with it if the minde be puzled the heart is troubled if the Pilot be disconsolate how are the passengers afflicted what teares what palenesse what wringing what fainting may one see there what sighing crying howling screeching may one heare In such a troubled case is the heart when God hides himselfe and will not be found like Rachell weeping for her children and will not be comforted because they are not But when the soul seeth God then it is quiet the cryes of the heart are stilled her wound is healed her paine ceaseth and all is calme 2. Ioy Ioy. This is an higher degree of comfort peace is negative comfort joy is positive comfort that is a cessation or mitigation of trouble this is an higher contentment that is like the laying of the storme this like the breaking out of the Sun a woman in travell when paine ceaseth is at rest but when a child is borne she hath joy Iohn 16.21 A condemned man when he is pardoned is at peace his feares and sorrowes cease but if with his pardon he attaine preferment he rejoyceth There is a kinde of joy in peace and so joy is the fruit of peace and rest but still it is a farther contentment than meere peace sorrow is turned into joy Joh. 16.21 but first it is turned into peace Ioy is the noone-tide of comfort and peace is the morning peace is a returne to it selfe after that it had beene tossed and driven from its desired state joy is an ascent above it self peace is a rest within it selfe joy carrieth the heart higher it is a kinde of elation b GaudiuÌ„ a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ios Scalig in Conject which if it be strong is called exultation which is a kinde of valting and leaping of the mind yea a leaping out of it self c Exultatio est gaudium gestuosum ab ex salto Becmde orig lat ling. peace is contentment when the heart is bounded by its condition and is not effused and poured out of its owne channell as the river is when the chanell is too scant or not passable but joy is an enlargement of the heart d Laetus qu. Latus Vt moerore contrahimur sic gestimus gaudio Sen. Laetis diffunditur per universum corpus calor ac plus foris motus ejus essertur ut tristibus intro Galen l. 3. de causis pulsuum Apud Cornel. a lap in Proverb 17.22 Dilatatur affectus per delectationem quasi se tradens ad continendum interius rem delectantem Aquin. 1.2 q. 33. a. 1. It is called enlargement of heart Psal 119.32 the heart opens it self and is filled with the thing it loves 3. Triumph and glorying Triumph and that in two things which is joy elevated and it consisteth in two things 1 A victoriousnesse and magnanimous conquest of heart over all things Victoriousnesse of spirit when the heart is raysed to this pitch of comfort in God all the world is brought under a man and the greatest evills cannot daunt There is such a gradation as we speake of Rom. 5. We have peace towards God ver 1. we rejoyce in hope ver 2. and not onely so but we glory in tribulation also ver 3. 2 A boasting and holy vaunting of heart Boasting in God the word which is used by the Apostle for glorying importeth a jetting or strutting of the neck e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cervix it is often used by the Apostle for boastings as 2 Cor. 9.2 Rom. 2.17.23 Chap. 11.18 2 Cor. 10.8 c. A man boasts when he is full of that which he thinkes excellent and to adde worth and excellency to him when a man counts it not onely happinesse but honor to have such a God and is not onely not ashamed of him but in his account magnified by him when he is able to hold up his spirit against the proffers and terrours of the world and doth professe to heaven and earth amidst all blasphemies jealoufies threats sufferings glory which is in the world that God is good sufficient worthy of all love feare and trust I say when the heart comes with undauntednesse and full contentment sets God against all this is a holy boasting of God or in God like that of David I will blesse the Lord at all times his praise shall continually be in my mouth my soule shall make her boast in the Lord Psal 34.2 In God we boast all the day long and praise thy name for ever Psal 44.8 Psal 64.10 CHAP. XXXIV The causes and roote of comfort NOw from the nature of spirituall comfort let us descend to the cause and roote of it and that wee may not run too large a compasse we will confine our selves to the causes 1 Efficient First cause efficient God 2 Materiall The efficient cause is various but we will only pitch upon the principall working cause which is God who is called the God of all comfort 2 Cor. 1.3 f Patrem dicens non unius misericordiae tantum sed misericordiarum Deum non unius sed totius consolationis qui consolatur nos non modo in hac vel ill 1. sed in omâ—i tribulatione c. Bern. Serm. 5. de natal Dom. here briefly two things 1 That it is of God 2 How wrought by God 1 That comfort is of God this appeares thus 1 Suppose a man dead in trespasses and sinnes here is required the same power to give comfort which is to give life 2 Suppose one troubled in spirit vexed with feares here no lesse power can comfort then the power of God For comfort in this case is an act of supremacy as in a civill state none can take off chaines of imprisonment but he that put them on all creatures in heaven and earth cannot loose him whom God hath bound though all should speake well yet if God frowne chide smite condemne this prevailes because he is supreame nothing can comfort but to have what God onely can give as pardon of sinne deliverance from hell c. and to know what God onely can reveale as whether sinne bee pardoned God reconciled c. these things God onely knoweth and none can know them but those to whom hee reveales them and farther when God afflicts he doth it for an end till that be compassed the soul lieth in the deeps grief and feare is to bring in the heart to Christ therefore none but he can take it off who is set to be the Physitian to cure the sores and wounds of a broken spirit and there is in the soule when God shaketh it with his power a disposition so set towards him that nothing can satisfie the soule but his favour 3 Consider what comfort is it is a strength or satisfaction of spirit That then which comforteth must be proportionable to or exceeding that which may cause griefe or trouble now if a man bee
hearts to himselfe and the Saints doe not rest in these they doe not match with the handmaides the fruits of Gods love are sweet When for losse not onely as bitter but as a signe of Gods displeasure and because they are sweet therefore God is precious Christ is pretious to them that beleeve 1 Pet. 2.7 4. When your sorrow is not onely for the losse as it is your evill but also as it betokeneth displeasure in God a true friend is grieved when his friend leaves him and casts him off not onely for his owne great losse but for his friends anger he can as well be without his friend as without his love and is as loath his friend should be displeased as himselfe endammaged 5. When because by this losse you are disabled to serve him When your sorrow is that you have lesse strength to serve him grace hath a great recompence in it selfe but can you grieve that by bringing your selves into this state of deadnesse you have lived to little honour to your God When you can submit to all tearmes of reconcilement and are not now able to doe much for him this is ingenuous sorrow 6. When you can gladly submit to all conditions of reconcilement and of restauration though God require much or impose much yet you count all nothing in comparison of God can you say Lord command me chide rebuke smite doe what thou wilt ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquit Themistocles Eurybiadi plagasque minanti dum sanum in praelio cōsilium decerit Plut. though it be through a desart yea through a Sea of straits and troubles yet I am content to goe so I may arrive at last at my desired end if I may have thy good presence it shall be enough if thou wilt come to me if I may come to thee every way shall be sweet though I goe thorow thornes and bryars to the raking of my flesh and the effusion of my blood yet this shall be nothing to me if I may enjoy my God who is all in all to me When your sorrow is ingenuous then you will find God yea indeed he hath found much whose frozen heart begins to thawe and to dissolve it selfe in showres of teares for the return of God unto his deserted soule the Lord hath looked upon thee if with Peter thou weep bitterly t Tunc peccator visitatur a Domino quando compungitur ad lacrymas nam et Petrus tunc flevit quando in eum Christus respexit Bern. de mod bene viv ser 10. Secondly bewaile the cause this is part of that cure which the great Physitian of soules prescribed to Ephesus languishing in a like disease I have somewhat against thee Bewaile the cause of the losse because thou hast left thy first love remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent Apoc. 2.4 5. Quest Whether the substraction of the quickning influences of the spirit be alway for sinne Ans 1 Answ 1. Sometimes it is like he doth it not because his people have sinned but for higher ends as Peter was left to be strangely foyled with fears of suffering falling exceedingly beneath his former spirit and resolution yet not for any particular sin of his but as it is likely that he might see how unable he was of himselfe that so all the glory of his future heroick acts and sufferings might come not to himselfe but unto Christ and so Paul was buffetted that he might not be exalted God let loose Satan not to punish but to prevent his sin 2 Cor. 10. so the case stood with the blinde man John 9.3 Ans 2 2 There is also cause in us though God make it not a cause to himselfe and to his action therefore your way is to consider your wayes Ans 3 3 God usually doth it for sin and if you search the Scriptures they testifie that sin is the usuall spring of this evill Sin separates betwixt us Esay 59.2 he bath threatned If we forsake him he will forsake us 2 Chron. 15.3 Quest Quest How a man may finde out what sin is the cause Answ Answ First sometimes the cause 〈◊〉 visible and a man can scarce look besides it 1. When upon some particula◠grosse failing a damp hath fallen upon him in such a case God points at the sin and discovers the cause of his displeasure by this sudden punishment inflicted on him Scriptures afford man◠instances of discovering the sin by th◠time of the punishment 2 It may be there hath been an eminent neglect of those meanes by which life was upheld and grosse carelesnesse in omission or palpable remissenesse is duties vanity of minde sinfull affections and other evils connived at have so broken in that a man may plainly se◠the time when his fall began and whe◠his sun began to set Secondly Upon consideration 〈◊〉 though the cause be not transparent i◠may be discovered and for help in this I will propound foure rules 1 Pursue your losse and sad condition to the birth of it consider how long this night of darknesse hath been upon you look back to the dayes in which you were happy in a living communion with God if a man have lost a thing hee bethinkes himselfe when he had it and where and so as much as may be pursueth his losse to the very time and place It may be when you come to this you will have much light to finde out how you lost your treasure God goeth not away upon small offences you will by searching finde the gap that let in these floods 2 Consider what things have beene most pressed by God from time to time upon you for though the whole law and all righteousnesse be enjoyned to all yet there are some things more especially pressed so Iosuah was much pressed to courage so much as if it had been his only taske Be strong and of a good courage only be thou strong and very couragiou◠Josh 1.6 7 9. The Israelites were mightily among other things called on to take heed of forgetting God and what he had done when they should possesse the land of promise Deut. 4.9 Only take heed to thy selfe and keep thy soule diligently least tho◠forget c. Chap. 8.2 5 10 11 14 18. And after their returne from Babylon some things especially were againe urged as not to mixe themselves with the heathen which things Ezra Neh laboured much in and to build the temple which the Prophet Haggai againe and againe enforceth c. So every Christian according to his station temper measure of gifts and graces relation age course c. is put upon some things in a speciall manner heare what the spirit saith the voice cals upon you it may be for more humiliation or more meditation or more thankfulnesse prayer reading zeale mortification of particular lusts now if you have been deafe to these cals it is like here grew the difference betwixt God and you for here is great
neither destroy thee c. Deut. 4.29 30 31. Take then the counsell of the Prophet which he gave to Israel when God was departed from them Oh Israel return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously so will we render the calves of our lips Hos 14.1 2. That you may finde the like favour and God may do for you as hee promised to them I will heale their back slidings I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his roots as Lebanon his branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the Olive tree and his smell as Lebanon c. ver 5 6. When Ephraim repented and mourned God pittied him I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke turne thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God c. Is Ephraim my deare Son is he a pleasant childe for since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Jer. 31.18 19 20. You see then what encouragement you have to seek in this way for peace with God and for the quicknings of his Spirit which you have lost sin armes God against you but he cannot hold back mercy from the humble his promise hath given repentance a power to prevaile with him and he will not contend with the broken hearted hee hath a speciall eye upon mourners and will not hide himselfe from the cry of the afflicted a contrite heart is a sacrifice which he will accept Psal 51. He is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit Psal 34.18 The father z Quit ille nobis intelligen lus pater Deus scilicet Tam pater nemo tam pius nemo Is ergo te filium suum etsi acceptīe ab eo prodegeris etsi nudus redieris recipiet quia redisti Tertul de poenitent Patris cibus est salus nostra Beda Ambr. in Luc. 15. of the Prodigall made hast to receive and welcome his straying son and rejoyced that hee that was lost was found again and that he that was dead was alive againe Luke 15. this is the way walk in it if God should deny such he should deny himselfe because he hath said though he hath been Sorely displeased turne you unto me and I will turn to you Zach. 1.2 3. Till you repent your sin is continued and conse quently Gods displeasure Therefore consider seriously of your case for want of serious thoughts doth great hurt so that though the heart bee affected yet not enough it seeth often that all is not well and knoweth the cause yet because these things lye not upon the spirit by ponderous thoughts a man beares his misery happily complaining but not wisely and strongly endeavouring to remove it And the heart is not soone brought downe you must hold up the objects of spirituall griefe by consideration that they may be able to beare downe the heart therefore be much in pondering these two things 1 The sad effects of the losse of God see what blindnesse barrennesse weaknesse depravednesse vanity feares accusations of heart what cryes and clamours in your soules and now what if afflictions come how will you be able to live in such a time other then a dying and a feareful life what if death come either a black cloud of darknesse will over-spread you or a storme of affrightments and terrors will torment you and now remember your sinne hath brought all this upon you 2 The sinfulnesse of the cause why did you neglect and despise your God if you had not set him shamefully at a low rate you would not have turned your back upon him what Could not the infinite Majestie and mercy of the Father the incomprehensible love of the Son the unutterable comforts of the holy Ghost prevaile with you Do you see what you have done have you not said to the Father I neither fear thy Majesty nor desire thy mercy and to the Son I care not for all thy love nor yet for thee that dyedst for me and to the holy Ghost I regard not all thy saving counsels living influences and high refreshments doe you not heare these pleading with you each for himselfe and each for all they are one and what you have done in this you have done against each and against all weigh well then what your carelesnesse and disobedience amounts to that you may meet him with an humbled spirit drenched in teares and clothed with shame put case now that God should requite you in your kinde and that his heart should not be towards you then you might bid peace yea life yea hope adieu for ever Consider further how God did follow you and entreated you not to goe from him did he not tell you he could not beare contempts and that you would repent it at last and will see that what you have done against him you have done against your selves did he not kindly use you and were you not alwayes welcome to him Oh my people what have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me Mich. 6.3 and when you were going did he not cry after thee Returne thou back sliding Israel and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am mercifull and I will not keep anger for ever Jer. 3.12 Yet you would not Consider now how long you have lived without him and how often God hath called upon you to consider your waies if you will let your thoughts out you will finde abundant cause of griefe and when you seek him with repētance you will finde him in mercy drawing neare and he will forget your unkindnesse and you shall heare no more of them doubtlesse your sinnes this way are very great so that sometimes God hath been put as it were to a stand what course to take when God had promised mercy to his revolting people he addes But I said how shall I put thee among the children and give thee a pleasant land and I said thou shalt call me my father and shalt not turne away from me Jer. 3.19 When the Church had been disloyall she at last fell to this course of repentance and see the issue A voice was heard upon the high places weeping and supplications of the children of Israel for they have perverted their wayes and they have forgotten the Lord their God returne ye backsliding children and I will heale your backslidings ver 21. and oh that you also would tread in their steps and say We come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God ver 22. CHAP. XXIX Two other
measure himselfe to day and a week hence measure againe his growth though it be reall will be imperceptible when you compare your selves with your selves if you finde no growth then look upon your selves at a greater distance if you cannot discerne growth by comparing your selves with your selves the last yeare then see what you were two yeares or three yeares or seaven yeares past and now tell mee if you find not your selves better if no◠sensibly increased in the bulke yet a least in maturity and spiritualnesse of your graces 4 Growth is not alway equall Growth not alwayes equall as in nature a childe shootes up sometimes more in one yeare then afterward in two or three yeares so grace groweth not so fast some times as at other times◠as in nature diseases wounds obstructions ill dyet c. may keep downe so the soule by distempers fals ill dyet c. may bee hindred in her spirituall growth But a man must take heed of concluding in such Cases that God hath deserted him For as I have said before it is not every fit of unproficiency which argueth a man in such a state Yea all things considered it may be though the growth in times past doe exceed the present growth yet a man considering the abatement of meanes of growth with other strong impediments of growth a man may have as full a presence of God with him though he for a time grow not as he did Be not therefore hasty in passing sentence For as many through slacknesse and slownesse to judgement of themselves are declined but know it not so many by hastinesse in judgement conclude they are deserted when they are not CHAP. XXXIII The second sort of spirituall desertions losse of comfort NOw I come to the other head of spirituall desertions the eclipsing of the comfort of the soule this is oftentimes the sad case of the Saints the sons of peace and consolation are often men of sorrows cast from a Paradise of comfort into a wildernesse of discomfort wandring in a maze of perplexed thoughts heavy cares afflicting feares bitter sorrows and vexed with roarings and yellings of devouring beasts yea rent and wounded and almost becoming a prey unto them Before I come to treate of this mournfull state First the nature of comfort in which the sweete streames of comfort faile leaving the soule as a parched heath I must premise some considerations about the comfort of the soule 1 The nature of it 2 The cause of it 3 The desectibility of it First of the nature of it It is a chearelinesse of soule It is a chearelinesse or satisfaction of the soule the name sheweth the thing Comfort is from a word a Consortari which importeth strength and what is comfort but strengthening of the heart and it is expressed by strengthening in the Scriptures Psal 27.14 Psal 52.7 Psal 104.15 1 Sam. 23.16 Iob 4.4 Esay 35.3 and discomfort is the enfeebling of weakning of the soule so that it cannot walk in its way but fals and faints But comfort keepes her upon the wing and maintaines yea increaseth her strength it is the life of the soule So when Naomi would expresse that Boaz should be a comfort to Ruth she saith He shall be the restorer of thy life Ruth 4.15 For take away the contentment of the heart and it dyeth the damned live in hell yet because it is a life without comfort they are said to dye and their estate is reckoned a state of death They are dead while they live hence David calleth it quickning Psal 119.50 Thy Word hath quickned me and ver 93. restoring of comfort to mourners is called reviving I dwell with c. to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Esay 57.15 So it is said of Iacob when he heard of his Son and saw the wagons which he had sent The Spirit of Jacob their father revived Gen. 45.27 Those words of Ezra are not unlike Grace hath been shewed c. that our God may lighten our eyes and give us a little reviving in our bondage Ezra 8.8 9. Comfort in a word Of A strength of soule is that strength and life which the object contributeth to the heart there is then a difference of comfort according to the difference of objects Every good thing which a man hath either in expectatiō or possession yeelds a comfort proportionable to its worth and a mans propriety in it all good things in the world are as the fence of the soule or her fort against invasions of feare care trouble misery so that as he that hath the best guard strong and able souldiers is strongest and safest so the heart is so much strengthened as it hath of good Then the best things yeeld the best comfort as the freest fountaine yeelds the fullest streames But for as much as not only the property of the object but the propriety also is the measure of comfort therefore according to the degrees of enjoyment of God so are the degrees of comfort those in heaven being fully possessed of God have a fulnesse of comfort In thy presence is fulnesse of joy Psal 16.11 But the Saints in the world have but an imperfect comfort 1 Not stable sometimes it is gone and a day of gladnesse is turned into a night of heavinesse so that they complaine as the Church The joy of our heart is ceased our daunce is turned into mourning Lament 5.15 2 Not full it is mixed with various feares and sorrows which like waters of Marah flow into the soule For though the object of comfort be sufficient yet the assurance and enjoyment of it is deficient so that as the soule is comforted because it hath God in a measure so it is troubled because it wants still not being so sure and full of him as it desires There are three degrees of spirituall comfort Three degrees of comfort 1 Peace 1. Peace when a man agreeth with himselfe and is freed from that war and combustion which was within him by incursion of feares and terrors of soul This is a rest in the soule a rest I say but not from motion but from commmotion and tumult an uncomfortable state is a tumultuous state My bowels boyled and rested not Job 30.27 hee was like the Sea moving and working it is a tempestuous condition Oh thou afflicted tossed with tempests and not comforted Esay 54.11 Comfort is the laying of the storme the hushing of the winds the stilling of the raging Sea When a man hath comfort in God he hath a twofold rest 1 Mentall While God is hid the minde is agitated and rolls to and fro to seek him hunting and beating it self out in running after him but when it seeth him then it is quieted and saith as David Returne to thy rest oh my soul c. Psal 42.7 2 Cordiall The heart sits in heavinesse till it recover what it hath lost unquietnesse abides
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
