the guilt of it doth binde us over Which power of his is not that of the Iudge in sentencing to death or casting men to hell which is a speciall flower of Christs Crowne who Rev. 1. 18. hath the keyes of hell death at his girdle of Gods who is therefore onely to be feared because he onely can cast body and soule into hell Nor is it as if he were the main tormenter and executioner of mens souls after that great day seeing that they are to be tormented by that fire which in common was prepared for the devills themselves And who is it that doth torment them but it is therefore principally meant 1. of that power and advantage he obtained over sinners when he had seduced them so as to come boldly as a pleader against them enabled with authority to urge Gods righteous law and word and to call upon and to provoke his justice to condemne poore sinners till Christ that righteous advocate dispoyled him of his pleas and power by that satisfaction of his which before the law had put into his hands and so Hee destroyed him that had the power of death and enervated all his pleas and terrours And 2. the meaning is that as he hath this power in Gods court so also in our consciences to urge the law upon us and to plead all that the Law sayes to thē under the Law and to increase in us the feares of that death by presenting to us the terrors of the Law to which in respect of naturall conscience men of themselves are subject all their life long And unto this later power hath that power of death there especiall reference for those words follow there v. 15. And because the children of God whilst in this life as they know but in part so they love but in part and so far as love remaines imperfect so farre feare which hath torment keepes possession 1 Iohn 4. 18. For it is perfect love only that casts out all feare And hence so far as slavish feare remaines so farre they may be subject to be terrified by him that hath power of death over those that are in any degree subject to the feare of it And 4. 4. He can excite the passions of feare and trembling of spirit Hee can immediately by his owne power stirre the passions of feare and griefe c. Excite them beyond nature as the windes can raise the billowes in the sea and make the floods to make a noise so can hee a tumult in the affections and put all the soule into an hurry and violent perturbation He is the Prince of the aiery part of the little world in man as well as of that elementary region in the great world and so can raise unnaturall stormes and vapours that shall darken reason and cause such thunders and lightnings as shall hurle all into a black confusion such as if hell and the soule would presently come together And though it is true that he cannot turne the streame and current of our affections back God onely can turne this Iordan back yet he can drive them faster and cause them to swell above their naturall channels that as a man possest hath the strēgth of ten men in him as that man Luke 8. 19. So shall the affections have that are blowne up by him As we may see in David what a strong minde doe we finde in him so needlesly to number the people 2 Sam. 24 against all reason as well as religion and the perswasion yea opposition not of Ioab onely but others also of his Counsellors the Captaines of the host a man would wonder that a man so holy and wise should bee so transported to doe an act so foolish as himselfe saw afterwards I have done very foolishly sayes hee ver 10. yea and so grossely sinfull as that it was abominable in the eyes of Ioab 1 Chron. 21. 6. one that seemeth by his other cariages to have had but nature in him But the devil was in it So verse the 1. Satan provoked David to number the people by raising up such an affection and inclination in him The like appeares in the affection of love which how strongly hath Satan drawne forth in some even to madnesse towards such as before and also after his fascination was overpast they have loathed and hated above all others is evident in stories by many instances And as he can raise up other passions in us so also feares and terrours jealousies and distrusts To feare where no feare is And thus he handled Saul when God left him to him An evill spirit from the Lord troubled him or as most reade it and our margent varies it terrified him 1 Sam. 16. 15. And in the raising up of these affections of feare and the like hee workes more then simply morally that is then by bare propounding such objects as shall move them which men onely can doe but further also Physically by stirring such humours in the body which such passions doe act and stirre in And so those humors in the body which shal put a man into a timorous and trembling disposition he can electively worke upon as he pleaseth And then also he can disturbe the phantasmes in the head the organs of the understanding as in him Luke 8. 