A Child of Light Walking in Darkness, Part 1 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
The particulars of the diſtreſſe, contained in theſe two phraſes: Walking in Darkneſſe; Having no Light.
THe ſecond thing to be enquired into is,What is His condition whileſt hee walkes in darkneſſe, &c. What is the condition of ſuch an one who is thus in darkneſſe, and who hath no light? Which I will ſo farre diſcover, as the phraſes uſed here will give light into, by the help of other Scriptures.
Firſt,§. 1. as expreſt, 1. by having no light. he is ſaid to have no light: Light ſaith the Apoſtle, Epheſ. 5. 13. is that whereby things are made manifeſt; that is, to the ſenſe of ſight, to which, light properly belongs: and as light, and faith, are here ſevered as you ſee; ſo ſight alſo is in 2 Cor. 5. 7. diſtinguiſhed from faith, Heb. 11. 1.which is the evidence of things abſent and not ſeene: Light diſtinct from faith.when therefore, here he ſayes, he hath no light, the meaning is, he wants all preſent ſenſible teſtimonies of Gods favour to him; he ſees nothing that may give ſenſible preſent witneſſe of it to him: Gods favour, and his owne graces, and all the ſenſible tokens and evidences thereof, which are apprehended by ſpirituall ſight, are become all as abſent things, as if they were not, or never had been; that light which ordinarily diſcovers theſe as preſent, he is cleane deprived of.
To underſtand this,A threefold light added to faith to cauſe aſſurance. wee muſt know, that God to helpe our faith (which, as I ſaid before, is diſtinguiſht from ſight, as we now ſpeake of it) vouchſafeth a threefold light to his people, to adde aſſurance and joy to their faith; which is to faith, as a backe of ſteele to a bow to ſtrengthen it, and made to be taken off, or put on to it at Gods good pleaſure.
Firſt,1. The immediate light of Gods countenance: the immediate light of his countenance, which is a cleare evident beame and revelation of Gods favour, immediately teſtifying that wee are his, which is called the ſealing of the Spirit, received after beleeving. Epheſ. 1. 13. which David deſired, and rejoyced in more then in all worldly things. Lord lift up the light of thy countenance: Pſal. 4. 6.in which, more or leſſe, in ſome glimpſes of it ſome of Gods people have the priviledge to walke with joy, from day to day: Pſal. 89. 15. They ſhall walke in the light of thy countenance, in thy name ſhall they rejoyce all day. which he may want,And this is here utterly withdrawne: and it may thus come to paſſe; that the ſoule in regard of any ſenſe or ſight of this, may bee left in that caſe that Saul really was left in: 1 Sam. 28. 15. God is departed from me, and anſwers me not, neither by Prophets, nor by dreames: though with this difference, that God was really departed from Saul, but to theſe, but in their owne apprehenſions: yet ſo, as for ought they can ſee of him, God is departed cleane from them; anſwers them neither by prayer, nor by word,proved. nor by conference; they cannot get one good look from him:Jonah 2. 4. Such was Ionahs caſe, I am caſt out of thy ſight, that is, he could not get a ſight of him; not one ſmile, not one glaunce or caſt of his countenance, not a beame of comfort, and ſo thought himſelfe caſt out. And ſo hee dealt with David often, and ſometimes a long time together, Pſal. 13. 1. How long wilt thou hide thy face from mee: and Pſal. 89. 46. How long, &c. even ſo long as David puts God in remembrance, and pleades how ſhort a time in all he had to live, and complaines, how in much of that time his 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 withcontinued 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 …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 Starlight 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, onelyonly 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 comfor…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.