of sin pag. 114 When God departs sinne increaseth two reasons pag. 115 Two considerations about the renewed power of sin pag. 118 Two cautions in concluding Desertions by the renewing of sin pag. 122 Q. How it may bee knowne when sinne is growne stronger A. By the Roote which is 1. The Affection pag. 123 Foure degrees of love to sin pag. 124 2. The mind and that gives strength to sin 1. By good opinion of it pag. 126 2. By working unto sinne which it doth three waies pag. 127 2. By the Branches the spreading of sin appeares in three particulars pag. 128 3. By the fruits of sinne Inclination pag. 129. Action pag. 129. In the acting of sin the power of it appeares in foure particulars pag. 131 4. By the soile that feeds sin pag. 134 CHAP. 13. 3. The third Rule to judge of Desertions is the consideration of the meanes of Grace pag. 135 Two considerations propounded for the Discovery of this pag. 136 Thus of the Symptomes of Desertion CHAP. 14. 3. The causes of Desertion Instruction pag. 141. Correction pag. 141. 1. Desertions are instructions and teach the knowledge 1. Of our natures ibid. 1. Our sinfulnesse pag. 142 2. Our weakenesse pag. 145 2. Of our graces pag. 145 1. In the freeness of grace pag. 146 2. The necessity of grace ibid. CHAP. 15. 2. Desertions are corrections pag. 149 1. Of Pride ibid. 2. Of Carelesnesse pag. 151 1. In not accepting the seasons of grace ibid. 2. In neglect of the meanes of grace shewed in two particulars pag. 153 3. In neglect of duties of godlinesse Three failings in duties pag. 156 4. In neglect of watchfulnesse pag. 159 CHAP. 16. 3. Grieving the Spirit pag. 161 How the Spirit is said to be grieved pag. 162 Two things by which the Spirit is grieved Dishonour pag. 163. Disobedience pag. 163. 1. The Spirit is grieved by Dishonour 1. Directly in five things pag. 164 2. Indirectly when wee doe such things as occasion it pag. 167 CHAP. 17. 2. The Spirit is grieved by Disobedience and resistance of the Spirit pag. 167 The Spirit may be resisted in others two waies pag. 168 The Spirit may be resisted by our selves pag. 169 1. When wee hang off from that good to which we are strongly moved pag. 170 The sinfulnesse of this in foure things pag. 172 2. By sinning against light 1. By willing evill pag. 172 Q. Whether it bee worse to will evill than to doe it pag. 172 2. By doing evill especially in 7. cases pag. 176 3. By voluntary impenitency pag. 182 Three Reasons of it ibid. CHAP. 18. 4. The Cure of Desertion where are Rules prescribed 1. Preservative for all 1. By way of perswasion that men would labour to maintaine a constant communion with God ibid. Sixe considerations to perswade us 1. Wee may lose much of God ibid. 2. Wee may lose that quickly which will hardly be recovered pag. 185 3. The losse will be grievous pag. 186 4. It is possible to be kept ibid. Two objections answered pag. 187 5. It is an excellent thing to enjoy God pag. 189 6. It is necessary to have the assisting presence of God pag. 197 1. Wee alwaies stand in need of divine presence shewed in many things pag. 197 2. Especially at some times as in seven cases pag. 198 CHAP. 19. 2. By way of Direction how to retaine the happinesse of Divine Assistance pag. 204 1. When you have it acknowledge it 1. With thankfulnesse ibid. 2. With faithfulnesse pag. 206 2. Vse it else we grieve the Spirit pag. 209 The Spirit is grieved 1. By omitting of a knowne duty 1. The sinfulness of this aggravated pag. 210 2. The foolishness of it shewed in foure things pag. 214 2. By remisnesse in good pag. 217 The difference betweene our deficiency in doing good from the insufficiency of strength or malignity of heart in two things pag. 217 Sinfull defect is 1. By doing lesse for quality pag. 218 2. Lesse for quantity than we should pag. 219 CHAP. 20. 1. Q. How may a man know when his deficiency is imputed as sin to him answered in sixe things pag. 221 2. Q. How may a man know that he doth his duty when the heart is still pressed to more than is done Answered 1. By way of Caution 1. Be liberall pag. 224 2. Be rationall pag. 225 Two things vene the soule with a kind of spirituall oppression 1. An erroneous conscience pag. 226 2. Sathan two reasons of it pag. 228 Q. How a man may know when hee is pressed to good that it is by Sathan Answered in three things pag. 230 2. By way of proposition 1. Pro There are bounds of duties of godliness pag. 233 The bounds of action are 1. Of extrusion shewed in three rules pag. 234 A threefold molestation by doing lesse than God calls for pag. 235 2. Of limitations pag. 238 Q. Whether a man may doe too much pag. 238 Three considerations about the limits of Duties pag. 240 2. Pro There is a prudence directing as well in measure as in matter and manner pag. 245 3. Pro It is safer to exceed than to come short pag. 246 4. Pro A man must not make his owne disposition a rule alwaies pag. 247 Three further considerations to cleare the question pag. 250 CHAP. 21. 3. Direct Beg assisting grace pag. 254 In prayer for helpe three things considerable 1. The Rise which must be 1. A strong desire of walking with God ibid. 2. Necessity pag. 256 2. The carriage of our Prayer pag. 258 3. The end of our Desire pag. 261 CHAP. 22. 4. Direct Keepe Gods favour and crosse not his will pag. 263 Two Rules for this 1. Keepe up love pag. 265 The efficacy of love shewed in five things pag. 267 2. Hold fast this truth that that is best which God wils pag. 272 Meanes to hold fast this truth expressed in many particulars pag. 273 CHAP. 23. 5. Direct Keepe in Gods way pag. 279 Two things to be carefully observed ibid. 1. Q. How a man may know that hee is called to any worke three answers to it pag. 280 2. Q. Whether evill men have that flush of Spirit which they have in duty of God or no Answered in many particulars pag. 283 CHAP. 24. 6. Direct Be doing and wisely and diligently use the meanes of grace pag. 289 The faults of men in the use of the meanes 1. Prophaneness pag. 290 2. Confidence misplaced pag. 291 3. Not comming to them for this end pag. 292 4. Not using them in faith pag. 293 5. Not drawing out the efficacy of them pag. 294 Inducements to seeke God in this way 1. It is Gods way pag. 294 2. His promise is with us ibid. 3. God hath been found pag. 296 4. It is Gods glory to meet his people pag. 297 5. Consider with whom we have to doe ibid. CAAP. 25. 2. Counsels to such as are Deserted pag. 299 1. Consider if it be not so pag. 300 2. Make haste
produceth better health and more strength and as the ball by falling downeward riseth upward and water in pipes descends to ascend So the new man when it seemes to decay is still carryed on by the hidden Methods of God to encrease the plants are as wel profited by the nipping blasts of winter which cause not onely the fruits but the leaves also to fall as by the warm beames of the Sun in Summer a Christian is a member of a thriving body in which there is no Atrophie but a continuall issuing of spirits from the head Eph. 4.16 Col. 2.19 every part is supplyed by the effectuall working of the Spirit of Christ so that the influence that tends to life and growth is necessary and certaine But there is another influence of the spirit which I call Arbitrary But the arbitrary influence which is which is given and with-held according to the pleasure of God This is assisting grace Assisting grace or Gods gratious concourse with that habituall grace which hee hath wrought in his people I call it arbitrary because though all grace depend upon and flow from his good pleasure yet in this God is free hee hath more absolutely promised to conserve and encrease holinesse than to quicken actuate and excite that principle of life this he doth with great variations according to his good pleasure being more mightily present by the working and actuall aide of his Spirit to some than to others yea more to the same man at some times and in some conditions than in others sometimes the same Christian is as a burning and shining light sometimes as smoaking flax the Spirit bloweth where it listeth Iohn 3. sometimes he fills the soule with fuller gales sometimes again she is becalmed a man hath more at one time than at another This assisting grace is to actuate This assisting grace is to regulate This assisting grace is to corroborate Actuating assistance h Cum nulluÌ„ agens secunduÌ„ agat nisi in virtute primi sitque caro spiritui perpetuo rebellis nonpotest homo licet jam gratiam consequutus per seipsuÌ„â—perari bonuÌ„ et vitare peocatuÌ„ absque novo auxilio Dei ipsum moventis dirigentis et protegentis quamvis alia habitualis gratia ad hoc ei necessaria non est Vid. Aqui. sum 1. 2 ae q. 109. d.g. Cumel varias disput t. 3. disput 2. conclus 1. dub 1. conclus 2. optime Parisiens c. 1. de tent resistent Alvarez de auxil grat disp 88. num 6 7. c. 1. By exciting is that by which God carrieth his people Which is 1 to actuate to action and fruitfulnesse causing that inward seede which he hath sown to bud and beare This God worketh first by exciting and blowing up that latent sparke of grace in the heart Grace is an active thing yet needs to be excited because of the indisposednesse of the subject in which it is as fire though it be apt to burne and is very active yet when it is in wet wood it needs blowing up because it meeteth with strong opposition in the subject wetnesse of the wood which gives checke unto the active spirit of the fire and besides this contrariety in us in whom the flesh lusteth against the spirit so that without assistance we cannot do the Good that we would Gal. 5.17 there is an externall impediment Sathan assaulting with all possible quench-coales that he may cast a damp upon the soule Therefore we need to bee quickned by a continuall influence i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Odys 3. and this God is pleased to give to his servants Ieremie found this working of the spirit to quicken and stir up his graces which began to flagge impatience and passion began to stifle his zeale and readinesse in his ministery but God came in to help him and blowed up the sparke so that saith he It was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay Jer. 20.9 When this is denyed there is much deadnesse and dulnesse and slumber in the soule that a man shall see it is not with him as in former dayes when the Lord was more graciously present and assistant to him 2. By enabling to act It is not enough that God hath given habituall grace By enabling or that we be excited and come to the bud and blossome of holy desires holy dispositions and holy resolutions but we need still the help of his power that these blossomes faile not but that we may bring forth the fruit of action as in a tree there is a seminall vertue of bearing yet except it be helped by the influence of the heavens it cannot bring forth fruit It is God that giveth not onely to will but to doe Phil. 2.13 There is a power of God which worketh in those that beleeve Eph. 1.19 Col. 1.18 and according to the working of this power is a Christians fruitfulnesse when God is pleased to put forth his hand to take hold of him to draw him and enable him hee runnes with joy and speed in the wayes of God his affections are enflamed his heart is prepared and he is apt to doe good and receive good and walkes with delight with God but when God shuts in his wonted mercy then hee walkes heavisy and now his soule is full of complaints I would but cannot there are desires and good inclinations but they come not to perfection the soule conceiveth and travelleth with purposes and saith I will looke to my wayes that I offend not I will pray more and mourne more and doe more but it wants strength to bring forth therefore the godly cry for help which they need not if they had a sufficiency in themselves i Quid stultius quam orare ut facias quod in potestate habeas Aug. de nat grat c. 18. 2. Assistance is to regulate and order a man in doing good This is necessary for often there is much readinesse and life and aptnesse to doe good but yet much failing in the manner of it the same spirit therefore that directs to what wee should doe To regulate and direct in working teacheth how to doe it How often are the godly in that case that they would faine humble their soules and afflict them themselves yet know not how to doe it How often bent to other duties yet know not how to doe them in a spirituall manner k Remanet quaedam ignorantiae obscuritas in intellectu secunduÌ„ quaÌ„ ut etiaÌ„ dicitur Rom. 8. Quid oremus sicut oportet nescimus propter varios enim rerum eventus quia no sipsos non perfectè cognoscimê° non possumê° ad plenum scire quid nobis expediat ideo necesse est ut à Deo dirigamur protegamur qui omnia novit et omnia potest Aqui. sum 1.2 ae q. 109. a. 9. What the Apostle saith of one duty is
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
not sinfull where the affection and desire to duties is not quenched but held up in strength But when men do voluntarily lay downe their strength of holy endeavours in the wayes of God and move more slowly and negligently either much omitting or slightly performing the duties of godlinesse it is a signe that it is not with them as it hath beene Apoc. 2.4 5. 2. It is an abatement especially of such acts of grace as are internall and most proper to a godly man Especially in internal and most vitall actions as mourning for sinne rejoycing in God selfe judging heavenly improvement of the promises and providence of God desire of Christs appearing c. There may possibly be an holding up of duties externall as hearing prayer c. but if these inward actions and motions of the new man cease it is a certaine argument that a man is upon the losing hand Externall duties may be upheld by the power of conscience and other causes but those inward acts cannot spring but from an inward root Here Grace inherens is the womb and grace assistant is the mid wife the one gives disposition the other action so that when a man is lesse in these he hath lesse of God 3. In the abatement of externall acts In personall and secret duties there will be lesse done in personall and secret duties than in more publick duties which are with and before others pride and other civill respects may enkindle a false fire in a frozen heart the breath of applause may fill the sails move the ship which otherwise would lie still or move another way A Pharisaicall spirit will be much quickned with praise and glory and a servile spirit will be much provoked by feares men are content to doe more then they would sometimes through hope of the favour of men sometimes through feare of disfavour But such are moved not by the spirit that is from above but by the spirit that is in the world therefore judge your selves by secret acts follow your selves into your closets and retiring places and observe your diligence endevour and spirit in your hidden wayes and secret duties for what you are in them that you are indeed as then you may best take your height when you remove all advantages for if you stand upon any thing you will seeme higher then you are so you may best see the temper of your spirits when all externall enforcements are absent when you are your selves without the ingrediencies of respects to men to intermingle with your spirits As there will be lesse done in a time of desertion and an abatement of fruitfulnesse so you may discerne an indisposednesse By indisposednes and unmeetnesse to duties 1 Lesse willingnesse you may doe good Lesse willingnesse but it is rather as a taske r Nil nisi jussus agit Ovid. than a delight and you are not carried to it so much out of liking and contentment as by a compulsory judgement which layeth a necessity on you that you doe it as a debt and due which the law exacts upon paine of imprisonment but not as a free-will offering and Eucharisticall sacrifice When the heart is filled with God its delight is with him and he yeelds obedience in love and counts his worke wages an evill heart is hardly drawne to good it quarrels with the rule and is loath to be bound David when he was in distemper and left in the rage of his corruption was not willing to be limited by the law of God but when he was himselfe then he loved it Psal 119.129 Gold and silver was not so precious he chose it v. 137. he took it as his portion vers 57. I said oh Lord this is my portion I will keep thy words Å¿ Calvin in loc When a man enjoyeth God his walking with God is his life he is much affected with converse with him partly through love and sutablenesse to God in respect of which he is the Centre to which he tends and in which he rests partly through respect to the recompence which he hath in hope and partly for the sense of sweetnesse which he hath in his converse God meeting his servants with satisfying comforts sweet embracements and blessed coruscations and beames of mercy and loving kindnesse so that they say in their hearts with David It is good for me to draw near to God Psal 37.28 Yea love mightily commandeth and enclineth the hearts to duties but when a man is in greater distance from God then the pleasant wayes of holinesse which were to the soule as a delightfull Paradife are become as the way of a desart a way of thornes and briars a wearisome and unpleasant path 2 That zeale fervencie which you had will be much weakned Lesse zeal and fervency when God is with a man by powerfull and plentifull supplies of the spirit he musters up all the powers of his soule and cals in all his abilities to wait on God and to doe him service So David Praise the Lord O my soule and all that is within me blesse his holy name Psal 103.1 Observe with what contention and strength you were wont to doe what you did for if now you put lesse to it and goe on in a way of spirituall lazinesse and sloth it 's sure there is a diminution of heavenly influence this seemeth to be the case of the Church in the greatest part of it which caused the Prophet to complaine There is none that calleth upon thy name or stirreth up himselfe to take hold of thee Esay 64.7 CHAP. VII When a man is deserted his light is darkned THe second change which you may discerne in your selves The second change in one deserted is in his light is in your light and sight the eye of the soule that gate of spirituall life and death suffers and this being weakned a man is like Sampson when his eyes were put out t Plerumque oculus contemplationis amittitur post per carnis desideria hujus mundi laboribus animus subjugatur Testatur Sampson c. Greg. l. 7. mor. c. 13. apud Alvar. de auxil grat disput 46. num 2. brought into great misery bondage A four fold evill when God hides himselfe 1 Obscurity 2 Inefficacie 3 Vacuity 4 Incredulity 1 Obscurity Obscurity God shines not into the soule with such abundant light as before u Illuminatio intermittitur intenditur remittitur quis qui spiritum Christi sensit negarit aliquando contingere ut in majori aliquando in minori luce versetur Camer amic collat p. 55. but withdrawes himselfe from the intellectuall part and this causeth a withering and dying in the whole man for as our light is so is our life Psal 119.144 Here is the root of the maine difference betwixt Christians true and false strong and weake one seeth things as another seeth not A wicked man that is learned though he seeme to have light
lesse of God as when the Sun is clouded all things are proportionably clouded and obscured Againe if God actuate not and stir not up the minde to enquire after him and to behold him it will be but as the eye of the body in the time of sleepe which seeth nothing till it be awakened And lastly except God fasten and fix the minde upon himselfe and other spirituall objects it will be wandering and he that goeth from the Sunne goeth into darknesse This is the first of those evils forenamed which befals the minde in a time of desertion it is darkned though it have light still yet not so much though it see as much as it did extensively yet not intensively as a weake eye may see as many things as a better eye yet it seeth not so fully and clearely you may know all things that you have knowne but yet not iâ— that cleare and spirituall manner yet note that habituall light is not impaired but those beames of light which God is wont to cast into the soule are lessened And when it is thus with you that you have declined in your acquaintance with God and in your apprehension of the sinfulnesse of sinne the beauty of holinesse the excellency of Christ the preciousnesse of the covenant you have cause to sit downe and weepe for you have not so much of God in you as you have had CHAP. VIII The light and notions of a deserted man have not their former efficacie to affect impell repell and humble the heart THe second evill that befals the minde is inefficacie The second evill that befals the minde is inefficacie Prov. 10.27 vide Drus qu. Hebr. l. r. q. 11. The understanding by its light should be as the compasse in the ship to guide and order men and as the sailes and wings to set all in Motion and as the anchor to hold up in all stresses but when God leaves a man to himselfe how weake is this light and unable to discharge its office it hath not those effectuall operations that it had upon the soule 1 A man is not so affected with the things that he knoweth Not affecting as in former dayes time was when the apprehension of Gods love did worke mightily melting to repentance quickning to obedience encouraging to confidence filling the heart with gladnesse and glorying and the mouth with praises and songs of rejoycing but now the thoughts of divine love doe not so raise the heart So time was when the sight of sinne was a wound to the soule casting shame into the face and causing griefe in the heart but now you can behold your sinnes and cannot say as in the dayes of old Mine eye hath wounded my heart Lament 3.51 This weaknesse and inefficacie of knowledge is a signe you are in an ill case 2 A man is not so impelled to duty where God is present with much assistance Not impelling to good and abundant influences of his spirit there he rules and holds his subjects in a strict obedience the scepter by which he ruleth is the Word but not the word as it is written with Inke and lieth in the letter but as it is engraven in the heart and as it is in the throne seated in the understanding yea and as it is swayed by that invisible hand which worheth mightily in those that beleeve Ephes 1.19 When God holds backe the working of this power spirituall truths lie bound hand and foot and put not forth themselves in their former regall power which they did exercise as Gods Vicegerents and Vicerours to command and governe but the heart enjoyes a wofull liberty and tolleration in a barren and unfruitfull conversation the Majesty and mercy of the great and gracious God doth not constraine b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significantius forsan constrictos tenet nos ut luc 19.43 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hen. Steph as it doth in those who enjoy God 2 Gor. 5.14 But as if the heart had none to feare and nothing to hope for or none to judge it it is dull carelesse and heedlesse in former dayes the minde which is Gods statute booke and the monitor in a man was often suggesting counsels and perswasions crying as that voice Esay 30.21 This is the way walke in it when ye turne to the right hand and to the left that is in all your wayes but now it is silent and become like those idoll shepherds that had eyes and saw not and tongues but spake not it was as a law having an obligatory and binding power Rom. 7.23 so that there was no peace but in holy walking but now that light is become weake and the whole man is out of order 3 A man is not so restrained as he was Not restraining from evill this is one office of an enlightned minde to be as a bridle to corruptions and a checke to impetuous lusts there is a great power in the naturall mans conscience when God awakens it and sets it on to limit the boundlesse spirits of men unregenerate as we see in â—â— laam who though he had a good mind to pleasure Balack in hope of profit yet durst not the light within him durbed him and held him so strongly back that a house full of silver and gold could not draw him but when God for the hardnesse of mens hearts ceaseth to quicken this light it becomes weake and men are let loose to all evill as those Rom. 1.26 because they imprisoned the truth which would have ruled in them therefore God gave them up to a reprobate minde c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. mentem sine judicio Beza at hoc minus malum est saepe naturale mens ergo reproba est judicium perversum distortum pravum quo insanda juditabant licita Cor. a Lapid Est Paraeus c. Vid. Camer defens finem versus So in the godly there is a renewed conscience an understanding enlightned with saving light which while God by continuall pulsations and motions keeps waking becomes a strong banke to preserve the soule from the overflowing rage of sinne but when God ceaseth to worke in it then the heart is left like a ship in a storme when her cables breake or faile David in his grievous foile which he suffered knew that adultery was a sinne yet God not adding his influence to this light it became too weake to raise up resolutions sufficient and to chaine up that monster in his soule 2 Sam. 11. And Asah had light enough to convince him what a sinne it was to rob Gods treasury to make a present to send to the King of Syria that he might curry favour with him yet he adventures upon this sacriledge his knowledge could not hold his hands from doing evill no not from imprisoning the prophet who did his duty 2 Chron. 16. so that if you be lesse restrained by your knowledge it is a signe that the power of God is not so much put forth