35. Who through Satans working is intimated not to have beene in his right minde And when he hath thus distempered and disordered all in a man and put a man into such dispositions to feares c. then he comes with his suggestions and speakes nothing but of wrath and terrours and of the threatnings and of the hainousnesse of a mans sinnes the fearefulnesse of Gods wrath c. to the conscience that is troubled and then looke as when a mans choller is up every small thing provokes him so now when feare and melancholy are encited every suggestion every surmise doth striketh soule through and through with horrid feares and jealousies And thus though not immediatly yet through the meanes of these mists and vapours and fogges raised which environ and darken this sunne he workes upon the conscience and therefore we see by experience that he prevailes most in this sort of temptations with melancholly tēpers who dwelling in dark shops he much deceives with false colours and glosses And when affections are up and doe cloud the minde then multitudes of troublesome thoughts arise and every suggestion sutable to that passion takes and prevailes with a mans spirit as appeares by that speech of Christ Luke 24. 38. Why are you troubled or afraid and why doe thoughts arise in your hearts Passions like to heavy weights hung upon a clock do not onely make the wheeles the thoughts move faster but also perverts them wrests them the wrong way so as to a heart thus distempered all things come to be presented amisse even as to a bloodshot eye all things seeme red In a word as he deludes his Enthusiasts by setting on and backing thier false
face had beene hid from him ver 47. And the like was Hemans case and this also long even from his youth up Psal 88. 14 15. So from Iob Iob 13. 24. yea and from Christ himselfe My God my God why hast thou forsaken me But concerning this Quest you will aske how can this dealing of his stand with his everlasting love And how the want of it may stand with continued notwithstanding to the soule that hee should deale so with one he loves but especially how it may stand with the reall influence of his grace powerfully enabling the soule all that while to goe on to feare and obey him For the first Answ it may stand with his everlasting love Gods love still continued and God may be his God still as the Text tells us so Esa 54. 8. For a moment I have hid my face but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee It is but hiding his face and concealing his love as David concealed his love from Absalom when his bowels yearned towards him and God takes the liberty that other fathers have to shut His children out of his presence when he is angry and it is but for a moment that is in comparison of eternity though happily it should be thus with him during a mans whole life and he therefore takes liberty to doe it because he hath such an eternity of time to reveale his kindnesse in time enough for kisses and embraces and to poure forth his love in And for the second the reall gracious influences and effects of his favour may be continued and with the reall influence of grace upholding strengthening and carying on the soule still to obey and feare him whilest he yet conceales his favour For when Christ complained My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Deus se communicat vel qua beatus vel qua sanctus qua beatus gaudium gloriam qua sanctus gratiam Virumque voluntariè ideoque non utrumque simul necessario when as great an eclipse in regard of the light of Gods countenance was upon his spirit as was upon the earth yet hee never more obeyed God was never stronglier supported then at that time for then he was obeying to the death Like as wee see that when the Sunne is eclipsed though the earth wants the light of it yet not the influence thereof for the metals which are engendred in the bottome of the earth are concocted by the Sunne so as though the light of the Sunne comes not to them yet the influence and vertue of it doth and altereth and changeth them So doth Gods favour visit mens hearts in the power heate and vigorous influence of his grace when the light and comfort of it doth not but is intercluded The second light which God vouchsafeth his people ordinarily to help and â—eeke out their faith Light is of present graces is the sight and comfort of their owne graces unto which so many promises belong as of their love to his people feare of his name desire to obey him So that often when the Sunne is set yet Star-light appeares that is though that other the immediate presence and evidence of his favour shines not on the soule yet his graces therein appeare as tokens of that his love so as the soule knowes that there is a Sunne still that gives light to these Starres though it sees it not as in the night we know that there is a Sunne in another Horizon because the Starres we see have their light from it and we are sure that it will arise againe to us Now a soule that hath true grace in it which he also may want and goes on to obey God may also want light to see these his graces and looke upon his owne heart as empty of all And as they in the storme Acts 27. 20. so he in temptation may come to have neither Sun-light nor Star-light no light as in the Text. Thus Esay 63. 