startle and awaken him and with this intimation that for such and such sinnes God might in like maner deale with him For these and the like examples doth the Spirit of God set before the beleeving Hebrews Heb. chap. 3. and chap. 12. and the beleeving Corinthians 1 Cor. 10. from the 5. ver to the 13. to keep them in fearefulnesse to offend But to apply any such examples absolutely unto them so as to say thus God intends to doe with thee for such and such sinnes past and that God will never be mercifull This the holy Ghost doth not speake to a beleevers heart CHAP. IV. How Satan and our hearts increase this darknesse by false conclusions from the Spirits worke illustrated by the like in the illumination of Temporaries The Spirits work in both compared ANd now the Spirit of God having proceeded thus farre himselfe in causing such darknesse From which worke of the Spirit Satan and our hearts make false conclusions and terrors of conscience in them that feare him Sathan and their owne hearts unto which hee may and doth often further also leave them may take occasion from these dispensations of the holy Ghost which are all holy righteous and true to draw forth false and fearefull conclusions against themselves and their estates and start amazing doubts and feares of their utter want of Grace and lying under the curse and threatnings of eternall wrath at the present yea and further of eternall rejection for the future and that God will never be mercifull and so lay them lower and cast them into a further darknesse and bondage then the holy Ghost was cause of or intended Misinterpreting and perverting all these his righteous proceedings as interpreting that withdrawing his light and presence and hiding himselfe to be a casting them off Thus Heman Psal 88. 14. So likewise misconstruing that temporary wrath chastising and wounding their spirits for the present to bee no other then the impressions and earnest of Gods eternall vengeance and arguing from their being under wrath themselves to be children of wrath and misapplying the application of all those threatnings of eternall damnation made by the Spirit but in relation and under a condition of such and such courses for the future to bee absolute against their persons and to speake their present estate and because such examples of men cast off are presented to them to shew them what advantage God might take against them they mistaking thinke they reade their owne destiny laid before them in them and conclude that God will deale so with them And thus as the Apostle sayes of sinne Rom. 7. 11. That sinne taking occasion by the Commandement he misunderstanding the scope of it when a Pharisee it deceived him and thereby slew him and yet the Commandement is holy just and good ver 12. So Satan and our hearts by occasion of these dealings of the Spirit which are righteous and true as himselfe is who is the Spirit of truth and leades into truth doe deceive beleevers and lay them in their apprehensions among the staine whom God remembreth no more as Heman speakes Psal 88. 5. And as in these The like instanced in Temporaries so in other workes and dispensations of Gods Spirit it is ordinary for Satan and our hearts to practise the like delusions and false conclusions upon them To instance in those more common and inferiour workes of the Spirit on the hearts of men not as yet savingly regenerated The Spirit enlightning them together with impressions of joy and a tast of sweetnesse in the promises of the Gospell and of salvation revealed therein which under a condition of true repentance and conversion the Spirit of God doth make the offer and tender of Knowne unto their hearts Thus hee wrought upon the stony ground and in the Iewes by Iohns ministery Iohn 5. 35. which light and taste and revelation of this conditionall proffer tending in a way unto salvation by alluring their hearts to seeke it they often through Satans abuse of this good worke and the selfe-slattery of their owne hearts doe too hastily take to be that grace which accompanies salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on which hath salvation annexed to it from which the Apostle by that very expression Heb. 6. 9. doth difference those enlightnings ver 4. They thus mistaking these workes precursory to grace even as the Iewes mistooke Iohn that was but sent before to prepare the way for Christ to bee that very true Christ that was to come into the world and misunderstanding the entendment of Gods most blessed Spirit in such his dealings they make up too hasty a conclusion not meant by the Spirit in those promises And I instance in these the rather A comparison betweene the worke of illumination in them and of darknesse in these because these his dispensations of desertion which wee have in hand towards men already regenerated and those formentioned visitations towards such as often attaine not to regeneration are in an opposite way of comparison exceeding parallel and much alike in the dispensations themselves as well as in the differing false conclusions which are drawne from either and doe therefore exceedingly illustrate the one the other God withdrawing himself as much in their sense from those who are in covenant with him as hee drawes neere unto