slight in the use of ordinances in which you were wont to finde the Lord doubtlesse you have fallen from your first love with that back-sliding Ephesus Apoc. 2.4 and it is time to consider whence you are fallen and to repent lest God come against you with terrours to awake you 2 God lesse intended in all endeavours when God is the end of a man in hearing God lesse intended praying c. it is a signe that he desires him in truth and the more he is intended the more he is desired God may be the object of his action that loves him not but he is the end onely of such as love him Observe this a man may doe as much as he hath done yet there may be a decay of his desire appearing in this that God is not his end Quest When God is our end may be known by How may I know when God is my end Ans The end may be considered in respect of its place power The place of the end is in the intention and affection here it sits as in her throne Considering the place of the end and useth her authority and power the soule intends and minds that which is her end as the Archer hath his marke in eye to which hee shooteth Judge then your selves what you intend is God in your eye so farre as you intend him you desire him and no more In the next place consider the end in her power It s power the ultimate end hath the greatest power in a man of all things this power is foure fold to draw rule hold quiet 1. It draweth to it having as it were a magneticall vertue to attract h Amor meus pondus meum eo feror quocunque seror Aug. To draw when it gets into the understanding it sets the will and affections and all the powers of men on action so they that make riches their end are strongly enclined and moved to them willingly and diligently labouring patiently enduring and constantly endeavouring to attain them and where riches are the tearme to which the heart tends it is the principle of motion i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist eth l. 8. c. 9. and the reason of all endeavour so that if it be asked what a covetous man seekes and for what he studies plots sweats toyles moyles the answer in all is riches Doe you finde God thus drawing when you pray receive heare consider what moves you what sets you on worke For not the motion but the mover not the endeavour but the ground of it discovers the end two men may walke in one way yet their end may bee different one may walke for his health the other for his profit so in the same duties of godlinesse the end of one may be pride of another peace of conscience onely but the best end is God Note this that there is a three-fold discharge of duty hypocriticall when a man intends not what hee doth but something else some worldly advantage Conscientious when good is done as a duty and taske Spirituall when good is done for this end that we may please and enjoy God 2. The end rules as it is the ground so also it is the rule of action To regulate as it drawes to it with power so with order it draweth to it in the due and direct way that is it puts upon 1 Inquisition of fit means 2 Due use of them First it puts the mind upon a studious deliberation and inquisition about the fittest meanes Causing inquisition of fit meanes hence comes those many prayers to God which David put up to be directed lead instructed taught in the way that hee should walke Psal 119. hence came his study in pondering on the law the light of his feet and lantern of his paths hence the people being stirred by Iohns ministery to seeke eternall life and to enquire after God came to him and consulted with him What shall we doe So did the Publicans and Souldiers Luke 3.10.15 hence also came that cry of the Jewes and the Jaylor newly awakened from their sleepe of death Men and Brethren what shall wee doe Acts 2.37 Chap. 16.30 Secondly It puts on to the due use of meanes when they are found out Due use of meanes and this is necessary For as a man may come short of his end by wrong meanes so also by not using or misusing of right meanes Note here therefore two operations of the end about the meanes 1. it puts upon the use of them so that if God be a mans end the minding and affecting this will urge and presse to the use of such meanes as God hath appointed and discovered yea of one as well as another he that either useth none or not all intends not God as he ought where a man desires God and makes him his end he findes in himselfe a disposition to the use of all meanes proportionable to the desire of his end which he fully k Finis appetitio non habet limites definitos Arist pol. 1.6 seeks 2 It puts upon the due use of them that is so to use all the ordinances as that in them he may come to God the promise of Gods approach to man in grace and mercy is not made simply to the actions of godlinesse but to the right performance of them as not hee that prayeth but he that prayeth with fervency faith sincerity shall obtaine not the hearer but the wise hungry humble obedient hearer shall find the word effectuall therefore that spirit that directs the heart to pitch on and pursue after the right end doth also lead the heart in the way to it working such dispositions as may fit it to a wise and effectuall use of all meanes he therefore that loseth in the meanes loseth in the end for the end is in the meanes 3 The end holds the heart with it To retaine the heart as it hath an attractive power so it hath a retentive power and its bonds are so strong that nothing can dissolve them and draw away the heart the last end is a mans chiefe good and therefore where it is so apprehended and minded nothing can divide betwixt it and the soule for if any thing should it must be either good or evill good cannot for the soule will not leave a greater good for a lesse and there is no evill so great as the losse of the chiefe good Therefore if you be gone from God it is a sign you make not God your end as you have done 4 It quiets the heart so farre as it is attained To quiet the heart every thing rests in its proper place its appetite is satiated in its end and a man that makes God his end cannot be quiet in his absence but is ever restlesse in his motion and labour after him till he finde him yea nothing can content him till he finds such a presence as he needs though God give riches and health
and friends and all the sweetest accommodations of this life yet as the child that wants the nurses breast is not quieted with bables no not bracelets of pearles oâ— chaines of gold but it must have the breast so he still pursues God anâ— is not satisfied till he get his hard hearâ— softened his dull heart quickned his darke heart enlightned and God returning againe into the tabernacle of his soule to fill it with the glory and power of his presence and so farre as he gaines in this he is at peace if God open the well of life and cause the streames thereof to flow in upon him iâ— he come in with power to destroy his lusts to quicken awaken and establish the soule hee counts it a greater happinesse than to possesse a crown counâ— â—t a greater happinesse then to possesse a crowne or heape of pearles or mines of gold The second act of love is hope In Desertion hope is weakned this is an act of the will extending it selfe towards that which it loves as future it is of great use to a Christian it is an anchor to uphold in troubles and a goad to excite to endeavour yet such â—s our folly that though all Christians have a saving hope yet few have a living hope that is to say such a hope is lives in them and gives life unto them but most rest in a poore faint â—eeble hope seldome improving this grace except in the day of feares sorrowes troubles and of death But surely if hope be abated a man â—s abated in his communion with the God of hope And the decayes of â—ope are in some of these three things 〈◊〉 in all in the Certainty of hope in the Acts of hope in the Efficacie of hope 1 For the certainty Certaine hopes â—re not onely mans portion In its certainty though there be a certainty in the object yet not alwayes in the subject Hope in the Saints respects the good hoped for in a three-fold degree of futurity Some hope for heaven as possible onely this is the lowest pitch of hope Some hope for heaven as probable though they have hope of attaining yet not without feare of missing some hope for heaven as certainâ—â— and infallible The hope of possibility is a weak hope the hope of probability is a fluctuatin hope the hope of certainty is a setlâ—â— hope that which the Apostle cals the Plerophorie or full assurance of hope Heb 6.11 Now as in other parts sâ— in this the Saints are subject to declension but where it so fareth that a man hope is clouded and enfeebled so that from a triumphant and joyfull expectation and waiting for of heavenly glory he is fallen into an habituall anxietie and dubiousnesse of minde it argueth that he enjoyeth not God as he hath done 2 For the acts of hope In the acts Note Hope hath two acts 1 Desire 2 Expectation The one is the reaching forth of the will to the thing promised the other hath two things which constitute it 1 The fixing of the soule upon the thing desired 2 The resting of the soule in the futurity of it Concerning these I will propound three things for your triall 1 The acts of hope are decayed Not so compleat where there is not that compleatnesse in them that hath beene as desire of heaven without minding it I or some slight desire and scattering thoughts of it without a patient and joyfull waiting for it 2 Where there is not that frequencie of these acts that hath been Not so frequent as when you doe not so often long and looke for heaven not so often minde it and feed your hearts in the expectation of it 3 Where there is not that fulnesse in these acts which hath beene Not so intense as when your heart doth not so eagerly desire it but hath lost her former breathings and pantings after it not So looking for and hasting to it 2 Pet. 3.12 And when it doth not dwell above but hath lost her habitation which shee had in heaven and hath pitched up tents unto her selfe in the world and when it doth not comfort it selfe in the remembrance of the promise and solace it selfe in the thoughts of its future blessednesse it is certaine here is a decay in the acts of hope 3 For the efficacie of hope In its efficacy not working note that a lively hope is an efficacious hope and as there are many precious effects of it so I will instance in foure 1 Prizing of the promise Appretiation of the promise faith coÌ„mends the promise unto hope it reveales the worth and truth of it and then hope takes it and hugs it so that it reckons it as its treasure and feeds upon it as its Manna which God hath given to refresh the soule in this desert when you forget your consolation and let the promises lie as a thing of no account when you afford them not roome yea the highest roome in your hearts when you build not your peace on this pillar and sucke not your joyes from these breasts surely all is not well your hopes are diminished 2 Moderation of the affection to the world Hope doth elevate the heart Moderation towards the world Where a mans treasure is there will his heart be also Matth. 6. If you be grown more proud in abundance more covetous after what you have not more discoÌ„tented with what you have your hearts are againe entangled in the love of the world and fallen from the heights of heavenly hope 3 Quickning endeavour Hope makes a man willing constant chearefull diligent Abundant diligence abundant in endeavours therefore if you strive lesse you hope lesse 4 Making able to suffer This steeled the Saints with courage and patience in persecution yea Constant patience this made them to rejoyce yea glory in tribulation for Christ Rom. 5.3 Encrease of feares of the crosse and of impatience in suffeâ—ing argueth a decrease of the efficacie and vigour of hope 3 The third act of love is delight this is a sweet contentment of heart in God and in the things of God In Desertion delight in God lessened a complacencie or taking pleasure in God and according to the degree of love is oâ—â— delight in God the same love that quickens desire and hope after God as absent sheweth it selfe in delighting in him as present It is true God is in a sense absent from us while we are in the world 2 Cor. 5.6 that is we have not fully attained Phil. 3.12 but yet he is also present he is present 1 to faith for faith hath a propheticall eye to see that as present which is absent and a magneticall hand to draw unto it selfe that which is afarre off and he is â— present to sense for we taste and feele his power and goodnesse and so farre as the soule that loves him enjoyeth him it joyeth in him Appearing therefore if your delight be lesse
to each other by kinde entreating of their Ambassadours Judge thy selfe if thou hast been formerly fearfull jealous watchfull but now art growne heedlesse bold ventrous yea not only lesse fearing occasions of sin but also more delighting in them it is a sure sign that the temper of thy spirit is corrupted thou art growne worse 2. The law of God is lesse loved there are two branches of the law precepts The law lesse loved and prohibitions and our natures will more easily imbrace the one than the other we many times are content to doe much if the law require this or that we yeeld and consent to it but to be limitted and barred is most distastefull when men love their sins though they like not the law prohibiting those sins And looke into your selves for so strangely doe the regenerate sometimes degenerate that sometimes it is a displeasing thing that there should bee any law to crosse and thwart their desires and lusts yea to be angry with them that hold this law unto them so good Asah was overtaken 2 Chron. 16. the Seer struck at his sin with this sword of the spirit Asah stands up in defence of his sin and smites the Seer oh how far may the heart goe out from God what a thing is this that a renewed man should so farre decline as to love that which God hates and so to love it as to reject God to harbour it and to say in his heart oh that there were no bonds that I might be free oh that I had my will then would I repeale that law and returne to sin Lesse prayer against sin yet this is sometimes found but it is a signe of a man much estranged from the life of God 3. His prayer will be lesse against his sin that which we hate is our burthen and so far as the soule hates it it desires to be freed from it m Est intentio odii no cere nec cessat in laesione peccati sed in exterminio Gul. Paris de Rhet. Divin c. 23. Vere poenitens est Iuratus in mortem peccatorum ib. See how the Apostle cryeth out as a man tyred with the chaines of a grievous bondage Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death Rom. 7. Yea and when hee felt his sinne stirring hee prayes and prayes and prayes againe to heaven for help 2 Cor. 12. There is a praying against sin while yet the heart is towards it but it is fearefull mockery of that Majesty to whom wee pray it may be a mans case that the power of conscience may enforce and extort prayer for subduing of sin and yet the power of sin may be such that it may hold the heart in the love of it But if you slacke in the sincerity and fervency of your prayers for mortifying grace you have abated in hatred of sin In the next place comes griefe for sin a grief rising and springing from the bowells of love to God this is a speciall grace which as it is from God so it is honoured with the promise of Gods presence For thus saith the high and loftie one that inhabiteth eternitie whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and an humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Isay 57.15 As when the streames are shallower it hath lesse of the fountaine so the lesse godly sorrow the lesse of God u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proverb graec when a man is not so frequent in humbling his soule nor so full of griefe when sins wounds are not so grievous as they have been he hath no cause to 〈◊〉 downe and lament his case for God is departed in a great measure from him CHAP. XII The second rule to judge of Desertion is taken from the increase of sinne where how the increase of sinne may be knowne THe second rule to guide in the judgment of this matter whether a may be deserted or not is the consideration of his sinnes where sin is increased there is lesse of God sin is contrary to godlinesse and the nature of all contraries is that the intention and increase of the one is the remission and decrease of the other as in the ayre when there is most darknesse then there is leas◠light when the spirit of holinesse is present in his powerfull working then the power of sin is weakned but when he withdrawes his influence then sinne breakes out as when the Sun sets then the beasts that lay before lurking in their dennes come forth with roarings and howlings for their prey and as when the King is gone out of his kingdome then the trayterous rebells who before concealed themselves rise up in armes to work their wils And it must needs be that upon Gods departure and his ceasing the acts and operations of his power in the soule When God departs sin increaseth that sin must revive and returne upon a man with a renewed strength and prevaile much For 1. First Satan is vigilant For 1. Satan takes the opportunity and takes his time to doe all the mischief that he can when God leaves a man he seekes to make a re-entry as theeves break open houses and pill and spoyle in the absence of the master And indeed when God thus leaves the soule there is not a meere Desertion onely but a tradition also of a man into the hands of Sathan God permitting him to deale with the soule in a sort as with Iobs body to lay his hand on them to spoyle them to smite them with many soares and though he cannot slay them yet he may much hurt them so that they come out of his hands as the man in the Gospell that fell among theeves and was robbed and wounded and left half dead Luke 10.30 2. Sinne is potent Sinne is a potent thing it hath indeed many things against it but more for it and onely God above it so that if God cease to watch and keepe the heart in his way and to keep down this monster it will be stirring Take a short view of the power o◠sin It is compared to an husband which overcomes by kindnesse to a Lord which prevailes by power yea it is compared to the things of the greatest power it is called a Conquerour leading all in captivity a tyrant holding all in bondage a King holding all in subjectiō and draw near and see the strength of it Consider the City that she is mured in it is man an active creature and as fire is more fierce in gunpowder that in wood and rebellion stronger in a generall than in a peasant so sin is stronger for the subject of it hence it come that the devils exceed man in wickednesse because their natures are more active and more potent sin also is in the whole man therefore as fire that hath hold in every
in his ordinances one principall quality is a poor hungring heart for his promise is to powre out waters upon the chopped earth and to fill them that hunger so farre then as he upholds in thee an humble and thirsting spirit he is graciously present with thee speake oh you poore in heart and you that seeke him with hungring affections doth not the Lord meet you with comforts and with influences of life how oft doe you goe from his house with your hearts laden with his hid treasures and burning with an heavenly fire falling from his presence upon you oh the streames of spirituall graces which water the valleys while the mountaines are left parched and dried if you be growne proud and livelesse if your thirstings after the ordinances are abated you shall finde God proportionably hiding himselfe and locking up his mercies from you you being dead in your selves all things are dead unto you 2 Consider what quickning you finde in the use of the ordinances Whatgood in the use of them it may be time hath beene when thou wert wont to finde God feeding thee with milke and the honey of the Gospel and causing his glory to passe before thee in his house but now those dayes are gone the word doth not warme thee cheare thee humble thee quicken thee as in former dayes but thou commest for Mannah to feed thy starving soule and findest none thou commest in deadnesse and goest away without life thou commest with diseases and sores of spirit and art not healed the Gospell is hid unto thee that ministery that is a shining burning light to others is to thee without power others are melted molded cheared elevated and strengthened and blesse the Lord meeting him with gladnesse and praise who meeteth them with life and peace but thou findest none of this yea the word that did sinke into thy soule as the dew that fals upon the tender herbe is now of none effect it causeth not thy heart to mourne rejoyce yeeld feare love as in times past the golden c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod Rhodiis fertur contigisse showres are restrained and thou art left as the mountaines of Gilboa Thou comest to the Lords table but he bids thee not welcome as he doth his children his friends he gives thee not so much as to taste or but to taste of his cup which others drinke of in thy sight to their inestimable comfort nor to eat of his childrens bread tell me then hath not God withdrawne and estranged himselfe if a father will not bid his son when he comes into his house so much as to drinke or afford him a kinde looke will he not say My father is offended and doth estrange himselfe Time hath beene when the company of the Saints was deare in thy esteeme and a sweet conveyance of grace into thine heart but now thy delight is not with them nor art thou quickened by them but conversest with them as the dead with the living Thus if the blessing of the ordinances be not upon thee as before know that God is not with thee as before Object But may not a man conclude amisse supposing God hath left him because he findes no good by the ordinances may it not be a mans own fault or may he not thinke he hath no profit when he hath Ans Yea but the answer to this followeth in the place of seeming desertions onely for the present I will propound one thing which will cleare the case whether you enjoy a comfortable communion with God in his ordinances For there are flashes of fleeting affections and transient and fading impressions which fall upon the hearts of men but they are not such as come from Gods speciall presence know therefore that if Gods saving presence in his ordinances doth distill the dewe of spiritual blessings upon thee it makes thee growe they are food indeed and do incorporate themselves into the soul and so become an effectuall nutriment the stony ground received the seed with joy and many of Iohns hearers did rejoyce in the light for a season but they were not changed by it there was not a power in it to bring them unto God such flashes are fading things but they that receive the word as an engraffed word finde a mighty power in it turning the stock dayly into its owne nature the Gospell comes to them not in word onely but in power also and in the holy ghost 1 Thes 1.5 Where God is in his ordinances there is power 1 Thes 2.13 CHAP. XIV Causes of Desertion they are for 1 instruction that nature and grace may bee better knowne 2 the one in its sinfulnesse and weaknesse the other in its freenesse and necessity HItherto of the state of the Deserted Christian with the Symptomes and Signes now I come to the third thing the causes of Gods withdrawing which are especially two 1. Instruction 2. Correction God by withdrawing the ayde of his Spirit doth teach us the knowledge of our natures Desertions are instructions his grace 1. By this he unmasks the quality of our nature and opens the state of a man in himselfe to himselfe In generall of the quality of our nature which point of knowledge as it is most needfull so most difficult the eye of the minde being like the eye of the body which can see all things but it selfe But because the knowledge of a mans selfe so much conduceth to his end therefore God sundry waies leads his people to it and among all glasses there is none that gives a clearer view of the temper frame and state of humane nature than our life before conversion and in desertion for then a man is most truly himselfe and as the truest picture is then drawne when the body is without her covering and ornaments because often the blemishes of the body are hid in its adorning and the body shines with a beauty borrowed from an externall dresse so in Desertion when a man is left most in his colours and shape he may best see what he is Particularly Desertion makes a man see In particular 1. His sinfulnesse while God is mightily present with restraining grace Of sinfulnesse bridling in and keeping downe the violence of corruption a man cannot think it hath such a power in it or that it is so great When the master or keeper is by the dog or beare his authority muzzles and chaines them up but upon a fit occasion if there be none to curb them you shall see the utmost of a most fierce and cruell disposition which before lay hid And as in a garden so long as a gardiner is in it weeding it dayly and diligently it seemes faire and pleasant nothing appearing but wholesome herbs usefull trees good fruits fragrant flowers and pleasant walks but when the hand of the gardiner slacketh it self then the cursed nature of the ground will appeare and it brings forth of her owne and is overrun
