A Child of Light Walking in Darkness, Part 1 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
How our owne hearts are the cauſes of this darkneſſe: The principles therein, which are the cauſes of it.
TO ſpeake more particularly of either:
Firſt, that our own hearts ſhould be the cauſes and producers of ſuch diſtreſſe and darkneſſe, when the holy Ghoſt thus deales with us, is at all no wonder: becauſe
1. As we are creatures, §. 1.there is ſuch a weakneſſe and infirmity in us as David ſpeakes;1. By reaſon of our weakneſſe as we are creatures by reaſon of which, if God doth but hide himſelfe and withdraw his preſence, (which ſupporteth us in comfort, as in being) we are ready preſently to fall into theſe feares of our ſelves. The Pſalmiſt ſaith of all the creatures, Pſal. 104. 29.Thou hideſt thy face and they are troubled: and this by reaſon of their weakneſſe, and dependance upon God: And no leſſe, but farre greater is the dependance of the new creature upon Gods face and preſence, that it cannot be alone and beare up it ſelfe, but it failes if God hide himſelfe, as Eſay ſpeakes, Chap. 57. Eſpecially now in this life during the infancy thereof, whileſt it is a childe, as God ſpeakes of Ephraim, Hoſ. 11. 1. then it cannot ſtand, or goe alone, unleſſe God beare it up in his armes, and teach it to goe, as he ſpeaks there, ver. 1, 3. And then alſo as children left alone in the dark, are afraid of bugbeares, and they know not what, and are apt to ſtumble and fall, which is by reaſon of their weakneſſe: So is it with the new creature in its childhood here in this life, It was my infir… ſayes David; and againe, Thou didſt hide thy face and I was troubled.Pſal. 30. 6.
There is not onelyonly ſuch a weakneſſe in us as wee are creatures: But,
2. Alſo an innate darkneſſe in our ſpirits as we are ſinfull creatures: §. 2.ſince the fall,2. Of an innate darkneſſe as we are ſinfull creatures. our hearts of themſelves are nothing but darkneſſe, and therefore no wonder, if when God drawes but the curtaines, and ſhuts up the light from us, that our hearts ſhould engender, and conceive ſuch horrid feares and doubts: Thus in the 2. Cor. 4. 6. The Apoſtle compareth this native darkneſſe of our hearts unto that Chaos, and lumpe of darkneſſe which at the firſt creation covered the face of the deepe: when he ſayes, that God who commanded light to ſhine out of darknes, (hee referreth to the firſt creation, Gen. 1. 1, 2.) hath ſhined into our hearts [even of us Apoſtles] to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Ieſus Chriſt. So that no longer then God continues to ſhine, either the light of comfort, or of grace, no longer doe our hearts [even of us beleevers] retaine light in them. And if at any time he withhold that light of comfort in his face, when yet he continueth an influence of grace: Then ſo farre doe our hearts preſently returne to their former darkneſſe: And then doth that vaſt wombe of darkneſſe conceive, and forme all thoſe feares and doubts within it ſelfe. Conſidering withall, that our hearts are a great deepe alſo; ſo deepe in darkneſſe and deceitfulneſſe, as no plummet can fathom them; Deceitfull above all things, who can know it? Jer. 17. 9. Darkneſſe covereth not the face of this deepe only, but it is darknes to the bottome, throughout darkneſſe. No wonder then, if when the Spirit ceaſeth to move upon this deepe with beames of light, it caſt us into ſuch deepes and darkneſſe as Heman (complaining) ſpeakes of, Pſal. 88. 6. and frameth in it ſelfe ſuch hideous apprehenſions and deſperate concluſions of a mans owne eſtate.