there are such troubles and learne not to censure others when they are in this condition thou walkest in the light and thou seest another in the dungeon he may be dearer to God then thou It was Iobs friends fault who having not had experience of such a condition in themselves concluded he was an hypocrite if you thus judge then as Asaph sayes You condemne the generation of the Iust Psal 73. 13 14. And herein Satan also is gratified the strict wayes of grace scandalized If God use his children thus Curse God and die sayes Iobs wife and so the foolish men and women of the world Fourthly 4. To feare God the more passe your soiourning here in feare and serve him with feare 1 Pet. 1. 17. For even our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12. ult Keepe thy heart in awe with the knowledge of such an estate this kept Iob in awe and made him so strict a man al his dayes reade the thirty first Chapter throughout and you shall see what a righteous man he was and then see the reason of all ver 23. Destruction from the Lord was a terrour to me and to the same purpose also Chapter 4. ver ult he sayes that he had alwayes feared that which now had befallen him wherof the distresse of his Spirit was the greatest evill this he feared might befall him when he had most assurance Lastly 5. Be thankfull God hath spared thee be thankfull that God spares thee haply thy body is weake and he knowes thou art but flesh and so stirres not up all his wrath if he should fall on thee as on others it would destroy thee But consider that thou hadst a stone in thy heart as well as any other hath God cured it by gentle 〈◊〉 and so dissolved it and caried it away when as he hath cut others and bound them and put them to much paine in taking of it out Oh be thankfull You that are healthfull and have strong bodies are you not thankfull when you see others sick and 〈◊〉 bedrid roaring of the Stone Toothach Gout whereof you are free ought you not to be much more for the healthfulnesse of your spirits cheerefulnesse being the marrow of them when as others are sicke as the expression is Esay 33. ult for want of assurance that their sins are forgiven others 〈◊〉 all day as on a rack and are distracted almost out of their wits and even themselves are a burthen to themselves Oh be thankfull that it is not so with you USE 3. WHo is among you that fearth the Lord To those that have beene in darknesse and are now recovered out of it and hath been in darknesse but now is out of that eclipse and walkes in the light againe you who have beene in the dungeon and have beene set free againe who have had the wounds of your spirit healed your soules raised from the nether most hell when they drew nigh to the grave and have found a ransome Iob 33. learne you duty also First to be thankfull to God and Iesus Christ and to love the more To be thankfull to God and Christ for you know and have tasted what he did for you you know how bitter a few sippes of the cup was which he dranke off and took down and therefore must needs love him more You also have more experience of Gods power and faithfulnesse and what a miracle God hath wrought in raising you up againe He hath shewne you wonders among the dead as Heman speakes Bee thankfull Thus David in Psal 116. ver 3 4. compared with the first verse I love the Lord and why The sorrows of death compassed mee the paines of hell got hold upon mee I found trouble and sorow I was brought low and he helped me Secondly 2. To pitty others in that condition learne to pitty others in that condition Who can doe it better then you that have experience of the like If you heare of any soule in distresse it is expected of you to pray for him more then of another Heb. 2. ult Christ learnt to pitty us in all our infirmities the more by bearing out infirmities himselfe to that end God raised you up that you might be able to comfort others with the comforts you have received 2 Cor. 1. 4. and might pray for them Therefore Isay 57. 17. when any poore soule is smitten God as is there said is moved to restore him againe for his mourners sakes as well as his owne Thirdly 3. Declare what God hath done for you declare what God hath done for you you have beene in hell give warning to others from comming there 1 Cor. 5. 11. We knowing the terrour of the Lord perswade men If the rich man had come from hell what stories would he have told to have scared all his brethren tell you the like You have seene the wonders of God in the Deeps And give warning unto others now you are a shore tell men of the rocks and shelves and stormes they are like to meet with in such and such courses of uncleannesse worldlinesse c. David sayes when he should have once his bones that were broken healed againe Psal 51. that then he would teach sinners Gods wayes Fourthly 4. Take heed of such sinnes as may bring you into such a condition againe take heed of what may prove the 〈◊〉 of such a condition The devill may come and cast you into your old fits if he finde the same materials to work upon such as grosse sinnes acts of uncleannesse lying unjust dealing c. You know what brought David to his broken bones and likewise take heed of performing duties formally coldly and in hypocrisie and of resting in them which are but as a hollow tooth â—s Solomon speaken that is broken Prov. 25. 19. better out of the head then in these any cause the tooth ach againe Take heed of sinning against light if the devill found no such things in you he should not trouble you So also get 〈◊〉 straggling doubts answered 〈◊〉 them not lie neglected they may come in together one day and make an army though severall and apart as they now rise in your consciences scattered you can despise and neglect them USE 4. The fourth and maine use to such as feare God and walke in Darknesse THen 4. 〈…〉 fortlesse their spirits dead and hard doe call Gods love and their owne estates into question Especially if they were in the Sunshine afore but now sit in the valley of the shadow of death If dandled in Gods lap afore and kist now to bee lasht with terrours and his sharpest rods and on the tendrest place the conscience to have their songs in the night turned into writing bitter things against them how bitter is it to them Once they say they could never come to the throne of grace but their hearts were welcomed their heads stroakt and they went seldome away