with weeds and so turned from a garden to a desart so God leaves men that they may act themselves so it is said God left Hezekiah to try him that he might know all that was in his heart 2 Chro. 32.31 A man would not thinke that he is so bad as he is while he enjoyeth an abundant ayde of spirituall grace as while the soule is in the body that putrifying quality and the filthinesse of it doth not so much appeare but when the foul hath left it then it becomes a rotten unsavoury carkasse and a foule chanell while it is fed with the continued issues and streames of pure water from a clear fountaine sheweth not its filth but when the streames are cut off then the foulnesse of it discovers it selfe If God doe but take off his hand and cut off the influence of his spirit and slip the collar of our vile affections oh what monsters start up and what a cage of uncleane birds what a den of beasts what an habitation of devils doe our hearts appeare to be what a blacknesse of darknesse covers the earth when the Sun is gone yea the aire that now seems so lucid and cleare how fild with darkned stormes and fogges is it when the Sun withdrawes it self Herein is shame cast upon the soule and a man is made vile in his owne eyes when he seeth his owne Image and complexion and findeth himselfe overgrowne with botches and sores rising from abundance of filthy humours in his soule he that in the day and Sun-shine of quickning grace thought he had beene freed from his lusts shall wonder with shame and astonishment to see in the night of Desertion what darknesse will appeare and what fell and fierce lusts will shew themselves like the Lyons of the evening raging for their prey 2. Of weaknesse It discovers a mans weaknesse and emptinesse d Solutum et liberum Deo est suos sibi aliquando permittere dum sinit in iis extare humane infirmitatis argumenta utse noscant etsi sanctos esse esse tamen homines Camer defens de grat et lib. arb c. 9. now a man shall discerne by his deadnesse in disposednesse unmeetnesse to all good how great the insufficiency of nature is and how little he hath attained in grace a childe that is carryed in the armes seemes tall and when it is led by the hand of the Nurse and upheld it seemes to have more strength than it hath indeed but being left unto it selfe the great weaknesse and feeblenesse of it appeareth A Christian may have high thoughts of himself while he is sustayned in his way by a divine manutenency and carryed on with plentifull gales of auxiliary grace but if God be pleased that this wind that bloweth where it listeth Ioh. 3. turn from him he shall see that thought himselfe a pillar in the house of God that he is but a bruised reed and he that conceived himselfe rich Desertion gives a fuller knowledge of grace is poore and miserable blinde and naked Apoc. 3. 2. Gods withdrawing of himselfe gives a fuller knowledge of his grace 1. In the freenesse of it when a man seeth the depths and worlds of wickednesse in his nature Of its freenesse and discerneth what a loathsome Sepulchre and receptacle of rottennesse his soule is now he stands wondring that ever he should obtaine this mercy that the Spirit of eternall life should be given to him he wonders to see God take such a briar to plant in his owne house yea to graffe it into that true Vine his beloved Son that the waters of life should run in such a channell so full of filth that so great a God should come under so base a roofe and such a dunge on and den of devils should become the Temple of the Holy ghost 1 Cor. 6. 2. Needfulnesse The necessity of grace e Ideo quisque nostrum bonum opus sus cipere agere implere nunc scit nunc nescit nunc delectatur nunc non delectatur ut noverit non suae facultatis sed divini muneris esse vel quod scit vel quod delectatur c. ideo sanctis suis alicujus operu justitiam non tribuit vel certam scient am vel victricem delectationem ut cognoscant non a seipsis sed ab illo si esse lucem quâ c. Aug. de peccat merit et remis l. 2. c. 19. and of a continuall supply of ayde this is sure a Christian lives in a continuall dependance and hath not a sufficiency in himselfe all our stocke would be soone spent if we had not continuall supplies from heaven our fulnesse is not in our selves but in our head suppose a vessell cracked and apt to lose all it receiveth set to the conduit cock it hath now a fulnesse from the conduit and while that runs it cannot be empty but if the cock should cease to run the vessell would soone be emptyed those that are in Christ live but it is Christ that liveth in them Gal. 2.20 our life is not so much in our selves as in him our life is said to be hid in him yea he is called our life Col. 3.3 4. In the naturall body the members have life in themselves yet we know the life of every member is not so much in it selfe as in the heart and head and this appeares because if there be a failing of spirits either vitall or sensitive all the body sinkes and hereby we are taught the necessity of the grace of God because if that be withdrawne we wither as a blasted arme of a tree oh how wofully doth the goodly fabricke both of an enriched heart and an heavenly conversation come tumbling downe if God withdraw the props of supporting and assisting grace f Voluntas sine te quid agit nisi quo procul exulet a te praecipites semper calles devia motu ingressura suo nisi fessam tu bone aegram suscipias referas foveas tuearis honestes c. Prosper God by his spirit doth lead and draw the heart to him but when this bias is taken off by which the heart was wheeled up the hill it is carried with great swiftnesse downe ward to sinne and the world Davids fallings had taught him this lesson to see a need of a stronger support than his owne g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chiysost hom 12. ad Antioc therefore prayed Hold up my goings in thy paths that my foot-steps slip not Psal 17.5 yea and he acknowledgeth God to be his strength and stay and rocke and he that doth establish his way and carry him in it I am continually with thee but whence was it thou hast holden me by my right hand Psal 73.23 My soule followeth hard after thee what enabled him thy right hand upholdeth me Psal 63.8 Thus then God for this end sometimes suspends the workings of the spirit of power from us that we may see a necessity
of grace and know where the fountaine is and that all is of God that so we may depend upon him and not rest in our selves and ascribe all to him and nothing to our selves The second end of desertion is correction h Dilectione non odio non studio nocendi sed desiderio sanandi Aug. ep 48. Poenâ emendatoria non interfectoria t. 1. de lib. ar l. 3. c. 25. desertion is out of love and though it be grievous for the present yet the fruit is good like the lopping or winter season to the tree which makes for its strength and growth I will instance in such speciall sins which bring this heavy rodde upon the soul CHAP. XV. Desertions are for correction Desertions corrections and are caused by pride and carelesnesse c. 1. PRide Of pride Which is a swelling and tumor in the spirit or a lifting up in the heart 2 Cor. 12.7 through a supposed abundance of revelation in the minde or of other rich endowments of spirituall graces it brought upon the Apostle that goaring Thorne in the flesh the messenger of Sathan to buffet him lest hee should bee exalted above measure Pride is a dangerous evill it breedes contempt of others which God abhorreth it is a crossing of God in the end of all his grace and mercy which is to exalt his owne glory Ephes 1.6 12. Chap. 2.7 8 9. That no flesh should glory but that hee that gloryeth should glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 1.29 30 31. 2 Cor. 10.17 The more we esteeme of our selves the more we take from Gods account and put to our owne which is a robbing of God in that which he hath said He will give to none other Isa 42.8 therefore God resists the proud Iames 4.6 1 Pet. 5.5 and cuts him short and will not be friendly to him The proud he lookes at afarre off Psal 138.6 as with disdaine and displeasure Making him low that exalteth himselfe Prov. 29.23 the poore in heart are deare in his eyes And the hungry he fils with good things but the rich he sends empty away Luke 1.53 And no wonder that a proud heart is a dead heart and that upon an elevated spirit there be barrennesse as upon the mountaines for pride kills endeavour rich men take no paines but the poore is diligent and all encrease and livelinesse of soule is the reward of industrious seeking as pride abateth endeavours so it debaseth them prayer hearing all duties are spoiled by the savour of this noisome evill oh yee proud in heart your commodities are marred and are not vendible all your works lie upon your hands as breathed and worthlesse wares so as the merchant loseth when his goods are not current and marketable so you wax poore you have no trade with heaven that God that accepts the humble that comes to him with the lading of prayers teares groans cries and takes these and likes them and makes him rich returnes turnes backe the proud and all their works 2 Carelesnesse Of carelesnesse 1 In not accepting the seasons of grace when God draweth neare and and we regard not when he knocketh Not accepting seasons of grace we open not he often leaves us and goeth from us so he came to the Church And knocked open to me mysister my love my dove my undefiled for my head is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night but she was carelesse and regarded not the day of her visitation and what followeth I opened to my beloved but my beloved had withdrawne himselfe and was gone I sought him but I could not finde him I called him but he answered me not Cant. 5.2 6. Sometimes the spirit comes sweetly melting and tempering the heart to an holy softnesse and godly sorrow but is quenched by negligence therefore justly doth that soule groane under the misery of a stupid heart lamenting with the Church Why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy fear Esay 63.17 and taking up that cry with me so often here I cannot repent my heart is frozen I cannot mourne sometimes he cometh with strong convictions perswasions and contections to take the heart off from a way that is not good so that the heart begins to draw backe it selfe but because we lose this opportunity therefore out sins remain and tyrannize in us causing usto take up Davids complaint Iniquities prevaile against me Psal 65.32 Sometimes he commeth exciting and raising thoughts and resolutions of heart to a more heavenly walking but we hoise not up sails to these gales we blow not up this spark therfore justly are we left to a spirit of dulnesse neither have life nor peace in the use of ordinances and discharge of duties Secondly the neglect of the meanes of grace which is Neglect of meanes 1 When they are not so much used as the body when it is shortned in necessary food groweth weake When not so much used so the abating of the commons of the soule doth weaken grace The lesse plants are watered the worse they thrive we are fed by that whereof we are bred h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist hist anim l. 8. c. 1. The word begets us 1 Pet. 1.23 and the word feeds us 1 Pet. 2.2 There is a nutritive vertue in every ordinance they are meanes appointed of God as pipes for the conveyance of living waters into these empty cisterns of our hearts if therefore either out of wretchlesnesse or pride any doe withdraw from them they withdraw from God and if so no wonder if God withdraw from them therfore consider this if you have not fallen from your abundant use of the ordinances and if you enjoy God lesse than you have done know it is because you seeke him lesse than you have done 2 When they are not so well used not the meere use When not so well used but the use of them in a spirituall manner doth profit a man may starve in plenty when you receive the Word and Sacraments it you thinke that the very act done is sufficient you are deceived for the food of the soule is not like the food of the body which being taken in onely though there be no more thought of it yet doth nourish nor like the poole of Bethesda which required but comming into it when the Angel moved it but we must bring hearts fitted and prepared seeking earnestly of God the effusion of his spirit yea we must work the Word upon our hearts knowing that where the Ministers part ends there ours begins when therefore we onely heare and labour not to worke our hearts to a conformity to the Word we deceive our selves Iam. 1.11 and God requites our carelesnesse with spirituall impoverishment shutting â—â— his mercies and locking up his treasures from us As the blessing and good providence of God makes him that is diligent to increase in riches whereas be becometh poore that dealeth with a slacke hand Prov. 10.4 so the same
course it is full of unquietnesse therefore when by divine assistance the soule is loosed of her bonds and freed from impediments of running her desired course it is peace 4. Betwixt hope and reason Betwixt hope and reason if a mans wayes be not exact reason will give check to hope and feare and anxiety will breake in and it cannot be peace but where reason concludes for hope apprehending not only the excellency of the end and the possibility but the probability and the certainty if hope expect and the understanding dispute against it going about to overthrow its title it cannot but breed trouble supplies from heaven will prevent this for these supplies keep the soule in her way and the way leads to the promise and the promise strengthens hope and in this way reason will joyn with it the understanding will see all cleare and so the heart will be quiet 5. Betwixt the ordinances and the heart Betwixt the ordinances and our hearts this concord lyeth not only in this that a man shall more prize them but also that he shall receive more by them For 1. The heart doth more sympathize with theÌ„ it is more receptive Gods presence in the soule doth capacitate it it makes it more meet for the Gospell and as wood that is dry will take fire more then wood that is wet because it is nearer the nature of fire so the heart draweth more life and partakes of the power of ordinances by how much the more it hath a preparednesse through grace 2. Where God is present in the soul he is present in the ordinances as all the servants are ready to serve him whom the master honours God hath a more full command of all then any Soveraigne and if he will that the meanes of grace shall bring in much of heaven it will be done and where a man is thus feasted with the fat things of Gods house it is a great solace to him partly because the things themselves are excellent and partly because they are testimonies of Gods speciall favour and grace 6 Concord betwixt duty and ability it is a great discomfort when a man seeth his way and cannot walk in it or when there is that disproportion of strength to his work that he doth it not without much contention difficulty wearinesse but when a man is able then he is merry at his work his labour is no paine having the help of a God of power He runs and is not weary and walks and faints not Esay 40.31 That is done with alacrity which is done with facility 7 Concord with the Saints With the Saints holinesse is their proper quality and therefore the more holinesse the greater agreement there will be a sweet consenting and concentring with them your motion on and theirs your hearts and theirs your end and theirs will harmonize so sweetly that you shall have their counsell countenance company comfort and it is a great solace to have communion with them who are so neare â— God and so full of God 2 It brings glory Effect glory 1. A glorying spirit 1. A glorying spirit that is it worketh joy and triumph iâ— God when the soule is caried in a holy course the presence of God is so deare and the contentment and sweetnesse oâ— his way so precious that he not only blesseth his God but he also blesseth himself in his God he seeth that Gods with him and this is a sign of his favour For wherein shall it be knowne here that and thy people have found grace in the sight is it not in that thou goest with us Exod. 33.16 And so a noblenesse oâ— spirit is begotten in him through which he is set above the world so the through his God whom he findes better than a thousand worlds he tramper upon the world o Moreus Galeacius said Hee that counts all the gold and silver in the world worth one â—â— Communion with Jesus Christ is worthy to be accursed Rom. 8.31 And neither enticed with hopes nor detered with feares but like a conquering Champion breakes through the armies and hoasts of the world what need he feare the assaults of creatures that hath with him the power of the Creator and how is he armed against all trouble That hath the spirit of glory and of God resting upon him 1 Pet. 4.14 2 It is an honour to a man to be full of grace and full of life It is an honour to have God dwelling in us if reason which is but humane do exalt a man so much above the beast then how much more doth grace which is divine exalt the Saints above men yea if those ornaments of the reasonable creature which are gotten by humane endeavour and are common to all be such a crowne of glory what honour is it to have the Spirit of God making the godly the tabernacle of his rest and filling them with the glory of his presence and the blessed operations of his grace To be trees even green and flourishing filled with fruits of grace to receive daily from heaven that which excels the Crownes of Kings to have Christ under thy roofe supping with thee Apoc. 3.20 To sit downe daily not only with Abraham Isaac and Iacob but with Christ himselfe to be led into his wine-celler to have the mighty God walking with thee what glory is all this to thee which is the highest honour of the Angels 3 It is an honour to have God co-working with thee Honour to have God working with us his hand with thine a man would think it an honour to be with Princes in employment while thou enjoyest inward quicknings and assistance as heaven joynes it selfe with thee so thy work appeares to be a noble employment and a service acceptable As the sacrifice of Abel Gen. 4. had this testimony of Gods acceptance fire came from heaven upon it as also afterwards in the Law Levit. 9.24 So when God enkindles the soule with his Spirit for spirituall Sacrifices it is a signe that they are accepted of him The Apostle by this proves his Ministry to be of God and according to God because God did work in him and gave him sufficiency to those great things 2 Cor. 3. 6 Consider there is a necessity of divine assistance It is necessary to have the assisting presence of God we are not like a Ship rigged and fitted and sent out to Sea and so left to shift for it selfe but God is our continuall Pilot and that power which wrought at first unto the working of Conversion Ephes 1. worketh still Col. 1.18 unto fructification augmentation and perseverance what need we have of the help of this power may appeare if we consider 1 That the most excellent Saints have failed The best have failed without it when they have been left to themselves 2 That our taske is great Our taske great 3 That our strength is small 1 Through the debility of grace received Our
thee but if thou forsake him hee will cast thee off for ever 1 Chron. 28 9. 2 When you do lesse then you have done When lesse done then hath beene though the cause be the same the same necessity still urging conscience still pressing opportunity still serving this was the sin of that back-sliding people Apoc. 2.4 They fell from their first workes Therefore Christ threatned to forsake them 3 When you doe lesse then those that have like abilities Lesse then others occasions engagements opportunities but much more clearely you sin when others that have more streights d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de Asia dixit Agesilaus in Plut. more encumbrances lesse abilities lesse meanes lesse advantages shall exceed you in fruitfulnesse and all the wayes of godlinesse and piety 4 When you live not by what you doe When you live not by what you doe but lusts grow strong and grace weak and all is worse and worse as in the regiment of bodily health when a man declines it is a signe he hath not a due care of his dyet or rest or exercise you must hold up life the Church of Ephesus doubtlesse was doing but shee was still a loser her spirit and strength decayed as it is with him that is in his trade but doth not follow it to purpose and so goeth back in his estate according to the wise mans speech He becommeth poore that dealeth with a slack hand but the hand of the diligent maketh rich Prov. 10.4 By much sloth fulnesse the building decayeth and through idlenesse of the hands the house droppeth through Eccles 10.18 5 When God accepts not what you do When God accepts not what you doe when he is pleased with our wayes he sheweth his liking of them sometimes by a secret testimony giving Joy Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you ward 2 Cor. 1.12 Enoch had this testimony that he pleased God Heb. 11.4.5 sometimes by rewarding as hee did Phineas Numb 24.11 12 13. sometimes by filling the heart with much spirituall life and vigour in the work but where God accepts not there is a damp upon the spirit the duty goeth forth like the Raven out of the Ark but returneth not as the dove with an Olive branch in the mouth a man is no way bettered by what he doth 6 Enquire into the reason why you do lesse then God cals for When the cause of defect is evill or insufficient and take a true account of thy selfe aske thy heart what moves and take a full answer from it for you may discerne by the reason that it gives whether all bee well or no no doubt but it will have somewhat to pretend but weigh all in the ballance if the reason be insufficient you are sinfully deficient as if you finde slothfulnesse loathnesse to bee at so much paines which was their fault none stirreth up himselfe to c. Esay 64.7 or if it be respects to thy lusts thy needlesse ease superfluous gaine unnecessary employment unseasonable delight these and such like robbing God of his due leave a great guilt upon the soule Quest 2. Quest How a man may know hee doth his duty when the heart is still pressed to more and more than is done Answ 1 Answ by Caution By way of Caution Answ By way of Proposition 1. Caution Be liberal be liberall keepe your hearts open and full for God though other things should be done yet the heart may and ought to hang most after God these paths are more noble more sweet more sutable to a holy heart a childe should be willing to doe what his father bids him though hee send him as David into the field to keep sheep but he had rather be in his fathers presence you should alwayes come to God with delight in him and go away w th desire after him as they say in meats it is good to leave with an appetite sanety is hurtful that friend is scarce welcome that is glad to be gone from us t is a signe you have little love to God when you come with unwillingnesse stay with wearinesse and goe out with gladnisse be ever bent towards him account your duties and converse with him your pleasant seasons let all other things be as your labour this as your meale bever think you do enough say as David I will yet praise him more and more Psal 71.14 Rationall else you may be oppressed 2 Caution be rationall Take heed of being bound with more lawes then are imposed by God and of adding to the yoke which he puts upon you there may be much deceit in this in having the heart engaged to more than God requires There are two things whild concurring with principles and dispoâ—tions that are good and holy Things oppressing may ven the soule with a kinde of spirituall oppression and extortion 1 An erroneous Conscience CoÌ„science erroneous as sometimes it erres by exacting lesse than â— should and giving acquittances when the debt is not fully discharged so sometimes it erres by going beyond its Commission and exacting above the bond A weak servant sent to gather up his masters debts may mistake his business by misjudging of the summes requiring an huÌ„dred pound where the boÌ„d is but for an hundred crownes The spirit of a maâ— is so apt to erre that like water which is hardly kept within its bounds if it transgresse not on the left hand by defect it often mistakes on the right had by excesse Thus superstitious spirits do more then they need and lye in the chaynes of their own making e Metum appellant Graeci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. de superstit subjection themselves to ordinances and wayes which God made not Superstition is prodigall and there is this quality in men that in those things which indeed are enjoyned of GOD they are deficient but in their owne inventions abundant they are loath that God should carve for himselfe but if God will take it of their cuâ—ting they will goe farre So the Pharisees who in a way of religion were most irreligious neglected judgement and mercy Luke 11.42 but in traditions and rules of their owne coyning they were very free and liberall â—apistry offends more by addition and multiplication in religion then by substraction And as the superstitious so the melancholy and fearefull spirit are often ready to goe beyond the line and bring themselves into inhabitable and unsufferable wayes of religion where the sunne of piety in a mistaking and yeelding spirit is so hot that nothing can grow for it nature is parched strength wasted health impaired estate neglected I have knowne some that have thought themselves ill imployed in any thing but in the exercises of religion and when they have beene in their businesse
or at meat or in bed have beene forced to lay by all and to go to prayer or c. 2. Satan Satan puts men upon more as hee is sometimes an Angell of darknesse withholding men from good or drawing to evill so hee is sometimes as an angell of light exciting unto good For 1. It is his principle and constant rule as much as hee can to saile with the winde and to row with the tyde to joyne himselfe to the tempers and spirits of men in their owne way and if hee finde principles and dispositions not altogether so fit for his turne i◠hee cannot change them hee will rather use them as he findes them the◠crosse them So he found in the Iewis a great zeale for the Law of Moses and he makes this use of it to set them against the Gospel Saul also was one that made conscience as it seemeth of seeking God before he went to battle and hereupon Samuel not comming according to expectation Satan puts him to offer sacrifice himselfe and did it with that impetuousnesse and importunity that though Saul knew it was not his office yet the case standing as it did He forced himselfe and offered the burnt offering 1 Sam. 13.12 2 Satan hath in this way a great end he brings men by it into great straits what have the Iews lost by that misguided zeale and religious disposition and by this he wearieth and tyreth out the spirits of men in their way and breeds in them a dislike and wearinesse in religion riding the soule as it were out of breath so we have knowne many very forward and active for a time but now as wearied men they are laid down to rest and their life is gone By this also he works ill effects on others who by the rigorous courses of men religious looke upon religion as a tyrant who is able to summe up his treacheres what a plot was that which hee had at Corinth His device was to get advantage upon them 2 Cor. 2.11 and how he seeth a zeale in the Church against the offender and a mournfull spirit in the poore man and now he drives on the Chariot and works in the zealous spirit of the Church that they may hold on in a severe way against him that so He might be swallowed up of overmuch sorow 2 Cor. 2.7 Quest How a man may know when he is pressed to good that it is by Satan Answ Answ It is a sign Satan puts on to good The print of his foot will bee found where he hath been and though he put upon good yet it is ever in an ill way as for instance he may be discerned 1 When he divides piety from mercy When piety and mercy are separated and carieth the soule on without care of the body when God comes he comes with much goodnesse and as Iacob drave softly as the children and cattle were able Gen. 33.14 so he will not so put on the soul as to destroy the body grace and the law are for the perfection of nature not destruction the religion that Satan deviseth is hard and cruell how did the Priests of Baal cut and launce themselves even till the blood poured out 1 Kings 18.28 The Jewes learned of God to sacrifice beasts but of Satan to sacrifice their children They burned their sons and their daughters in the fire which I commanded them not neither came it into my heart Jer. 7.31 rather then his servants shall be oppressed he will lose his right I will have mercy and not sacrifice Mat. 12.7 Yet we must not presse this rule of mercy too far to an immoderate indulgence unto nature the soule must not be too much loser by the body nor God for man nor must this be extended to the base favouring and sparing of our selves in times of persecution For he that so saves himselfe shall lose himselfe Luke 9.24 If you send your servant upon businesse of great concernment and he fall sick and so do not what you expected you excuse him but if hee say as the sluggard Prov. 20.4 the winde blew and the ayre was stormy and wet and cold you will not take this well So when you cannot do him service through disproportion of your strength to your work he will beare with you but what ever it costs you from men and devils when you know his will as you are able you must obey 2 When he divides betwixt piety and charity When piety and charity separated as when the Jewes devoted so much to pious uses that they left nothing for their friends no not for their parents but when their father and father in necessity asked reliefe they said It is a gift by whatsoever thou maist be profited by me Mat. 15.5 that is to say that which thou askest for thy supply is given to another use and I have nothing for thee Again when men walk in such a way of religion that they provide not for their families which is so far from Christianity that the Apostle saith He is worse than an Infidel that provideth not for his family 1 Tim. 5.8 Again when servants bestow that time with God which belongs to man God never demands of you that which is not yours he never requires you to rob your masters to pay him 3 When without order and reason When without order as when you are put upon one duty in the season of another as when your calling refreshing occasions truly and necessarily call you one way and yet conscience driveth another or when you are hearing to be put upon reading Again when you are put upon extraordinary duties without extraordinary occasion or when put upon such actions as belong not to your place as Saul to offer sacrifice Vzziah to burne incense Let this suffice for the first way of answering the question The second way of answering is by Proposition 2 Answ to the main Quest by propositiō 1. Proposition There are bounds of duties of godlinesse Godliness hath bounds for the law is full of reason now reason requires no action without limits if it bid a man eat give labour c. it together with the matter includes the measure if a master bid his servant goe and say not whither and how far how can the servant obey whē he knoweth not his masters minde if I would have an house built or a garment made except I appoint the bounds and measure how can the artificer fit my desire Now there are bounds for extension of actions Now there are bounds for limitation of actions The bounds of extension shew how far you are to goe First for extension And I will in generall lay downe three rules to finde this out how much you must doe 1 Ability and opportunity Ability and opportunity Where much is given much is required and to whom men have given much of him they aske more Luke 12.48 Where God soweth much he will reap much that may be