17. the Church there complaines that God had hardned them from his feare they were affraid feeling their hearts so hard that the feare of God was wanting which yet was there for they complaine of the want of it But yet thirdly though hee want the present light of Gods countenance Light may be taken for the remembrance of former graces and evidences and the sight of present graces yet he may have a comfortable remembrance of what once afore he had still left and so long is not utterly left in darknesse Therefore further know that the state of one that feares God and obeyes him may be such as he may have no comfortable light or remembrance of what grace c. formerly he had 2 Pet. 1. 9. One that hath true grace in him onely lackes the exercise of them for I take it that place is to be understood of a regenerate man because he was purged from sinne and is now said to lack grace because he doth not use it for idem est non habere non uti a man is said not to have that which he doth not use when he ought to use it especially in things whose worth lies wholly in use and imployment for it is as good as if he had it not now which he may want such a man may fall into such a blindnesse that he cannot see afarre off and so forgets his former assurance that he was purged from his old sins Yea it may be calls all into question Thus David in the 30. Psal 6 7. though his heart was but even now a little afore full of joy and assurance of Gods favour yet God did but hide his face and all was gone I was troubled sayes hee hee was thus blinde and could not see what was but a little past him as it is with men in a mist And the reason of these two last assertions is as evident as the experience thereof The reason of both For graces in us shine but with a borrowed light as the Starres doe with a light borrowed from the Sunne So that unlesse God will shine secretly and give light to thy graces and irradiate them thy graces will not appeare to comfort thee nor be at all a witnesse of Gods favour to assure thee For our spirit that is our graces never witnesse alone but if Gods Spirit joyneth not in testimony therewith it is silent The Spirit of God witnesseth with our spirits Rom. 8. 16. Now therefore when God hath withdrawne his testimony then the testimony of our hearts and of our owne graces hath no force in it But you will say Quest can a man have the exercise of grace and not know it Feare God c. and not discerne it Yes Answ and some graces may then be as much exercised in the heart as at any other time He may feare God as truely How grace may be exercised when not discerned and as much as ever and yet this feare have no
light in it to discover it selfe to him it may be in the heart in esse operari when not in cognosci it may have a being and a working there when not in thy apprehension The reason is The reason because as the influence of Gods favour may be really in the heart when the sense sight and light of it is withdrawne as was said before so the power of grace may in like maner bee in the heart when the light and comfort thereof is wanting And although it is true that every man having the power of reflecting upon his owne actions can discerne what thoughts are in him and what affections and can tell for the matter of them what he thinkes on and that he is grieved c. But yet so as he may still question whether those thoughts be acts of true and unfeigned faith and whether those affections of sorow for sin c. be sanctified affections holy and genuine and spirituall affections And the reason of the difference is because though the naturall spirit which is in a man knowes the things of a man as the Apostle hath it 1 Cor. 2. 11. that is his owne thoughts c. understanding them physically as they are acts of a man yet what is the true goodnesse of them morally Ierem. 17. in discerning This the spirit of a man is deceitfull and cannot know it without the supernaturall light of the Spirit of God who as he is the giver and actor of that grace in us so is given of God that we might know the things which are given us of God 1 Cor. 2. 8. 12. Light is sowen for the righteous and joy for the upright sayes the Psalmist Grace and the exercise of it is the seed which they continually scatter but light and joy is the crop that is to be reaped This seed often lies hid long though it will come up in the end Thus light or joy may be severed from grace and the comfort of it from the power of it Secondly §. 2. let us further consider the other phrase and what is intimated thereby to bee his condition What his condition is as exprest by walking in darknesse when as it is said he walkes in darknesse First to walke in darknesse implies to be in doubt whither to goe so Iohn 12. 35. Hee that walkes in darknesse knowes not whither he goes And thus the soule of one that feares God To be in doubt what will become of him may bee filled with doubts whether God will ever be mercifull to him yea or no and not know what God meanes to doe with him whether he shall goe to heaven or hell Psal 77. 7 8 9. Will the Lord be mercifull which speeches are spoken doubtingly for ver 10. hee sayes this was his infirmity to call this into question So Heman Psal 88. 