When his bones were broken Psal 51. Cleanse me from my sin ver 2. for I acknowledge my transgressions ver 3. and when he had confessed ver 4 5 6. then hee cryes Make me to heare of joy and gladnesse ver 8. and restore unto me the joy of thy salvation ver 12. and what was the chiefe ingredient the maine and principall motive which wrought most kindly with him to confesse and mourne and brought up all Against thee thee onely he puts in twice as much of the consideration thereof as of any other ingredient to make his heart mourne that chiefly if not onely melted dissolved him And in these thy confessions let the same also mainely worke with thee Against thee thee have I sinned thus oft thus grievously thus presumptuously Against thee a God so great and yet withall so good so kinde so willing to receive and pardon if my heart say were but as willing to turne unto thee and when thy case is as Iobs was Iob 10. 15 16 17. That thou art full of confusion as he speaks there so full as thou thinkest thy heart could hold no more and yet it encreaseth as it is there he fills thee fuller yet then doe thou poure out thy complaints to him as he poures in confusion into thee and when he hunts thee as Iob there complaines like a fierce Lion fall thou downe and humble thy selfe like a poore and silly Lambe if thou dyest dye at his feete mourning bleeding out thy soule in teares and when he hunts thee up and downe and pursues thee with blow after blow follow thou hard after him where ever he goes Psal 63. 8. with complaint after complaint And when yet he leaves thee not but again and again returns as some reade it after some intermission and shewes himselfe terrible to thee day after day night after night yet doe thou look in like manner againe and againe towards his holy Temple Ionah 2. 4. as Ionah did And when he begins to bring in new sins new inditements against thee as it is in the 16. verse Thou renewest thy witnesses and when thou thoughtest he had done with thee hee fetcheth new rods forth and enters into new quarrells and reckonings long since past and forgotten as it is in the same verse Changes and warre are against me vicissitudes and armies of disquietments and when one army is overcome new appeare in the field Then fall thou down upon thy knees and say as Iob at last doth Iob 7. 20. I have sinned I have sinned what shall I doe unto thee what shall I do unto thee oh thou preserver and not the destroyer of men these and these abominations I have done and I cannot now undo them what shall I do to obtain thy favour Alas nothing that can satisfie him onely confesse thy sinne Lev. 26. 41. accept thy punishment Go and strip thy selfe therefore and with all submission present a naked back to him and though every stroke fetcheth not blood onely but well nigh thy soule away yet complaine thou not one whit of him put thy mouth in the dust Lam. 3. 29 30. Be still not a word but only such as whereby thou utterest thy complaints and doest acknowledge thine own deservednesse of ten thousands times more And say as Micah 7. 9. I will beare thine indignation patiently for I have sinned against thee beare witnesse still to every stroke that it is not onely just but also lesse then thou hast deserved Neh. 9. 13. and that it is his mercy thou art not consumed Lament 3. and cut off by every blow and the heavier hee layes on struggle thou not he will let thee downe the sooner the higher he life 's up his hand to strike the lower let thy soule fall downe 1 Pet. 5. 6. Humble your selves under his mighty hand And still kisse the rod when hee hath done Hosea 14. 2. And then take up words of pleading for thy selfe It is for thy life desiring him to remember what hee hath beene ever thinking of even from everlasting thoughts of peace and mercy to us-ward and the number of them cannot be told as David sayes Psal 40. 5. which he hath been ever thinking of and with the greatest of delights as one that was in his besome and was his councellor his Son tells us Prov. 8. 31. and plead thou as David and other Saints of God have done What are now become of all these thy thoughts of mercy Isay 63. 15. are they restrained what Psal 77. 9. are all now on the sudden forgotten laid aside which thou hast been thinking on so long hast thou forgotten thine olde and ancient delights aske him if he hath forgotten his owne Name to be gracious and abundant in kindnesse it is his Name Say did the very intent of shewing mercy so infinitely before-hand possesse thee with delights and now when thou shouldest come to put it in execution and hast so faire an opportunity of doing it to a soule as full of misery the object of mercy as ever hast thou now no heart no minde to it And withall Say that thou hast notice given thee of an infinite and alsufficient righteousnesse in his Son laid up in him and that by his own procurement whereof his Son never had nor can have any need himselfe being God blessed for ever and for whom was it then appointed but for the sons of men those who are weary wounded sick broken Heb. 9. 16. lost these his Son hath put into his Will who still lives to be his own Executor And say further also to him that it is come to thine cares that his Spirit is the Comforter a God of comforts and that his Son hath bought them all his whole shop and all his cordialls Isay 61. 1 2 3. and all his skill and is annointed with this Spirit on purpose to poure him forth into the hearts of those that are wounded and sick and broken and the whole they have no need of them If it bee said unto thee yea but thou art most unworthy Answer Hosea 14. 4. but he professeth to love freely If the greatnesse of thy sins bee objected against thee pleade thou again Psal 130. 7. that Plenteous redemption is with him and if thou hast not enough to pardon me say I am content to goe without If that thou art ungodly Say That thou beleevest on him that justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4. 15. If hee puts thee off as Christ a while did the woman of Canaan and sayes he hath no need of thee say that thou hast need of him and canst no longer live without him for In his favour is thy life and that without it thou art undone If he seemes to rebuke thee that how darest thou presse thus to him who is the high and lofty One a sinfull man to him whose Name is holy Say thou hast heard himselfe say Thus faith that high and lofty One