Proposition It is safer to exceed then to come short it is safer to extend you selves by over-abounding then to c◠short it savours of a better spirit wh◠a man is free though in excesse the when he is slack and back ward and is not so much evil by abounding so◠what to pinch the flesh as by abating suffer losse in the spirit the things the concern the body are not of such va◠as those that concerne the soule 〈◊〉 so much the more cause you have 〈◊〉 ther to leane to the right hand because as there is a greater worth in the w◠on the right hand so there is usually disposition inclining rather to the 〈◊〉 hand Few men offend in passing their bounds More men are found defective in giving almes then excessive and so where one is in any way of piety carried with too full a gale an hundred lye becalmed where one piece is more than weight many are found too light 4 Proposition Fourth Proposition A man must not make his disposition a rule alway Which in three cases is hardly bounded That a man must not be ruled by his own disposition but must seek arule to walk by for in some men the heart hangs with perpetuall hungring after converse with God that if there were nothing to limit them they would scarce doe any thing else and there are three things draw the heart still unto God 1 Great comforts in meeting God in duty Great comforts these make the soule to say as David It is good for me to draw neare to God Psal 73.28 When God opens himselfe and his treasures and lets in his people to his presence and feasts them with spirituall and joyfull sights and tasts this makes them loath to leave but they hang unto duties as the child to the breast and finding so sweet a conjunction of plenty and sweetnesse are filled with delight and are ready to say to all things else as Abraham to his servant when he went up to the mount Stay thou in the valley the spouse vns with her beloved and found him as a apple tree among the trees of the forrest whose fruit was sweet unto her taste hee led her into his wine-cellar and she was ravished with his love and greatly solaced in his sweet embraces and now see what care shee takes to keep that which she joyed to have and feared to lose I charge you oh ye daughters of lerusalem that ye stir not up nor wake my beloved till he please Cant. 2.7 But in such a case it is a point of obedience and self-deniall for a man to leave his banquet to do that which he is called to and we should so prefer God to all our comforts as to bee content to come downe with Moses from the Mount when he hath businesse for us below 2 Love to God Great love this is of a living and large disposition and apt to draw the heart much out he that loves come as a friend he loves to come and converse with God and even then when his necessities are not urgent yet his heart is drawing heaven-wards as the wife loves to be with her husband c. 3 Necessitousnesse of spirit Great necessities when one is sensible of great wants great corruptions tentations feares then he is apt to be over-solicitous and active especially when such an afflicted spirit hath either both of these two things 1 An opinion that all good lyeth in duties When men thinke that a hard heart may be softned a stiffe heart bowed a corrupt heart changed and all good attained by labour and sweate men that know what it is to want these will worke even their soules out of breath and are so carried with desire of the good that they are not sensible of the labour But remember all lyeth in Christ and therefore you must seek it from Christ by the meanes if you make duty and endeavour your refuge you are deceived 2 If there be an opinion that God will not accept lesse this is the case of many they have been at prayer and that not only in sincerity but with importunity and with a full tyde of spirit and yet they are afraid to betake themselves to their employments out of opinion that they have not done that which is sufficient but that their occasion and necessity cals for more still but herein men have under-thoughts of God as if he were like the gods of the heathen that did not heare or as if hee were hard to be entreated For a close of this businesse I will in a briefe view present some things that are considerable in way of satisfaction in such cases Farther considerations to cleare the question 1 Distinguish between occasions and duties ordinary and extraordinary Distinguish betwixt duties ordinary and extraordinary for as when an extraordinary or great person comes all stand by and give him place which we will not if an ordinary and common man come so affaires and things of the world and nature doe stand for their own and will not be set aside for ordinary duties to waite at the closet dore as when an extraordinary service is performed Your time is divided betwixt heaven and earth therefore you must not only give to both but with equality each must have his owne 2 There is a time to waite as well as to work Know there is a time to waite as well as to work when you have presented your suites with what strength you are able now faith must come in and lay hold upon the promise and you ought to beleeve that God heareth for you have his word The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his eares are open to their prayers Psal 34.15 Remember you come not to God to obtain a promise and grant but it is obtained in Christ you must only sue it out by prayer and whatsoever you aske in Christs name beleeving you shall receive it Mat. 21.22 so Davids practise he begins often with prayer but ends with praise it is want of faith that causeth unquietnesse though you should not rest in your duties yet you should rest in the promise if God heare not at first yet he will heare at last yea he heares when you thinke hee heares not But you must give God time that is all he requires the thing shall be yours but the time is his doe with your prayers as with your seed be patient til God come Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it untill he receive the early and the latter rain Ja. 5.7 Be ye also patient stablish your hearts for the comming of the Lord draweth nigh When you have preferred a petition to the King you do not fall presently to write another but you waite a time convenient and then you move again so doe with God the doore is open you may come again in due time but live by faith and
apud Greg. de Valent. t. 2. disp 8. qu. 1. p. 6. take heed then of harbouring lusts in imagination or purpose take heed of frowardnesse and rebellion of heart unkindnesses breeds unkindnesse can you with reason expect that God should be with you when you regard him not Can two walk in one way that are not agreed Amos 3.3 walke then before him in all well pleasing keep close to Jesus Christ for all the love of the father is laid out upon the son and comes to you through him be dearly affected to his people for they are his friends God dwelleth in such 1 John 4.12 When you have your friends good will you have your friend and when you fall into straits and lusts and men and devils shall take up armes against you if you come and say to God as Iehoram to Iehoshaphat The King of Moab hath rebelled against me wilt thou goe with me against Moab to battle God will answer as Iehoshaphat did I will go up I am as thou art my people as thy people and my horses as thy horses 2 Kin. 3.7 My brethren you have a sure way to retain the favour of your God he hath shewed you the way that is good and have you not one alway with him which is the delight of his soule one ready at your request to interpose himselfe and to take up all differences betwixt you and him lye not therefore under any guilt but every day renew thy peace and league with God by making Christ thine advocate then shall his face shine upon thee and his Spirit shall not be with-held from thee Thinke it not enough to escape his wrath a friend not only dreads displeasure but delights in the favour of his friend it cannot satisfie a living and a loving Saint that Gods hand is not against him except it be also with him or that God is not his adversary except he be his friend a wicked man may fear his wrath but a good man cannot beare his absence if then you desire his presence keep his favour and because nothing but that which is against his will displeaseth Take heed of crossing God take heed of crossing his will And for this I will prescribe two Rules 1 Keep up love Keep up love for this will make you of on heart with God there will be an harmony in your hatred and his your desire and his your delight and his your wils will run in the same channell with his feare may make the life better but love makes the heart better it carrieth a man out of himselfe and casts his affections and actions into Gods mould it works after his pattern and doth all to please him as love is the wife subjects her desires to the desire of her husband love would hol◠you in an uniforme course of holinesse and all strayings in life are from decayings of love this bindes the soule to God so that as the hinder wheeles in the Coach follow the forewheeles being all conjoyned so the heart ◠drawne after God by love love will not suffer you to please your selves with any thing that may not please you God nor to swerve from this rule to gaine the world but as Gods love sub◠fils your will in giving all good so you love in its measure will fulfill Gods will in doing all good and this is the property of our communion with God there is a continual intercourse of love Gods will and mans sweetly conjoyning in a happy concord mutually delighting each in other and mutually filling the desires each of other God dwelling in his and they in him 1 John 4.16 they cleaving to him and hee to them And let me a little more open the power and efficacy of love in this businesse and when I have done you shall see that it contributes not a little to the keeping of the heart to God Love quickneth and preserveth desires 1 It sharpens and preserves desires r Animae motus radix est amor Paris pars 1 partis 1. de universo c. 21. after God and what are desires but reachings of the heart the soul by desires doth as it were with extended spread armes raise it selfe after God it will make a man unsatiable alwayes thirsting and now though the armies of the Philistines be in the way yet the soule will breake through all for the waters of Bethlehem desires after God have much good in them they capacitate the soule an hungry man eates much the promise emptieth it selfe freely upon such Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be filled Mat. 5.6 and they quicked the soule as they make it receptive so they make it active Psal 63.1 It sets all the wheeles in motion it will not suffer the soule to bee at rest it cannot take content ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in any thing except it bee fulfilled but will put out all her Sayles and Oares in strong pursuance Psal 63.8 My soule followeth hard after thee 2. It makes resolute It makes resolute regardlesse of all things in comparison of what it longs for and fearlesse t Quid non audet amor and invincible no terrors can deterre him but as a Gyant he rejoyceth to run his race u Grata ignominia crucis qui crucifixo non est ingratus Bern. in Cant. Serm. 25. It makes also unweariable no labours too great but love will finde patience no difficulties so long but love will finde tolerance and longanimity nay love thinkes nothing hard The Commandements art not grievous 1 Joh. 5.3 It is a great advantage to have strength of resolution for now the soule will be 1. more full in all endeavours the bow full bent delivers the arrow with full strength a piece full charged will go off with great force and its fulnesse and vigour indoing that is the grace of the action 2. More steady it is hard to stop the soul when she runs with strength what was said of Aristides is much truer here you may as well almost stay the Sun in heaven as put such a one out of his way when resolutions are strong the soule is like a fenced City it is hard for tentations to break in there is roome left for Satan to work when through coldnesse of affection there is weaknesse in the resolution a faint denyall begets new sutes and a doore left unbarred gives easie entrance When you cleave not to God with full purpose of heart Acts 11.23 other things may get in betwixt God and you the steeple moves not because it is setled upon its basis but the Weather-cock is turned with every winde 3 It makes the soule of an yeelding temper It makes yeelding when God hath your love he hath the key of your hearts love sets him in the throne all the faculties will bow themselves with offerings to him love opens the eares to heare God and moves the hands to work and the
focte to walk and the head to devise for God God may have any thing in a time of love he never comes out of seasâ—â— when the heart is in this temper if her say the word it is done love cannoâ— say no to God it is full of promises easily entreated is not churlish but of a liberall property it stands ready for all service and will trample upon all reasonings respects contradictions rebellions that rise up against God if God say of the dearest lust fall upon him it wilâ— not spare if God say I must have thy liberty it saith there it is if God say thou must be impoverished for my sake it saith I am content if God say I must have thy life for my glory it saith Lord it is thine take it I am thine do what thou wilt love cannot hold when God as keth but will give all do all suffer all if God call it will run out of estate peace friends the world it self yea when it doth much it thinkes it little yea nothing and so when it hath been labouring for God it still saith with David What shall I render to the Lord and with the Apostle Lord what wilt thou have me to do it sticks at no cost nay it is glad it hath any thing for God and counts this the best use of all to lay it out for God and this the best possession of all to lose all for God 4 Love will make you fearefull of losing God every mans feares are equall to his love so that as the worldly man feares to lose the world which is his God so a godly man feares to lose his God Elies heart trembled for the Arke while he sate watching to heare newes of the battle 1 Sam. 4.13 feare makes men wise x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist pol. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alexand Prov. 1.7 it keeps the heart waking and watching it keepes the eye upon the treasure and soon apprehends the least recesse of God from a man 5 Love keepes the intentions right It keeps the intentions right 1. Upon the right end it is as the by as to convert the soule in all her wayes to her God On the right end for what is love but imbracing of God and such a closing with him as that as it findes indigence and want of him so it hath complacence and contentment in him yea and that contentment breeds hunger after what it hath not and gratitude for what it hath and so turneth all designes and her wholâ— course to this thing that she may beâ— still blessed and more blessed in the fruition of God 2 In due plight 1. actuall 2. It keeps the intentions in due plight in themselves 1. Makes them actuall love hath a good memory it carrieth the stamp of God upon the heart and seldome forgets him the soul lives where it loves x Animus ubi amat non ubi animat and as love came in by the eye so it delights by thâ— same doore to run out to God y Vbiamoriói oculus 2 vigorous 2. Iâ— makes them vigorous and serious and so able to order and regulate all the motions of the soul in their right way Thus love is very usefull in this point to keep you from straying from God and consequently needfull that you may by holy walking retain his favour and presence 2 Hold this as a fixed verity That you may not crosse or offend God hold fast this truth that Gods will is best that that is best which God wils all that are come to God do beleeve this else they had not come for what could draw the heart from all its good but that which is greater then all but though this be habitually in them yet they doe not alwayes actually beleeve it for what should be the cause of their excursions and deviations but because at present they think it better to walk in another way then the way of God there are but three causes of voluntary declining any thing either it is because 1. the thing is not worth entertainment at least 2. upon such tearmes or because 3. a better thing is presented which wee cannot enjoy with it so that if a man could carry this truth in his heart unblotted that it might ever appeare legible it would be to his gadding affections as a curb and settle the soul on God as on her Center If you could beleeve that you cannot mend your selves or make your condition better any other way you would be stedfast and immoveable for how you would see a conjunction of Gods will and your chiefe good so that in crossing his will you should crosse your selves as wisdome speaketh He that sinneth against me wrongeth his â—wn soul all they that hate me love death Prov. 8.36 To help you in this as in a matter of â—eat importance Meanes to hold that fast 1 Get a cleare knowledge of God witâ— he is in himselfe and of the wisdomeâ— God in the Commandements which at full of reason and of the end of the command thy good and of the nature 〈◊〉 that good 2 Make this knowledge actuall ofâ—â— minde it 3 Know that there is reason to gioâ— the lye to all opinion of good out of Gods way and against his will 1 Because Gods love is fully toward you and so perfect that he hath not câ— off any good from you 2 All that is truly good agreeth wiâ— his will as the formality of truth is the agreement that it hath with the mind of God so the verity of goodnesse is thâ— agreement that it hath with the will oâ— God and again all true good is froâ— him and eminently in him z Omne honum in summo bono therefore that which stands in opposition to hâ— cannot be good 3 Consider the subject of such misâ—â— prehension hee is either one coverâ— with darknesse or clouded with passion men naturally are blind and so call eviâ— good and good evill and good men sometimes are clouded and with a frenâ—ie of passion distempered and judge that good which when they become sober they count the greatest evill and which is the truest judgement whether that of a man drunk and not himselfe or that of a man that is calme cleare and himselfe 4 Remember that you must needs are in judging that to be good which you cannot entertaine with contentment but a godly man findes these two things as sure notes of the true evill in every sin 1. Feare before and in admission of it 2. Paine and repentance after and that ever a Chilo damnum lucro turpi se pretulisse dixit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laert. in Chil. 5 When you see two crosse counsels weigh well these two things 1. the Counsellors 2. the Reasons First weigh the Counsellors consider well who they are that stand up to oppose God and you shall finde that which may disable their testimony they can be but one of
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for thâ— shall be filled o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 5.6 It is not every velleity cold wish which entitles 〈◊〉 this promise every weak appetite and desire of meate and drinke is not huâ—gring and thirsting when you are impatient and long much after him then you shall be filled * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is borrowed from feeding or foddering of cattell and it imports this that though now you are put to graze upon the dry and barren mountaines yet if you long after more then the faithfull shepheard of Israel that leadeth Ioseph like a flock will put you into green pastures and feed and fill you by the waters of rest Gods band is shut because your hearts are shut hath he not said Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it the first grace is given without precedent desires God stound of them that seek him not but this grace that we speak of is given to them that seek it 2 Desires when they are high beget endeavours like themselves They beget endeavours strong and vigorous and the more you labour the more you will get therefore blow up your desires by the bellowes of meditation sit downe and consider what it is to enjoy God and what to want him these thoughts if they abide will fire you out of the bed of sloath and sleepe in which you lye 2 Bewaile your selves and your state before God sit downe and mourne Direct 2. Bewaile 1. your losse mourne I say for 1 your losse for 2 the cause 1 Bewaile your losse take up a lamentation and say p Vis Parisiens de Rhetor. divin c. 26. woe is me for my God my life is departed from me and how am I changed I was as the tree plant by the rivers side spreading and fairishing and my fruits were faire 〈◊〉 full but alas now I am become 〈◊〉 tree in the desart withering and shall 〈◊〉 both fruits and leaves My sweet Spâ—â—â— is turned into a sad Autumn my first day is were my best dayes my last dayes at my worst dayes I was filled with liâ—â—â— and life but now my sight is dimmâ—d my strength is wasted time was whâ—â— faith had life in me and I had life by 〈◊〉 but now oh wofull over-spreading 〈◊〉 cloudes of darknesse and incredulity 〈◊〉 my pleasant dayes of life and lustre at fled away and the bonds of death haâ—â— taken hold of me my soule was the temple and throne of Christ and I received daily oracles from his mounâ— but now I am the habitation and Region of vanity and darknesse what sweetness did I finde in flights aloft when it was my greatest solace to bee with God 〈◊〉 but now I that was as a star in heaven am fallen into deeps of vanity and an become to my selfe as gall and wormwood my soule was an enclosed garden and the chiefest of ten thousands did walk in the shadow of the trees and was delighted in their fruits but now the fence is downe my love is gone the beasts breake in and Sharon is become a desart time was when the thoughts of sin did pierce me and the remembrance of God lift me up to the third heavens but now my heart hath lost its fence the things that I know have not their ancient strength my teares which were as pleasant waters to my taste which I could poure out before my God are gone that melting of heart which was my joy is vanished my heart is frozen the spring is stopped the heart of flesh is become a heart of stone that blessed society of graces those holy desires those heavenly dispositions which did meete in a happy conjunction in my soule seeme now scattered and to lye in chaines whiles the troopes of hell doe hold all in possession my soul that did walk with an heavenly guard of divine graces lyeth now like Daniel in the den among devouring Lions oh how was I wont to meet God and what communion had I one 〈◊〉 with him but now he hides himself and will not come at me I pray anâ— he heares not I hearken after him but he speakes not I call but he answereth not oh those golden dayes will they never more returne I was wont to be feasted in my fathers house the fatted calfe was killed and the ring and the best garments were put upon me but now I am forsaken and not owned I go hungry and naked and feed among the hogs and in this I am more miserable then they because I was a son 〈◊〉 is a misery to have been happy Lord if I had never knowne thee I could have lived without thee but this is my misery not so much that I am without thee as that I have lost thee q Miserius est perdidisse quam omnino non accepisse Tertul. de poenit many are well without thee because they never enjoyed thee the children of beggers and slaves count it not their misery that they are not Princes but it is a bitter evill when the children of Princes shall become beggars Thus then betake thy selfe to these sad thoughts make thy closet an house of mourning breath out thy sighs send forth thy groanes poure out thy teares rend thine heart cast up thy weeping eyes with the sad complaints of a bleeding soule to thine ancient friend thou maist prevaile upon him though he have forsaken thee yet hee hath not forgotten thee he hath not forgotten himselfe and all the kindnesse that hee hath shewed thee he cannot hold from comming when thou canst not hold from calling the melting of thy heart causeth the earning of his bowels can the mother forbeare when the childe cryeth God will not deny mercy to the mourners Blessed are the mourners for they shall be comforted Mat. 5.4 In two Cases especially God will not deny mercy God will not deny mercy to mourners when the sorrow of his people is great ingenuous 1 When the sorrows of his people are great First when sorrows are great then his compassions are drawne out when the woman came with a troubled spirit pouring out tears upon the feete of Christ and wiping them with the haire of her head the Christ poured out comfort upon her and sent her away with the pardon of all her sins Luke 7. And when Zion saâ— in the dust melting her selfe in heavinesse and crying My God hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten me when she was tossed and afflicted and not comforted then God came in and opened a well in the desert and in the deeps of her trouble did no longer conceale himselfe but brake out in a most gracious protestation of his love Can a woman forget her sucking childe that she should 〈◊〉 have compassion on the fruit of her wombe yet will I not forget thee Behold I have graven thee upon the palmes of my hands thy wals are continually before me Esay 49.14 15. The