5 6 11 12. Hee thought himselfe as one that was in hell Free among the dead that is as one admitted into the company of them there ver 5. free of that company as you use to say and of the number of those whom God no more remembred in such darknesse was he ver 6. And to raise him out of that condition was a thing hee doubted whether God would ever doe ver 10 11 12. Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead shall thy wonders be declared in the grave that is did God ever shew mercy to one that was in the same state that they in hell are in which is my state now yea so as to be out of hope So Lamen 3. 18. My hope is perished from the Lord. Secondly those in darknesse are apt to stumble at every thing Stumbling at all comforâ—s So Esay 59. 10. One effect of darknesse mentioned there is to stumble at noone day So take a soule that is left in darknesse and it will stumble at all it heares out of the word either in conference or at Sermons all it reades all promises it meetes with it is more discouraged by them Oh thinke they that there should be such glorious promises and not belong to us Such an one misapplies and misinterprets all Gods dealings and the Scriptures against himselfe and refuseth comfort as Psal 77. 2. Yea and as at the third verse when he remembers God he is troubled Thirdly darknesse is exceeding terrible and full of horrour Filled with terrors When children are in the darke they thinke they see fearefull sights it is therefore called the Horror of darknesse Gen. 15. 12. So his soule here may be filled with feares and terrours from Gods wrath and of Gods being an enemie to him Heman was almost distracted Psal 88. 15. and out of his wits with terrours So the Church thought Lament 3. Yea and concluded it for certaine that God was her enemy Surely he is turned against me ver 3. CHAP. III. The efficient causes of this distresse First the Spirit whether he hath any hand therein and how farre HAving thus explicated and proved this that this doth and may befall one who truely feares the Lord for the more full clearing of it I will further shew First the efficient causes Secondly the cases wherein Thirdly the ends for which God leaves his children in such distresses First The efficient causes of this distresse 3. for the efficient causes of this so wofull desperate darke condition of Gods childe they are three which have a hand in it First Gods Spirit Secondly a mans owne guilty and fearefull heart Thirdly Satan First §. 1. for Gods Spirit Although he hath a hand in some part of this disquietnesse 1. The Spirit yet we must take heed how we put upon him any of those doubts and desperate feares and conclusions whereby the childe of God calls his state into question For the Spirit is not the direct efficient or positive cause of them And to this end we may consider that knowne place not the cause of doubtfull and despairing thoughts Rom. 8. 16. Yee have not received the spirit of bondage to feare againe but the spirit of adoption the right understanding of which will also prevent an objection For some have alleadged this place as if the childe of God after he had once the Spirit sealing adoption to him could never after fall into apprehension of bondage that is into fears of eternall damnation any more or of being bound â—ver for hell and that this can befall him but once and that at his first conversion But if we marke the words well The Apostle affirmeth not that feares of bondage can never befall Gods childe againe but his scope is to shew that the Spirit which wee have received having been once become the Spirit of adoption that spirit is never after againe the spirit of bondage to us nor the cause of such feares indeed at first conversion and before he did witnesse adoption he then revealed our estates to us to be an estate of bondage which he then doth in love
sometimes seeme so angry that hee may throw away his childes petition and yet resolve to bee his father still It were infinite to reckon up all the false reasonings that soules in distresse have sometimes from a place of Scripture misunderstood and misapplyed some who being annoyed with blasphemous thoughts against God and Christ and his Spirit though they be their greatest affliction yet have thought they have sinned against the Holy Ghost upon the misapplying that place Mat. 12. 31. That blasphemy against the holy Ghost shall never bee forgiven whereas that place is meant onely but of some one kinde of blasphemy which indeed is wilfull blaspheming of God and the worke of his Spirit out of revenge Heb. 10. 29. So some because they have sinned after enlightning and tasting and fallen into some grosse sin thinke they shall never be renewed by reason of that place Heb. 6. 4. whereas he speaks of a wilfull and revengeful falling away with such a revēge as they would if they could crucifie Christ againe ver 6. For otherwise David had not beene renewed for hee sinned presumptuously 1 Sam. 12. 