you may be urgent wrest the dore open 〈◊〉 strong prayers it shuts not because you should not enter but because you should knock aske leave to enter the barres of the gate are mercy thy prayers are like Petards to breake way into the City therefore turne thy feares into hopes thy complaints into prayers thy lamentation into supplication and Christ will turn thy darknesse into light thy deadnesse into life thy bondage into liberty thy weaknesse into strength Fourthly Direct 4. Working and endeavouring you must set your hands to the worke for it is in vaine to expect that God should help you if you will not help your selves you must use your hands as well as your tongues e Levemus corda nostra cum manibus ad Deum qui orat laborat cor levat ad Deum cum manibus qui orat non laborat cor levat ad Deum non manus qui c. necesse est cor in oratione ad Deum levare manus cum operatione ad Deum extendere Bern. de Mod. bene vivend lib. 51. eisdem pene verbis Hieronym in Lament 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aeschyl in Pers idle beggers must be whipped he that will not work must not eate Remember what I have said you have a life in you if you be in Christ as you have a life so there is a never-failing presence of the Spirit to attend that power which you have if then you put forth your selves to what you are able and as far as your power extends God will draw neare to you It is true that which you want is out of your reach you are not able to make crooked things to become straite and lay those swelling mountaines of corruption levell but yet yoâ— must set to the worke Ioshua could noâ— with the strength of Rams horneâ— sounding cast down the wals of Ierichâ— but yet he must set upon the worke when the Midianites fall there must be the Sword of the Lord and of Gideoâ— Judges 7.18 The father holdeth aâ— apple to the childe the childe cannâ—â— reach it yet his short arme must be pâ—â— forth and then the father whose armâ—â— is long enough will reach it to himâ— you must be doing Before I come to shew what is to be done For you have a power it wil be needful to convince you that men regenerate have power to doe something of themselves for oftentimes men misunderstanding the state of regeneration doe either excuse the 〈◊〉 negligence by pretended inability 〈◊〉 sit downe discouraged as having no power in their hands at all how often doe they complaine and sigh in vaine alas I am nothing of my selfe except God give me a heart and strength what can I doe I can doe nothing c. To these I say that these conclusions are ill drawne from a true principle which is this that all is of God and that by nature we are dead but it is ill urged in this case for that the regenerate have a power to doe good appeares Because life 1. because they are living and all life is a power to act Else no difference betwixt regenerate and unregenerate 2. else there is no specificall difference betwixt a man regenerate and unregenerate if both were still dead and without strength 3 Grace is a renewing of that Image of God and holinesse which we lost in Adam Ephes 4.24 but that was a power to doe what God required Grace reneweth that which Adam had therefore so far as that Image is repaired so far there is a power 4 Else we should not have as much benefit by the second Adam Else wee have not so much by the second Adam as by the first as we had by the first the first would have communicated his power to do good and being corrupted doth communicate power to sin therefore much more by Christ have we a power to doe good in our measure Object It may be objected that it is said John 15.5 Without me yee can doe nothing So that it seemeth that we have not power in our selves Sol. The meaning is except you be implanted into me ye can doe nothing the word without me f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scorsim a me Caly. Camer c. signifieth separate from me or apart from me and intimateth this only that till we be knit unto Christ we are but dead and barren branches and so Christ explaines himselfe ver 4. As the branch cannot bring forth fruit of it selfe except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in mee Object Phil. 2.13 It is God which worketh both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Answ The place proves what I say g Vide Zanch. in loc that the Saints have a power it is true it is of God therefore we should work out our salvation in humility not boasting in our selves for all is received of God More fully God is said to work the will and the deed 1 By giving habituall grace a renewed frame of heart 2 In exciting and strengthning this grace And both these are ever afforded to the Saints only the latter is more and lesse according to his pleasure so that in the worst times a Christian hath a power to doe good though not alike at all times And this power you must use and put forth your selves as you are able else you cannot with reason expect his help a Ship hath instruments of motion though not an internall principle and if the Mariner would have help by the windes he must loose his Cables and hoise his sailes so must you or else you may lie still Now that which you are to doe is Things to be done First stir up your selves 1 To stir up your selves for God hath promised to meete you and to reach out his hand to help you if you be not wanting h Fas non est ut qui ipse guavus est vel amicos agere suâ causa jubeat nedum ipsos Deos. Demost Olynth 2. Apud Dominum utraque haec sibi necessario congruunt ut oratione operatio operatione fulciatur oratio Hieron in Lament cap. 3. to your selves it is certaine a godly man cannot by the strength of his endeavours alone raise up his soule nor recover his losse though he should lay mountain upon mountain and pile endeavours upon endeavours yet he could not reach that life he seeks but the strength of all our endeavours is the grace and promise of God a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys hom 22. ad Antioch but as endeavours without God cannot so God without endeavours will not therefore labour to quicken your selves that is work upon your hearts by your understandings as the striking of the flint and steele together begetteth fire so the meeting of these two faculties having an internall life in them do quicken the soule God hath made the understanding the guide and treasure
of the soule upon this altar lyeth the fire of God if these coales be blowed up and cast upon the heart they will warme melt purge and quicken it There are two things in a renewed minde 1 A treasure of habituall knowledge You have 1. a treasure of knowledge it is the ark of God in which the tables of the law are kept the mystery of the Gospell is engraven on it so that the minde is as the head to the body which gives sence and motion to all the members spirituall truths are as the spirits in the head for the quickning of the soul 2 There is a power to use and improve these truths Power to use it by meditation and application i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer to awaken and provoke the will as a man hath power to counsell and perswade another so he may doe this to himselfe by this discursive faculty so we see David pleading with himselfe sometimes chiding Why art thou cast downe oh my soule and why art thou disquieted within me Psal 42.5 sometimes exciting himselfe to duty Praise the Lord oh my soule and all that is within me praise his holy name Psal 103.1 Sometime comforting himselfe in God Returne to thy rest oh my soule for God hath dealt bountifully with thee Psal 116.7 it was a usuall thing with him to talke with himselfe the minde hath a language as well as the body My reins teach me in the night season Psal 16.7 he found so much good in this way that he puts all upon it Commune with your hearts upon your beds and be still Psal 4.4 Bring out those truths which are laid up in you and whet them upon your selves God hath fitted you with faculties and powers to doe this you have an apprehensive faculty to lay in truths and notions a retentive faculty to lay them up and a recollective faculty to lay out you have not only power of intelligence but also of reminiscence that you may call to minde and ponder of things knowne and call them out of the Cels in which they lye to revive the heart the understanding is to the heart as the breast to the childe or as the stomach to the body all is fed by it set therefore upon your hearts with quickning thoughts for as rubbing and chafing the hands or other parts with hot oyles is a means to recover them when they are benummed so the plying of the heart with stirring thoughts enforcing arguments is a meanes to revive it among all thoughts there are none more prevalent then of sins past of heaven hell eternity love of God the death of Christ Rules helping to quicken the heart by the understanding these are strong cordials to cheare up the spirits To help you in this worke of dealing with your hearts let mee propound these rules 1 Make every notion practicall let the heart share with the understanding count not your selves better for a thousand notions except there bee some heate in them minde your hearts and strive to gain by all things if you reade or heare or discourse let your ayme and desire be to better your hearts 2 Be frequent in thoughts for mindlesse men are livelesse 3 Be ponderous for slight thoughts are weak in working 4 Pitch upon things which most concerne you all are good but some are more seasonable 5 Observe the temper of thy heart what may work most all thoughts have not the like efficacy in all the constitutions of mens soules differ learne to know your tempers 6 When thoughts begin to take hold ply them keep the fire burning and let it not goe out for want of blowing 7 Arme your thoughts with prayer beseech God to be in them Thus then employ your mindes this is Gods way God will keep his method which he hath set he hath appointed the minde to this office and he will not balke it Kings doe all by their officers God comes not himselfe into the inward temple but by this gate all his workings upon the heart are in a rationall way sutable to the state of the creature hee deales with the heart by the minde and upon the whole man by the heart as the first pipe takes in water for it selfe and for all the rest what ever is in the cistern of the heart is conveighed by the minde this is the spring in the watch of your soules winde up this and all the wheeles will move 2 Attend the ordinances Attend the Ordinances I will say no more of this having met with it before 3 Take the help of the Saints crave their counsels Seek help of the Saints their prayers use their company for they are living and they will impart their life they will be helpfull to the infirme they have a spirit of compassion to succour the necessitous Woe be to him that is alone if he fal who shall raise him up it may bee your forsaking the assembly of these hath brought you into this withering state God hath appointed the Saints unto fellowship and when they knit not but carelesly out of pride vaine feares or envy or any the like ungodly principle they hang off from each other they shall not prosper 4 Doe your first workes Doe your first works this is the counsell of Christ to a back sliding Church Apoc. 2.5 Doe your first workes for quantity as much as you did you see abatement hath impoverished you therefore work harder to make up your selves againe Doe them also as much as you are able for quality as you did before remember from whence you are fallen call to minde with what feare with what reverence with what diligence with what intention of spirit with what tendernesse you were wont to doe all so do againe Object Alas I cannot this is my misery if I could doe as I have done I could rejoyce Answ 1 You may doe more then you doe 2 See if the fault lie not more in the defect of will then of power and stir up your selves if you were more willing things would be more easie k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazianz. De patre suo adictionem Episcopi Caesariensis prosecturo cum valetudinarius sevex est Orat. 20. 3 The more you strive the more yâ—â— will gaine the root of discouragement is unbeliefe when God bids you repent hee knoweth how little you strength is and how hard your heaâ—s are and so when he bids you pray heâ—â— knoweth your infirmities what thâ—â— are both those of Infancy and defectâ—â— grace and those of sicknesse by deâ—â—ning from him and his intent is not thaâ— you should worke out these alone but he cals upon you to put to your streÌ„gth and he will joyne with you and will gâ—â— hand in hand with you l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aeschyl apud Stob. therefore awaken your selves and be encouraged for if you be doing he will worke with you in you for you And so you may recover
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
that which hath been said before But not alwayes a signe of a declined heart For 1. it may be more was done then should I adde in way of satisfaction these considerations 1 It may be that which was done before was more then should have beene another men are apt to fall short so a godly man is apt to exceed especially when his necessities pinch him and when the feares of God lye heavy upon his soule then he neither mindeth businesse nor friends nor himselfe but is so intent upon this one thing as if it were the only thing which he had to minde I have spoken largely before how a man may know when he doth so much as that he may with comfort walk in his way 2 The abundance of doing Measure of doing varieth with occasions is to rise and fall according to occasions when a man is in straits hee may and must doe much yea more then is required at other times 3 God may give lesse opportunity for the same abundance of holy duties at all times God may give lesse opportunity hee may put them upon such conditions and employments as may take them up more as a woman when she is marryed by the variety of occasions that attend that state may bee deprived of some opportunities which shee had when she was free There is difference betweene a wife and a virgin shee that is unmaried careth for the things that belong to the Lord how she may please the Lord but shee that is married careth for the things of the world how she may please her husband 1 Cor. 7.14 The Apostle meaneth not that the married care not for the things of God but that that condition will bring distractions yea and by Gods appointment doth put them upon such things that they cannot have that fulnesse of time for exercises of godlinesse which they had in a single state in all abatements of spirituall action a speciall eye must bee had to the cause for if either we thrust our selves into a thicket of businesses unnecessarily or have lost that edge of holy desires and dispositions which wee had wee have here cause to lament our elongation from God CHAP. XXXII Other false Rules causing mistake in judgement THird false Rule Third false Rule More stirring of corruption More stirring of corruptions because men feele greater workings of lusts and corruptions then before they think that God is not with them as before but in way of satisfaction to these as I must needs grant that this also is an ill signe yet I will demonstrate that it may be the case of a man who is as full of God as ever 1 Distinguish betwixt corruptions formally considered and effectively considered But 1. distinguish betwixt corruptions considered formally effectively there may be many motions to sin which are not corruptions then they are corruptions when they do corrupt and deprave the heart Christ himselfe had motions to sin though not rising from himselfe but caused by the tempter so that his soule was but as a glasse of pure water jogged and though the motions to sin which arise from that sinfulnesse in us are formally and in interpretation of the Law sins yet except they take hold of the heart and doe infect it they are not corruptions not such as argue lesse of God nay as when a man lives in an unhealthfull and infectious ayre the power of God is much seen in keeping him up in health so the power of the Spirit is much put forth in that soule which is kept sound from the plague in the midst of infectious and poysonous workings and foamings of that sinfulnesse within it was the Apostles case he had some burning lust like a splent or coale in his flesh but God kept him My grace is sufficient for thee r Sufficit mihi gratia tua cum desicit virtus mea Bern. apud Cornel. Ã lapide in locum for my strength is made perfect in weaknesse 2 Cor. 12.9 2 A man may have more occasions to stir corruptions then before Occasions of sin may be more then have beene and occasions to lusts are as winde to the Seas or fuell to the fire it may be you thought better of your selves then you had cause you might think you had more meeknesse when you were lesse angry but it may bee your anger was not so much not because your meeknesse was great but because your offences were few know this that occasions do not so much beget as bring forth corruptions 3 It may be your lusts have not more life but they seeme so Lusts may seeme to have more life when it is not so because you have more 1 More light to see them at first grace is busie about the outward man and grosser sins but afterwards it descends into the lower and more retyred parts of the soule and by the candle of God searcheth the hidden deepes and finding still new worlds of sin you are apt to thinke you are worse then you were the puddle smels when it is stirred but as the Sun sheweth a great deale of dust in the ayre yet you know it was there before though not seen before so c. 2 There is more sense when there was but little life many lusts might work unfelt but now every touch of sin is felt and so you may thinke amisse that you have more when indeed the cause is not encrease of sin but of grace the Apostle made nothing of lustings and many other things till grace had incorporated it selfe and made him quick to feele the bitter and stinging workings of it Rom. 7. 4 It may be your life hath been in a continuall tumult and warfare It may bee lusts had not time to work with great afflictions of body and minde so that corruptions had no time to worke but now being brought to a greater calme they begin to stir In a tempestuous day the birds hide themselves in the hedges and the Conies in their holes but when the stormes are past then they come forth while Rome was held in wars and while the Athenians were busied by the Lacedemonians their owne dissentions and internall evils lay asleep but when they had rest then that which lay hid brake forth to their great hurt we see men that are serious laden with weighty concernments living in croudes of affaires or distracted with great cares and feares are free from many vices in their lives which breake out when they have more liberty Consider well if there be not some eminent change in your conditions for a calme estate is subject to many inconveniences in this kinde but it is not because lusts have more life but because they have more advantage 5 God may permit Satan to worke in men Often stirring of lusts works their death and suffer their corruptions to bee drawne out that they may bee more mortified Then we take up armes and fight much when wee see our
3 This testimony is holy holy formally originally effectively it makes holy more humble more contrite more watchfull more zealous more thankfull c. That assurance which breeds vanity contempt of ordinances neglect of duties security in sinne is deceitfull and abominable Thus of the Efficient cause The matter of comfort now the matter of spirituall comfort followeth That which is comfortable must bee such as can in some measure satisfie and fill the desire and appetite of the soule for so long as desire is held from her object there is an unrest and unquietnesse in the heart there will be a whining and crying of spirit there is paine in hunger grief in want now as desire is an extension or reaching of the soule after something futable so it is not satisfied But 1 Eyther by possession of the thing 2 Or by hope and expectation So that the proper object of spirituall comfort is 1 Things spirituall given to us and received by us here as the light of Gods countenance the quicknings of his spirit subduing of lusts successe in our prayers tasts of heaven c. 2 Things promised as in the former desire is turned into joy and the accomplishment of desire becomes a tree of life Prov. 13.12 so here it becommeth hope and this hope giveth comfort it is the Anchor of the soule and the best cure of sorrow in the want of things future y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee are saved by hope Rom. 8.24 The maine things of our life and happinesse for eternity are ours onely in the promise z Hoc ipsum quod Christiani sumus spei est Cypr. de boo pat Concerning these things note 1 That the promise gives as strong comfort to faith as things present to sense yea greater For 1 The things to come are greater 2 More permanent 1 Cor. 13. 3 Sure a Fidelis futura veluti praesentia possidet magis ea adesse putat quam praesentia Clem. Alex. so that faith makes them as present Heb. 11.1 2 The soule may have the comfort of hope yet lose that of sense it may finde the way sad when it beleeves the end will be sweet 3 If a man lose the life and comfort of hope hee loseth the comfort of sense his way will bee sad who is afflicted about his end 4 According to the strength of faith and hopes claime comfort is advanced when hope fluctuates and lookes for eternall life onely as possible or probable then comfort also is unstable and weake but when it lookes upon it as certainly future then the heart hath a full rest Now having seene the nature and Causes Comfort may bee lost let us come to the defectibility of Comfort It may be lost the tenure of grace and peace is not the same in point of Comfort we are but tenants at will and may in a moment be turned out of a heavē upon earth into a hell upon earth Comfort is not of the being but well being of the Saints it is rather a reward than grace and belongs rather to glorification than sanctification Not joy makes a Christian but grace as it is the light not the warmth of the sunne that makes day so that this may faile 1. God may suspend his testimony or 2. Hee may let in Satan to afflict or 3. Hide himselfe and not meet them in approches to him in combats for him c. I must cut my selfe short here for I see the booke swels bigger than I desire Let this therefore suffice for entrance into the businesse it selfe CHAP. XXXV Of the state and degrees of this sad condition NOw I come to the sad state of the soule wanting the comforts of the Holy Ghost God withdrawing himselfe in respect of that gracious effusion of his mercy and manifestation of his love to the soule shutting up those sweet streames of refreshment which were wont to flow Here I will speake of 1 The Case 2 The Cure The state of a deserted and disconsolate soule requires to consider of 1 The nature of it 2 Degrees of it 3 Effects of it 4 Cause of it First then let us see what it is It is an eminent and abiding uncomfortablenesse of heart towards God or a losse of that comfort which the soule was wont to have in God 1 It is a losse of comfort in God A man may have much unquietnesse It is a losse of comfort towards God and yet not be in this case we speake of discomfort except the object of it bee Gods displeasure or departure makes not a deserted case A man may be afflicted in his spirit many waies yet Gods wonted presence may continue As the conscience of some sinne may cause much sadnesse and mourning eyther some sinne stirring or some sinne acted may much afflict but trouble of reluctance or sorrow of repentance are there and will be there where God is most present Paul is a patterne in the first Romanes 7. and David in the other Psal 51. The sinnes of others may disquiet Rivers of teares runne downe mine eyes because men keepe not thy lawes Psal 119. Lot Ezra all that have most of God have most of these sorrowes and these sorrowes are no miseries but mercies there is much sweetnesse in this temper The troubles of the Churches may in a way of compassion and sympathy afflict yea outward afflictions may in a naturall way paine the spirit for a time and the soule may mourne because of its deficiencies and poverty wanting that compleatnesse of holinesse which it desireth b Non perfecte de aliquo gaudet cui non sufficit Aquin though present degrees of grace are sweet yea because sweete the soule is not contented being in a state of want it will be in motion till it attaine the fulnesse Philip. 3.12 but desertion imports a losse of comfort in God 2 It is a losse of usuall comfort as the former kinde of desertions is a losse of usuall quicknings A losse of usuall comfort so this is a losse of usuall quietnesse And as there are seasons in which God gives more of himselfe in way of quickning then he will constantly continue so he gives comfort sometimes in such fulnesse as shall not alwaies abide Not of extraordinary comfort every day is not a feasting day Paul was taken up into the third heavens but he came downe againe the Sunne doth not alwaies shine in an equall lustre God sometimes gives coruscations of glory but like lightnings they shut in againe As a father sometimes sends for his sonnes from schoole and makes merry with them at home but these play times come not every day they must to schoole againe and live under tutors and governours till they come to full age God opens himselfe much at some times 1 In speciall approaches of the soule to him then a man seeth and tasteth such things that hee is loth to depart but these comforts though
height of living and joyfull converse with God he is like the prodigall brought to another life to feed upon huskes with swine instead of bread in his Fathers house Many such there are who had reviving tasts of Iesus Christ and did rejoyce to see the streames of the well of Life sweetly flowing and with overflowing abundantly filling the Saints and themselves with comfort but now the tree in the midst of their paradise is to them like the withered fig-tree the shadow and fruit of it ceaseth and they are miserable in the losse of that which is the happinesse of those that have it and herein their misery is so much the greater by how much they count it less Is it not a sad thing to see a man so degenerated that he can live without his life and rest out of his place that place where hee hath had such peace and such contentment Oh here is an heavie spectacle a man hath lost his estate and he grieves hee hath lost his name or health or c. and he grieves but hee hath lost his God and yet hee mournes not he saith it is well alas hee is not himselfe when the day breakes and the Sun sends out her beames into this darke region when a spirit of truth and life shall brings this wandring creature home againe and cause him to bee himselfe then you shall see the man acting another part alas what amazement will ceaze upon him how will he melt that is now frozen how will hee bee afflicted to see himselfe and his case in which now he lieth as quiet as Peter in his chaines Acts 12. 4. Degree When not onely losse of comfort but affliction of soule Degree when God not onely suspends his comforts but afflicteth the soule not only not continuing the staffe of living bread but feeding them with the bread of sorrow and affliction which he doth diverse waies 1. 1. By rebukes of spirit 4. waies By rebukes of spirit the Spirit of God comes sometimes in a way of displeasure and chides and rebukes the soule this David found which maketh him often cry and mourne as the child whom his Father rebuketh this chiding is 1. A conviction of sin not onely of the fact but of the sinfulnesse God sometimes comes to set out a sin unto man and then it is very dreadful such a terror and astonishment ceazeth upon him by a full sight and sense of sinne as that if there bee not a supporting hand of grace and mercy extended to him he cannot stand under it Sin is a strange thing and if God should pull off the visage of this monster and discover fully the fearefull nature of it it would be a but then too heavie to be borne now then when God conceales his love and reveales guilt it must needs be bitter when a man seeth his inditement but hath not his pardon it must needs bee grievous 2. Opening the desert of sin and shewing a man into what a gulfe he hath cast himselfe that now in justice and in sentence of Law he stands condemned to eternall death when the grace of the promise is obscured and the justice of the Law lively presented it must needs cause a man to feare much Now saith God see what I may doe I may cause all thy welfare to passe away like a cloud and bring in a deluge of woes upon thee I might shut thee by a decreed banishment from my presence and cast thee as a stone that is hurled from a sling into hell for ever Such words as these are heavier than mountaines when the soule seeth that vastnesse of eternity filled with death and sufferings and seeth not the refuge in the Gospel this is a great shaking to the soule 3 By holding the eye upon these sad things so that whithersoever a man turnes his sinne is with him and hell before him the cry of sinne and the curse of the law is ever in his eares My sinne is ever before me Psal 51.3 It was also Iobs sad case that the sinnes which he thought he had beene rid of long agoe returned upon him and did so cleave to him as if they had been his possession Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth thou puttest my feete also into the stockes c. Job 13.26 27. this is an heavy thing when God continueth in this way of displeasure breaking the spirit with these grievous charges 4 By menacing outward or inward troubles as he did to David when hee had sinned greatly against him he told him what he would doe how he would follow him with evills for ever and that his posterity should rue his folly and when he had numbred the people what a severe way did God take now temporary evills especially spirituall are often very grievous when God shall say I will shut up my peace and my comforts from thee thou rebell and ungratefull wretch thou shalt no more see my face as thou hast done others shall drinke but thou shalt thirst others shall rejoyce but thou shalt mourne I will no more meete thee as I have done I will spare thy life but I will not shew thee my favour all thy dayes thou shalt live dubiously and dye anxiously I say when these words are heard what an heavy case is this how did David even wast himselfe with grieving when God did estrange himselfe Psal 32. Psal 51. But when God shall menace not onely this but hell and eternall death this is farre more grievous but this God doth even to his owne and sets it on so strongly that hee makes often their spirits to waste and their strength to consume David and Heman were drenched in these deepes and how grievous were their complaints 2. 2. By tradition of the soule 1. Into its own hands By tradition of the soule 1. Into its owne hands the heart of a man is the greatest tyrant and cruellest monster against it selfe it is more a divell than the divell he needs no furies to fulfill his troubles who is given up unto an accusing spirit e Nihil est miserius quam animus hominis conscius Plaut This is grievous it hath cries clamors stripes stings wounds deaths it will be law witnesse plaintife judge executioner chaines rackes gibbets what not hee hath a hell within him that is in such a case For consider 1. The temper and nature of the soule it is receptive of much evill and misery and very active and this activity is improved to selfe affliction 1. Byguilt which is as powder to the flames or as the windes to seas which makes them to rage and boyle 2. By the weapons which the heart disquieted hath against it selfe an eternall God and a just Law 3. By unbeleefe by which the soule is made naked to her owne blowes a guilty conscience strikes the promise out of a mans hand and drawes the sword and sheathes it in the soule it undermines
1. Sleeping 2 Awakened First for the sleeping Christian First in the sleeping soule when he falls from a comfortable enjoyment of God as he is senselesse in a great measure so he is 1 Carelesse he sets not himselfe to regaine his lost friend but lyeth bound in chaines of sloath and sleepe as it is supposed David did till Nathan came to him to rouze him out of that slumbring state It is strange to consider how farre a living man may be overtaken with fits of deadnesse and how hee may bee so infatuated that he may bee robbed of his comfort as Sampson was of his strength when hee was asleepe 2 Declining in affection and vigour of an holy walking with God he now is hardly drawne to him and soone drawne from him hee comes unwillingly and abides with him unchearefully he comes slowly and goeth quickly having lost his first love he hangs the wing and flags in duties 3 Aptnesse to be drawne to evill having lost his comfort and his ancient vigour hee is easily perswaded to start from God God lyeth lower in his affection which is the bond of the soule and being cooled in love hee is more easily overcome while the soule is delighted in God it easily contemneth all vaine delights but now it becomes a prey to Satan in his tentations Solomon fell strangely when hee fell from God The heart will pitch upon something and if it have not its contentment in God it will hunt for it in the world hence it is that many descend from heaven to earth and fall from a glorious height of comfort in and from God to a worldly and sensuall condition feeding upon vanities and filling themselves with the creature so that their life is but a diversion to present contentments Now from these dull and sleeping persons In the awakened wee come next to such as are awakened to view what operation this mournfull state hath in them Among these there are different workings Evill Good First of the evill effects or consequents Evill effects 1 Heartlesse complaint this is found in some Heartlesse complaint who though they are in a degree sensible of their losse yet are not sensible enough so that though they complaine and grieve yet their sorrowes are not deepe enough they feele a burthen upon their spirits but they can beare it the heart is affected but not afflicted 2 A fruitlesse complaint Fruitlesse some are of a whining temper apt to fill the eares of all their familiars with sad relations of their mournefull case but there is little else to be found besides complaints the soule humbleth not himselfe before God nor contends in prayer nor striveth by the ordinances and holy walking to finde what it hath lost These men are like the sicke man who lyeth grieving himselfe but no way seeking in earnest to help himselfe or like Issachar crouching under his burthens Such spirits as these are of a stubborne temper and they have cause to expect such multiplyed uncomfortablenesse as shall enforce them to seeke after God with more seriousnesse and strength David stucke and came not off to a full endeavour of reconcilement with God till night and day the hand of God was heavie upon him so that his moy sture was turned into the drought of Summer Psal 32.4 3 Great unquietnesse g Afflictuâ— vitam in tenebris luctuque trahebam virg Aenead 2. Great unquietnesse in some the apprehension of losse of communion with God and sight of his displeasure workes to the height indeed yea so farre that it workes a Fever or rather a frenzy in the soule 1 Hard thoughts of God as if God were implacably incensed and so departed Hard thoughts of God that he would never more returne that he hath forgotten to bee gracious and hath shut up his mercy for ever so that there is no hope hee will not heare my prayer he hath passed a doome upon me and it must stand He is in one minde and who can turne him and what his soule desireth even that he doth he performeth the thing that is appointed for me therefore am I troubled at his presence when I consider I am affraid of him for God maketh my heart soft and the Almighty troubleth me Job 23.13 Sadnesse and feare cloud the understanding and cause monstrous apprehensions h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys hom 2. ad Antioch 2 Hard thoughts of themselves reflecting upon the time past as on a course of hypocrisie Of themselves upon the time present as a state of death and looking upon the future as without hope my sinnes are so mighty that they wil not be subdued and so many that they will not be pardoned God cannot shew mercy to me I shall surely dye I am counted with them that goe downe into the pit free among the dead like the slaine that lye in the grave whom thou remembrest no more and they are cut off by thine hand Psal 88.4 5. Thou hast removed my soule farre from peace and I forgot prosperity And I said My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord Dreadfull passions Lamentat 3.17 18. 3 Dreadfull passions as tremblings and shakings Feare came upon me and trembling which made all my bones to shake Job 4.14 The haire of my head stood up i Id propterea fit quod inâ—rorsum refugiunt spiritus cutemque destituunt Becm de orig ling. lâ—t obstuâ—ui ste â—erantque come Virg. vers 15. Marke me and be astonished when I remember I am afraid and trembling taketh hold of my flesh Job 21.5 6. sometimes also roarings are heard from these men My bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long Psal 32.3 My sighing commeth before I eate and my roarings are poured out like the waters Job 3.24 Yea so great is the anguish that oftentimes the body is wasted I am as a man that hath no strength Psal 88.4 k Animi aegriâ—udo morbus potentissimus animi dolor corporis languorem parit Comicus Vid Aquin. 1.2 q. 3â— a. 4. Yea sometimes they are tyred and weary of themselves and of life My soule is weary of my life Job 10.1 Wherefore is life given to him that is in misery and light unto the bitter in soule which long for death but it commeth not and digge for it more than for hid treasures which rejoyce exceedingly and are glad when they can finde the grave Why is life given to a man whose way is bid and whom God hath hedged up Job 3.20 21 22 23. In a word they thinke they can never complaine enough they account their misery beyond all words Oh that my griefe were throughly weighed and my calamity laid in the ballance together for now it would be heavier than the sand of the Sea therefore my words are swallowed up or I want words to expresse my griefe for the arrowes of the Almighty are with me the poyson whereof drinketh up my spirit the
terrours of God doe set themselves in array against me Job 6.2 3 4. And when the soule hath exceeded all eloquence and past almost all humane bounds of language and expression it is not satisfied but thinkes it falls exceeding short of uttering her misery My stroak is heavier than my groaning Job 23.2 But all this is not a right carriage of the spirit such passions would befit such as have a God without mercy and distresse without a promise and without a redeemer Faith is suspended when these clamours are heard and the soule forgets the freenesse and fulnesse of grace when it is thus transported out of it self and from its hopes Secondly Good effects The good effects of such uncomfortable eclipses of Gods favour and presence follow which are 1 Sorrow great sorrow thou hidst thy face and I was troubled Sorrow Psal 30.6 the heart should not yea if it be in due temper cannot rest without God his absence is worthy to bee lamented whose presence is most worthy to bee prized 2 Longing desires of Gods gracious returne Desire after God the soule thinkes delaies grievous m Etiam celeritas in desiderio est mora P. Syri Desideranti invisa est quaevis mora desiderium acuit absentis vicinitas post spem omne desiderium impatientissimum est Quamdiu differtur spes aeternorum affligitur anima fidelium i.e. vel pro dilatione bonorum quae amat velpro illulion malorum quae tolerat Beda hope deferred maketh the heart sicke Prov. 13.12 The Church saith she was sicke of love Cant. 5.8 The heart that hath had a sense of Gods sweet presence cannot bee satisfied without him but counts all things nothing till it regaine him who is to her as the Sunne to the world and the soule to the body 3 Repentance and humbling of soule Repentance it seekes what unhappy and accursed thing hath raised this cloud betwixt God and her and falls downe at his feet confessing weeping and begging his favour in Jesus Christ willingly grieved and ashamed it counts not this sorrow bitternesse but hath some sweetnesse in it n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. Lachryma animae amarae dulces sunt amarae propter absentiam boni dulces propter certitudinem inveniendi c. Savanarol med in Psal Qui Regis Israel 4 Subjection to all conditions of agreement It saith Subjection Lord impose demand what thou wilt I count nothing too deare for thee I count the gaine of the whole world losse for thee and will deny my selfe for thee If my heart draw backe draw it on to thee as farre as I am able to sacrifice my selfe to thee I doe it Thus the soul sets on towards God inquires for him in all meanes will not be put off it falls not by despaire or sleepes in sloth but faith holds up hope and hope keepes up indeavours and it cannot be quiet without God There are two maine Causes of the restlessenesse of the soule without God Causes why the soul cannot bee quiet in this case First The condition of the subject 1 Tender the soule but especially in a beleever From the subject when hee is in a living state is very sensible of any evill especially of the greatest evill Tender a mans sorrow is as his sight is therefore where hee seeth God and hath a knowledge of him in his excellencie the losse of him is grievous o Summi deloris causa summum gaudium est Sen. all evils on the body are but as the rending of the garment but griefe in the soule is as the tearing of the flesh A wounded spirit who can beare Prov. 18.14 outward evils are but as the breaking of the out-works All sense in the body is from the soule therefore the soule must needs be most sensible 2. It is spirituall 2. Spiritual if the body bee in miserie externall things may helpe in sicknesse physick p Omnes humanos sanat medicina dolores Propert. Eleg. l. 2. in want reliefe in famine bread c. but when the soule is in distresse all the world is but like a great cipher it amounts to nothing Heaven and earth is but as a shadow nothing but God can quiet q Tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia quietum aspicere quiescere est Bern. in Cant. 23. As the body is not satisfied with things spirituall so the soule is not contented with things corporall there must bee a fitnesse in the object else it moves not as the eare is not pleased with light and colours nor the eye with sounds The soule therefore being spirituall must meet with that which is spirituall and proper for it else it is not contented every living creature hath an appetite and sense carried to some things and out of that compasse it hath no quiet as take a beast and you shall never satisfie him but with pastures and such things as he affects and take a man and he must have other things things of higher worth sutable to his nature and take a spirituall man whose soule is illuminated and drawne out to higher and more spirituall things and him you cannot quiet with a thousand worlds without interest in Christ and the favour of God the spirituall man is carried to things spirituall as the naturall man to things naturall And as a naturall man cannot be quieted without naturall accommodations and enjoyment of such things as sute with him so the spirituall man cannot have rest without his spirituall treasure 3. It hath pitched upon God by faith and hope It hath pitched upon God it hath devolved it selfe upon him and that for eternity and in the businesse of life and death Now if a man were passing over a deepe and swift torrent and when hee is upon these deepes shall feele the bridge cracking and sinking it must needs let in a sea of feares and amazement upon him And how can it bee that when a man seeth the vastnesse of eternity the greatnesse of sinne the terrors of the wrath that burnes like fire and hath in his agonie throwne himselfe upon God in Christ and now is doubtfull whether Christ will owne him or take any care of him I say how can it bee but hee should bee in great distresse at such a time when God withdrawes his comforts every thing that may afflict stands forth in greatest strength now death is death and sin is sin and the soule feeles the weight of every load comfort lightens all burthens and when Christ is present all evils vanish and discouragements scatter as a mist but when that is gone then those evils gather like clouds of fire and blood over the soule and those miseries which did lie as conquered men doe rise up with renewed strength and what a sad time is this when the soule seeth her danger and not her refuge her wounds but not her cure nay to see him that is her only trust not onely not to
be with her but against him it hath chosen him as her chiefe treasure therefore can no more be without him than without her selfe 4. It hath had hopes of Gods favour time hath beene It hath had hopes when it saw it selfe in the armes of Christ and walked with some assurance that it had a friend in Heaven and therefore seeing now her hopes to wither and those golden daies to passe as a pleasant dreame it cannot but be much afflicted This shall be the bitternesse of the anguish of unsound hearts at last who after they have fed their soules with hope and have run out their daies in a paradise of imaginary happinesse finde when they come to die all those joyes and all that confidence to spend themselves like a vapour and the leane kine to eate up the fat sorrow and everlasting perdition comming instead of joy and salvation which they looked for oh who can utter this misery a man hurled from a pinacle of high and glorious hopes into a depth of eternall woe By this wee may guesse what it is for a deserted soule that hath reckoned long upon high things and now seeth such a change that it is forced to count it selfe deceived and to exchange her living hopes for killing feares and whereas she thought her selfe a child to bee cast forth as a stranger yea as an enemy 5. It hath had much in communion with God and Christ 5. It did enjoy God time was when the man was kindly used when God conversed with him as a man with his friend when he invited him often and entertained him in love and powred in much of heaven upon him therefore now to see God estranging himselfe yea frowning chiding arming against him cannot but bee a cutting to his soule David having lost the liberties of the ordinances which were better than his kingdome to him sits downe in heavinesse as one taught by the experience of his former happinesse the deeper to lament his present misery When I remember these things I powre out my soule in me for I had gone with the multitude I had gone with them to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise with a multitude that kept holy day Ps 42.4 And this was the affliction of the Church that she lost him in whose presence she had received such abundant comfort Cant. 5. the more the soule hath had of God the more bitter is her losse of him Secondly 2. From the object in respect of 1. Quality of it the object is such as if you weigh it you will see that a man cannot be at rest when God holds back and leaves him in this dolefull case Consider first the quality of the object there are three things in God which cause the wound of an afflicted spirit to bleed much 1. 1. Goodnesse Goodnesse because God is good therefore his disfavour is a great affliction this sweet balme the heart in such a day will turne into a sharpe corrosive and out of this sea of comfort will draw bitter waters this golden mine which is a rich treasure unto others yeelds that which the heart turnes into iron rods and sharpe swords to wound it selfe For first if it apprehend his goodnesse to bee his kindnesse and gracious disposition to pitty and mercy then it reason heavily oh unhappy wretch that there should bee so sweet a fountaine and I should not drinke of it that streames should flow forth towards thousands none to me I envie not others happinesse but I lament mine owne misery that I should die in the midst of life and perish in the midst of salvation God is so good so ready to shew mercy that sure he is highly incensed against mee who seeke and call and cry yet am not relieved if my wickednesse were not very great yea if I were in his heart at all surely he that is so good in himselfe and unto thousands would not thus reject me I am tossed night and day and carry an hell in my soule continually and if I were not as an enemie in his eye if I were a child his bowels would not hold I should surely be received who can reckon the heavy conclusions which the heart will draw against it selfe it is so disposed to its owne hurt that not onely against faith but against reason it will afflict it selfe turning the Sun into darknesse and the Moone into blood setching misery out of mercy and hell out of heaven Or if secondly the goodnesse of God be taken for his holinesse and perfection then they reason thus surely I am very evill whom goodnesse rejects if I had any sparke of good in me God would not cast me off but certainely he seeth my abundant naughtines therfore he setteth himselfe against me Thus sundry waies the goodnesse of God makes the hiding of his face and the manifestation of his displeasure to be very grievous 2. Greatnesse When a man apprehends the Majesty of God the feare of his disfavour fals heavy upon him Who knoweth the power of thine anger even according to thy feare so is thy wrath Ps 99.11 The favour of a man of power is of much worth and there is power in his wrath The wrath of a King is as the roaring of a Lion but his favour is as dew upon the grasse Prov. 19.12 The wrath of the God of power is terrible as thunder a Fulmen est ubi cum potentia habitat iracundia Sen. and as b Leonis voci tontus naturaliter inest terror ut multa animantium quae per celeritatem possent impetum ejus evadere rugientis ej us sonitu velut quadam vi attonita atquâ—â—icta deficiant Ambr. hexam lib. 6. cap. 3. the beasts fall downe astonished at the roaring of a Lion so the soule is overwhelmed when so glorious Majestie is incensed In God there is a twofold power A power first of Authority which is that power by which 1. He despenseth all things as having all in his hand as absolute Lord and Soveraigne And what a misery is this that he that hath eternall life and death heaven and hell in his power should seeme to be against a man this is the fulnesse of all evill when hee upon whose will all things depend becomes ones enemie the losse of a particular comfort and contentment is great but how much worse is the losse of all 2. By which hee judgeth all God being the Supreme Lord holds this royalty that all men and Angels are accountable to him in all things now to apprehend that the Judge of all the world will not shew mercy but will proceed in strictnesse of justice especially when a man knoweth that he is guilty many waies and that God is privie to all his sins must needs bee a sore shaking to the soule Though all friends and ministers yea though all Angels come in to comfort yet it will not satisfie because they are but subjects God is supreme