9. and despised the commandement So some if they heare but of some fearefull example and of Gods severe dealing with others how hee cast them off upon such a sinne as he did Saul they thinke and conclude that upon the commission of the like that God hath cast them off also But there is no certaine ground for such a thought for secret things belong to God So because some heare that there is a time after which God sometimes offers grace no more but sweares against some men therefore that their time is also past which they can have no ground for for though it bee true God doth so with many that heare the Gospell yet the word gives us no certaine rules to judge he hath done so by any of us It is good to feare least thou shouldst provoke him to it but thou hast no signe to feare hee hath done so with thee And indeed herein lyes the maine and first businesse to be done in raising up a troubled soule even to finde out the ground of their doubting and to examine the truth of it and confute it If a man be falsely imprisoned or cast in a suit at Law what doth he to remedy it he seekes to finde out the errour in the writ so doe thou search out the ground of thy trouble goe to some spirituall Lawyer skilled in Soule-worke keepe not the devils councell he opposeth nothing more then making your doubts knowen Direction 3. THe third direction I give to such is 3. To consider as indifferently what may make for them as against them that they keepe and lend one eare as well to heare and consider what makes for their comfort as unto what may make against them This direction meetes with a great infirmity of such as are in distresse who through Satans temptations have their hearts so deeply possessed with prejudiciall conceits of the misery of their estates that as the people of God in Exod. 6. 9. through the anguish of their hearts were so far distempered that they listned not to the good message which Moses brought them nor beleeved that so good newes could be true of them So are the soules of many that are in distresse so filled with anguish and sense of misery and so strongly prepossessed with desperate opinions and so farre put out of hopes that they reject all that is spoken for their comfort so as they will not so much as bee brought to cast an eye or a thought upon any thing that may be an occasion of comfort to them Like some prisoners at the barre through extremity of feare they cannot read that in their hearts and in the word which might save them Tell them of what God hath wrought for them and in them as evidences of his love and as they cannot so often they will not reade them over or if they do they reade them over but as a man doth a book he meanes to confute they picke quarrells and make objections at every thing that is said as if they were hired as Lawyers to pleade against themselves and to finde flawes in their evidences I have observed some who have set all their wits awork to strengthen all arguments and objections against themselves who have bin glad if they could object any thing which might puzzle those who have come to comfort them if they could hold argument against themselves as if they were disputing for the victory onely And thus through much poring upon and considering onely what might make against them they have had the bolts of their hearts so farre shot into despaire and fixed in desperate sorow and the true wards of sound evidences so farre wrung and wrested by false keyes that when the skilfullest and strongest comforters have come with true keyes to shoot back the bolt they would not turn about nay could scarce get entrance This was Davids infirmity as at the 10. verse of the 77. Psalme compared with the second verse My soule refuseth to be comforted he spilt all the cordialls and physicke that were brought him hee was not onely voide of comfort but refused it What bring mee promises to comfort me will such an one say you may as well cary them to one in hell or give physicke to a man past recovery and so will take downe nothing that is given them So also the Church in the third of the Lamentations ver 17 18. her heart was deeply possessed with a desperate apprehension My hope sayes shee is perished from the Lord. And what was it that shot her soule into so fixed despaire ver 17. Shee forgot all good she forgat that is she would not so much as take into consideration remembrance any thing that had beene comfortable to her All good so the originall that is all Gods former good and gracious dealings with her all the good things wrought in her and for her whence shee might have comfort and instead thereof what did her thoughts feed and chew upon onely wormwood and gall her bitternesse and distresse poring onely on what might make against her I said my hope was perished from the Lord calling to minde my affliction and my misery my wormwood and gall These shee could revolve and rowle up and down in her mind though they were bitter and would entertaine thoughts of nothing else But when on the contrary shee began to take into consideration Gods gracious faithfull supporting her in that very desertion in faithfulnesse renewing his mercies every morning ver 22 23. and that still he maintained in her heart a longing and lingring after him and a secret cleaving to him and that God did enable her to choose him as her portion ver 24. This I recall to minde sayes shee ver 21. which speech hath reference to those words fore recited which follow there therefore have I hope she spits out her wormwood