a death in him we trust that he will yet deliver us 2. Cor. 1.10 4. It workes more closing with Christ the death of comfort occasions a greater life and strength towards Christ both in desire of him and dependance upon him and for this cause God shakes the soule with earthquakes that it may stand faster upon its true basis and foundation that which at first brings the soule to Christ is his worth and our need and the more wee see our selves necessitous the more our hearts gather in to Christ the soule must have some rest and if it finde none within nor without it is carried to Christ as Noahs Dove to the Arke That which is the first coard to draw to him hath also a strength to bind to him therefore God gives his people sad visions of sin and wrath that by being shaken they may roote themselves more in Christ this was Gods great â—ime to set up his Son as the hope and helpe of his people and as that glorious meanes by which hee may diffuse the beames of his mercy and love upon men and hee loves to see the Saints advancing him by flying to him and abiding in him And the more they goe forth to Christ and seeke the Father in the Son the more they are blessed Christ is the rock of the Saints and when they are knit to it they stand fast the nearer they are to Christ the nearer are they to all happinesse God will not looke friendly upon the soule but through Christ he will not poure out the spirit of comfort but through him and as comfort comes by comming so the oftner the soule comes and the more it converseth with Christ and resteth on him the more comfort it will finde at last Christ will tell you many secrets and open his fathers bosome to you when you stick close to him And this advantage comes by desertions that the soule is so frighted with those stormes which it met with that it is afraid to bee any more out of its harbour but seekes to dwell under the wing of Christ and to keepe closer to him than ever it did before and so this affliction brings forth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse in them which are exercised thereby Heb. 12.11 Cause 4 4. Cause The correcting and healing of some evill in his people He doth it for their profit that they may be partakers of his holinesse Heb. 12.10 There are many things in the Saints which are very repugnant to that filiall state in which they are set by grace and it is no wonder if God take such courses wherein he seemes not to bee a father to them that are not as children to him I will instance in some particular evils which God will not beare with but doth visit in his people with this and other rods 1. Deadnesse and dulnesse of heart Sometimes living men are in a livelesse state their hearts are so benummed that they seeme to lye among the dead the former vigor and activity of their graces is gone and they are become barren and unfruitfull now as in a lethargie or apoplexie Physitians use strong and sharpe medicines so God casts the soule into a feaver to get off this stupidity and hangs their soules over the mouth of hell and makes them to drink of that cup of red Wine the dregs whereof the wicked of the earth shall wring out and drinke Ps 75.8 that by this strong potion he may quicken their dull and sleepie spirits Deadnesse is such a state in which a man is neither receptive nor active neither fit to receive good nor to do good and such a case is not tolerable for in this Gods ends are stopped for he calleth out his people to be vessels to receive mercy to hold forth his name but he can doe neither that is dead Nature it selfe loves not a dead thing it is both unusefull and uncomely for where life faileth there is corruption as in the body a mortified member doth putrifie and not onely it selfe but others therefore as a man useth all meanes to recover the life and spirits in his body so God doth with his people David lay in a slumbering drousinesse a long time but at last when he lay like Ionah sleeping by the sides of the ship hee sent a storme into his soule to awake him then he revives like another man 2. Fearelesnesse of God this is a temper to which the Saints are apt to grow as Children are wont to grow sawcy and presumptuously malepert and irreverent till the fathers frowne and majesticke austerenesse take down their spirit God will not be carelesly dealt with though he allow us confidence and holy boldnesse in approach to him and converse with him yet he expects a due sense of his Majestie and greatnesse Let us have grace whereby we may serve God with reverence and godly feare for our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.28 29. Though he be a father yet he is a terrible an holy and an Almighty God And therefore to correct the sinfull boldnesse of his people and to cause them to stand in awe of him hee sometimes shuts in his favour and keeps state by concealing himselfe as the Persian Kings shunned familiaritie and were seldome seene that they might be more a Persona Regis sub specie majestatis occulitur Iust l. 1. honoured The feare of God is one of the maine pillars of his throne and so farre as he is not our feare he is not our God therefore he hath ever shewed himselfe in his power and greatnesse unto men when he came to give the Law hee came in great Majesty with fire blacknesse and darknesse and tempest and the sound of a Trumpet c. and so terrible was the sight that Moses said I exceedingly feare and quake Heb. 12.18 19 21. yea and in the Gospell it was foretold that God would shew wonders in Heaven above and signes in the earth beneath blood fire and vapour of smoake the Sun shall be turned into darknesse and the Moone into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord come Ioel. 2.31 Rom. 10.13 Acts 2.19 20 21. When he came to publish peace to the Gentiles hee came with great terror in judgement upon the Jewes and struck off the branch naturall that the Gentiles might not be high minded but feare Rom. 11.20 And in particular persons he so workes by intermixtures of frownes and favours majesty and mercy that they may learne to walke as those Churches did In the feare of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Ghost Acts 9.31 It is not a servile seare or a feare of discouragement which God expects but a feare of reverence a feare intermixed and tempered with love there is a great difference in feares a man feares a beast and runs from him a man feares an enemie but hates him but a child feares his Father and loves him yea therefore hee feares because hee loves they shall feare the
Lord and his goodnesse Hos 3.5 3. Slightnesse of heart there is a certaine wantonnesse and trifling disposition in the heart that men are apt to bee superficial and imperfect in their waies and this God visits upon them 1. Dallying with sinne they will be playing with snares and baits and allow a secret liberty in the heart to sin conniving and winking at many workings of it and not setting upon mortification with earnest indeavours though they be convinced yet they are not perswaded to arise with all their might against the Lords enemies but doe his worke negligently which is an accursed thing and for this cause God casteth them upon sore straits The Israelites should have done the worke perfectly when they were commanded to roote out the Canaanites but because they were slack and did it but by the halfes therefore God left them as a scourge and as briars and thornes to be alwaies an affliction to them When you are pressed to fight for Christ and have taken up armes against the rebels in your hearts if you fight not with all your strength and pursue the victory to the utmost till you finde your enemies dead before you God may give you into their hands to lead you into captivity and to hold you in chaines that will eate into your soules and may in this distresse stand afarre off as one that knoweth you not 2. Dallying with duties men doe them as if they did them not without heart in a loose lazy formall livelesse manner and when there is such idlenesse and negligence and indisposednesse God comes in a way of anger to whip up the slothfull and unfaithfull spirit Duties of godlinesse are not onely a debt to God but a reward to us therefore in slightnesse there is not onely unfaithfulnesse but unthankfulnesse also both the Majesty and the Mercy of God is despised and can God be well pleased with such things Remember the Wisemans counsell Whatsoever thine hand findeth to doe doe it with thy might Eccles 9.10 You are in an evill frame of heart when you can doe the weighty things of God with slightnesse and because you serve God so hee therefore comes with a kinde of expulsion and banishment and throweth you out of his sight that you see what it is to dallie with God 3 Dallying with Ordinances Slight and carelesse attendance upon them God comes in a way of gracious condiscension and stoopes downe with offers of grace and mercy to poore dust and sets before them Jesus Christ the most precious treasure of heaven and earth and calls them to a neare conjunction and communion with himself and holds forth precious promises of life but what is the carriage of the soule It neyther mindes these nor vouchsafeth God in all his goodnesse so much as a looke or if it be affected yet but little it makes no great haste nor useth much sollicitousnesse or pains about the matter but as if the things were of no great importance it is very moderate and easie in making towards them neither that high hand that holds them forth nor that bloud that bought them nor that worth that is in them workes much but all is slighted and therefore God comes in the quarrell of these high things to vindicate them from our contempt and teacheth the soule by the sense of misery to value mercy and by the feare of hell to prize Christ and to be more serious in the Ordinances as meanes of that good which they have learned to esteeme by the want of it The Apostles rule is to worke out our salvation with feare and trembling Phil. 2.12 Salvation is a tender businesse and of great concernment and therefore will not be dallyed with What thinke you Shall God set that before you which is better than the world for you to abuse you your selves take away the bread when the childe playeth with it and shall the bread of life be slighted shall God stand waiting upon you with calls and calls and with gracious offers and will you dally with him Hence is that black cloud which now darkens the heavens over you You are growne wanton and except the Gospel come in a dresse to please you you slight it therefore God puts you into straits and then you will come with a stomack b Num tibi cum sauces urit sitis aurea quaeris pocula Hor. Ser. l. 1. Sat. 2. and in earnest 4. Living too much upon the creature Quest When is that Ans 1. When it takes up so much of a mans time strength thoughts affections When a man lives too much on the creature spirits that he is unfitted for God when the soule is sicke with a surfet of the world drunk with cares feares delights so that the heart is stollen away and an indisposednesse groweth upon the soule towards God This was Solomons case till God fetched him by imbittering his waies to him The world is allowed for a way or Inne in our travells but not for our home to be a staffe in our hand but not to have a throne in our hearts For this cause God raines downe wrath and bitternesse upon our spirits to weane us from the world and thrusts out Hagar to give Sarah more full possession 2 When a man cannot be without the world When it gaines so much in our opinion and affection that we thinke there is no life or subsistence without it this is that for which God comes and takes off the soule with a storme and rescueth the poore captive with violence that was held in chaines and makes him to see of how little use these things are in an evill day When the soule falls to adulterous leagues with the world that they are so conjoyned that it lives and dieth with the world God brings his bill of divorce and turnes off as it were the disloyall soule to her miserable lovers that it may see the folly and wickednesse of its way 3 When a man can live without Christ the pleasantnesse and abundance of earthly contentments have so bewitched him that he becomes like a Prince that hath such fulnesse that hee can raigne without Christ and saith in his heart as those We are Lords we will come no more unto thee Jer. 2.31 Oh what unworthy carriage is this What is Christ shut out that the world may raigne Expect God saying and doing to you as he did to them Can a maid forget her ornaments or a bride her attire yet my people have forgotten me daies without number Thou shalt goe forth with thine hands upon thine head for the Lord hath rejected thy confidences and thou shalt not prosper in them Jer. 2.32 37. While the Sun shines and the Sea is calme you may sport your selves in the deepe but when the storme comes then the harbour will be precious God will teach you that your life is in Christ and in a day of feares and affrightments of soul you will say None but Christ none but Christ God
will bring all the enemies of Christ under his feete and if there be a treacherous disposition like Ioab exalting Adoniah into the throne of David God will bring it downe Christ must have his owne place the throne must not be given to another If you so set up the world that you count it happinesse and seeke it more than Christ and are more carefull to leave this then Christ unto your children God will arme himselfe against you to subdue this treacherous conspiracy and rebellion against his anointed 5 Intractablenesse and stiffenesse of heart this is another cause of the clouding of our comfort God deales with the heart by coards of mercies and by bonds of affliction but mercies move not and afflictions prevaile not therefore God takes another course as Physicians when gentle meanes profit not apply sharper God wil not lose any whom he hath called therefore if they be stubborn and stand like rocks against all ordinary meanes he will come upon the tenderest part and use the sharpest way and when he comes in stormes and clouds who can abide it his rebukes are more terrible than thunder The spirit of a man may sustaine his infirmities but a wounded spirit who can beare Now the soule is hard set and comes upon her knees to submit her selfe and melts like waxe and yeelds to any thing it seeth an absolute necessity of agreement with God when it is beleaguerd with such trouble on every side David had enough upon him to have humbled him but his heart was strong till God put the cup of trembling into his hand and this wrought so that it fetched up all and brought the man in frame Clay is easily molded but the marble must have many blowes the Sun beames will melt the soft but brasse must be put into the fire A tender sprig is easily nipped but a stiffe Oake must be hacked and hewed before it falls A stout spirit brings much sorrow upon it It is a grievous temper if it be not bowed to God it groweth worse and worse if it be bowed it is often with great violence in naturall causes resistance increaseth the vigour and operation of contraries when fire and water meet in strong opposition how doth the stronger rage till he have got the victory If a man enter the lists with a stout a strong Antagonist he calls up all his spirits and power that he may get the conquest If a King send to deale with rebells if neither proffers nor patience nor counsells nor favours can prevaile he armes himselfe against them God will overcome if faire meanes doe not the worke then he awakes himselfe as a Lyon and comes as a man of warre and le ts flye his arrowes into the soule Iob 6.4 God tryed Ephraim divers waies but his heart yeelded not at last when warning pieces did not bring him God mounts his Canons against him and gives him a broad side For the iniquity of his covetousnesse I was wroth Isay 57.16.17 and then hee strikes sayle and yeelds Ierem. 31.19 6. Rigidnesse and unmercifulnesse to the spirituall state of others the Saints are sometimes much wanting in bowells of pitty and tendernesse and apt by censures neglects contempts and rough dealing to break the bruised reed it is hard to pitty much till they have felt much for this cause Christ was a man of sorrowes that we might be assured of his compassion c Haudignara mali miseris succurrere disco Dido Virg In all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithfull High Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people for in that he himselfe hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Heb. 2.17 18. God chooseth broken vessels to powre comfort into that it may diffuse it selfe upon others Whether we be afflicted it is for your consolation 2 Cor. 1.6 Sense of the paines of a wounded spirit makes the heart tender and God loves such a spirit he abhorres pride insolence and unmercifulnesse in all but most in his children It is very unnaturall for fellow-members to be incompassionate one to another The relation requires love and love calls for mercy Christ is full of meeknesse and will not quench the smoaking flaxe nor breake the bruised reede and he that abounds in mercy loves mercy What if thy brother be low in gifts and grace yet know you not that the beauty of Christs body is made up as of the summetry and congruity so of the inequality of members and the least infant in grace is as the apple of his eye take heed of destroying by your uncharitable carriage the Temple of Christ or causing those to grieve whom he would not have grieved Is it for you whom he hath spared to deale so with your fellow servant your hard dealing is the way to bring you into prison and to lay you in chaines What if he be poore and meane yet looke not over him with disdaine Have not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons James 2.1 In this you are corrupt Judges Iudges of evill thoughts ver 4. these are chosen of God rich in faith heires of the Kingdome ver 5. If ye despise the poore it will occasion men to blaspheme that worthy name by which you are called ver 7. The Law saith If thou love thy neighbour as thy selfe ye doe well ver 8. You must be judged by this Law and hee shall have judgement without mercy that hath shewed no mercy ver 13. What if thy brother have many failings or have offended remember the rule Brethren if a man be overtaken with a fault restore such a one in the spirit of meekenesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted Be are ye one anothers burthens and so fulfill the Law of Christ Gal. 6.1.20 Edoms sinne was great because he added affliction to Iacobs troubles Thou shouldest not have spoken proudly in the day of distresse c. As thou hast done it shall be done to thee thy reward shall returne upon thine owne head Obad. 12.15 7. Some great transgression there are dayly infirmities which have a pardon in course but though God be mercifull to the weaknesse of his servants yet if they sinne willingly and put out the light of Counsell he will put out the light of comfort If they breake the bonds of his government he will cast them into bonds of distresse David is a visible and knowne patterne in this case Sometimes the Saints take head and run like the wilde asse in the desart till her moneth come in which she hath tâ—avell and sorrow and sometimes they wound the honor of the gospel so bring a wound upon themselves a sword is sheathed in their soules and sometimes they will run to their old waies and this reneweth their old feares and breeds new troubles sometimes they lye long unhumbled
till God awake them with rods and raise them by kindling a fire about them rebellion brings many loads disobedience and impenitence are springs of bitternesse a fire comes out of this bramble to burne the Cedar of Lebanon Cause 5 5. Cause to shew that He is the God of all comfort 2 Cor. 1.4 He keepes the cisterne empty that wee may looke to the Clouds above that the pleasant fruit of peace hath her rootes in Heaven our owne hearts though they may bee planted with pleasant trees yet of themselves bring forth nothing but bryars And God loves to shew himselfe the Lord of these treasures of comfort that the heart may have no dependance but in him and that it may alwaies feare because hee can soone turne the clearesâ— day into the darkest night Comfort is not given us in absolute possession but wee are alwaies tenants at will If God will hee can in a moment lay our hopes and joyes in the dust and strip us of all our garments of joy and turne us into mourning And as light in the aire but as water not in the spring I but in the vessell so it may soone bee cut off God needs not goe farre to feeke a rod to whip us with if he doe but withdraw his comforting Spirit our spirit will soone proove an afflicting spirit The peace of the soule is by vertue of the power and presence of God but if hee depart all is in uproare our owne thoughts will bee as scourges the Roman Emperours kept Lions to destroy the Christians and our hearts are grates and dens of Lions if God let them loose on the rendings that are by them if God keepe not garrison the enemies will breake in so that all our peace is from him the brightest starre that shines most with light of comfort derives it from the Sun of righteousnesse And therefore that they may have a sight of that darke and dismall nature of their owne hearts he shuts in his light and then when the soule lieth in a mournefull and distressed case in deepes where it findes no nottome and whence none can deliver when a man seeth al creatures standing as dead pictures and reckons himselfe past all hope then I say God sheweth himselfe to bee the God of comfort by commanding light to shine out of darknesse and quieting the high and raging stormes which did beare downe all before them Cause 6 6. Cause To revive their esteeme of mercy When a man is first brought out of Babylon bee is as those that dreame the heart is full of gladnesse and the mouth of praise the birds sing sweetly in the spring When a man is newly brought out of the pit and delivered from the sorrowes of death which did compasse him about and from the paines of hell which gate hold of him while the prints of the chaine are on him and the scarres of his hurt remaine he saith as David I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplications Psal 116.1 I was brought low and he helped me Returne unto thy rest oh my soule for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee For thou hast delivered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feet from falling The soule is in a float at present but when the daies of mercy continue the remembrance of the daies of sorrow weares off and the fire of love begins to abate and Christ is not of so high account though at first hee was the chiefest of ten thousands the joy of their hearts yet now his love and kindnesse groweth stale therefore God sends back the soule into her old prison to feele the weight of her ancient irons and chaines and causeth her to put on her old cast garments of mourning that sackcloth and ashes which shee wore in the daies of old that by laying this rod upon her as the Prophet spread himselfe upon the dead child a new life comes into the dying love and now mercy is raised to its former price and Christ is advanced on high now the soule returnes with redoubled strength and with multiplied and increased thankfulnesse Cause 7 7. Cause That others may be instructed Sometimes God chuseth the most eminent to set them out as demonstrations of this That assurance is not essentiall to holinesse that their conjunction is not indissoluble weake ones might have thought their cause worse if they had seene much grace alwaies attended with abundant joy but now God sheweth that comfort and rejoycing is not alwaies the portion of the Saints that so in their darke nights when they see no light they may live in hope that the Sun will rise though their way be a darke way it may be a sure way 8. Cause Cause 8 To fit for speciall service They that goe downe into the deepes see many wonders which others know not Experience gives wisedome Many are kept in a low way and have neither strong feares nor strong joyes these are not as Davids Worthies but are Christians of the lower rank common souldiers many are carried much aloft in great hopes and flashes of joy but they much overlooke the things below many infirmities and failings lye undiscovered But when God fetches the soule downe and sets it to dig beneath this man is more enlarged in true wisedome and holinesse and carrieth a fuller knowledge of sinne and Christ and of hell and heaven than other doe and so is made a stronger and more compleat man As he that hath beene in all conditions and hath travelled through sea and land and seene many Countries gaines an excellency by his experience above others An bome-bred spirit is a low spirit God will not doe much with many but leaves them to this worke mainely to save their owne soules but he will use some as his agents and factors in his great designes and affaires of mercy therefore traines them up to the knowledge of heights and depths Some are ordinary passengers and it is enough for them to looke to themselves being able to doe but little for others but some must bee Pilots and therefore must bee acquainted with winds and seas and rocks and sands that they may not onely save themselves but others Afflictions come not empty handed but like a darke cloud bring much after them there are many things which a man cannot learne in bookes but hee must learne it in himselfe a Scholler may read and acquaint himselfe with the Art of navigation but that will not make him a good Marriner nor will the studie of warre make a souldier but experience makes both God doth all as in great freedome so in great wisedome and having appointed men to severall ends he leads them in severall ends and workes them in severall moulds out of the same lump hee makes some differing from others in forme quantity and excellency some metall which is for highest use he casts often into the fire It may bee God may call you out to suffer much for him and
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