Eſpecially ſeeing 3.§. 3. There is ſo much ſtrength of carnall and corrupt reaſon in men,3. Principles of carnall reaſon. ready to forge and invent ſtrong reaſons and arguments to confirme thoſe ſad feares and darkened apprehenſions; and thoſe drawne from thoſe dealings of Gods Spirit mentioned. For as it is ſaid of the Gentiles, that when their fooliſh heart was darkened, (that is, when left and given over to their own naturall darkneſſe) they became vaine in their imaginations, foreign.or (as the originall hath it) in their reaſonings: Rom. 1. 21. and this even in thoſe things which God had clearely revealed in his workes, to the light of nature: (of which that place ſpeakes,) So may it be ſaid even of thoſe who hauehave beene moſt enlightned, that their hearts are apt to become much more vaine in their reaſonings about, and in the judging of their owne eſtates before God, …ut of his word and dealings with them, if God once leaves them unto darkneſſe. And this that great caveat given to profeſſors, Iames 1. 22. gives as to underſtand, when they are exhorted to take …eed that in hearing the word they be not found deceiving themſelves by falſe reaſonings: James 1. 22. …o the originall, foreign, renders it; which is, as if we ſhould ſay, falſe reaſoning themſelves; as we uſe to ſay in a like phraſe of ſpeech, befooling themſelves. And this is ſpoken of judging of their owne eſtates; concerning which, men are more apt through the diſtempers and prejudices of ſelfe-love, to make (to ſpeake in that phraſe of the Apoſtle) falſe Syllogiſmes, and to miſconclude, then about any other ſpirituall truth whatever. And in men that want true faith,Which as in men unregenerate, reaſons for their bad eſtates; So in the regenerate againſt the goodneſſe of their eſtates. the unſound hearers of the word (of whom the Apoſtle there ſpeakes,) are thus apt, through carnall reaſon miſapplying the word they heare, to frame and draw from the… (as he inſinuates) multitudes of falſe reaſons to uphold and maintaine to themſelves a good opinion of their eſtates: So on the contrary, in thoſe who have true faith, all that carnall reaſon, (which remaines in a great meaſure unſubdued in them) is … apt to raiſe & forge as ſtrong objections againſt the worke of faith begun, and as peremptorily to conclude againſt their preſent eſtates by the like miſapplication of the word; but eſpecially by miſinterpreting Gods dealings towards them. And they being ſometimes led by ſenſe and reaſon, whileſt they walke in darkneſſe, they are apt to interpret Gods minde towards them, rather by his workes and diſpenſations, which they ſee and feele, then by his word, which they are to beleeve. This we may ſee in Gideon, Iudges 6. Who becauſe God wrought not miracles as he had formerly for his people; but had delivered them into their enemies hands, from thence reaſoneth againſt the meſſage of the angell, (Chriſt himſelfe) who had told him, the Lord is with thee ver. 12. But he objects, oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befollen us? Where be all the miracles which our fathers told us of? But now the Lord hath forſaken us, &c. This we may alſo ſee in Aſaph, or what other holy pen-man of the 73. Pſalme; his heeles were well nigh tript up in the darke: My feete were almoſt gone (ſayes he) ver. 2. that is, from keeping his ſtanding by faith, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes, Rom. 5. and this by an argument framed by carnall reaſon, from Gods diſpenſation of outward proſperity to wicked men; but on the contrary, chaſtening of him every morning, with outward afflictions, as the oppoſition doth there import. And how peremptory is he, in his concluſion thence deduced? Verily, I have clenſed my heart in vaine: ver. 13. and what reaſon hath hee? For all the day long I have beene plagued, &c. ver. 14. He thought his reaſon ſtrong, and irrefragable, elſe he would not have beene ſo concludent [Verily, &c.] But what would this man have ſaid and thought if he had beene in Hemans condition? or in Iobs, or Davids? if in thoſe ſhallowes of outward troubles, which are common to man, his faith could not finde footing; but he was well-nigh caried away with the common ſtreame and errour of wicked men; to have condemned himſelfe, and the generation of the righteous, ver. 15. How would his faith have been over-borne, If all Gods waves and billowes had gone over him? as David complaines; Pſal. 42. 7. How would he have ſunke in Hemans deepes, Pſ. 88. or in Davids, Pſ. 69. 2. I ſinke in the deepe mire where there is no ſtanding: I am come into deepe waters, where the floods over-flow me. Speaking of ſuch waters as came in unto his ſoule; ver. 1. Even the floods of Gods immediate wrath breaking in upon his conſcience, over flowing the inward man, and not the outward onelyonly. How much more peremptorily would hee have concluded againſt himſelfe, if this had beene his condition? as indeed they, and many others of the generation of Gods children have done, when they have laine under, and walkt in ſuch diſtreneſſes.
And the reaſon of all this is as evident as the experience of it.
1. In generall:How potent and prevalent carnall reaſon is with us, Reaſon is of it ſelfe a buſie principle, that will bee prying into, and making falſe gloſſes upon all Gods matters as well as our owne; and trying its ſkill, in arguing upon all his dealings with us. Thus Ieremy would needs bee reaſoning with God about his diſpenſations towards wicked men, Chap. 12. 1, 2. and Ioh, of his dealings with himſelfe: Chap. 13. 3. And Reaſon being likewiſe the ſupreame principle in us by nature, and our higheſt difference as wee are men; therefore no wonder if when we are left to our ſelves to walke in darkneſſe, we walke as men, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes, 1 Cor. 1. 3. and to uſe Solomons words, doe leaue to our owne wiſedome, Prov. 3. 5.even becauſe it is our owne and was brought up with us; it is our great Ahitophel, (and as David ſayes of him) Our guide with whom we have taken ſo much ſweet counſell in all our worldly and politique affaires: In which onelyonly, we ſhould make uſe of its adviſe: But wee too often take it into the Sanctuary with us, and walke in company with it into the houſe of God, (to allude to what David ſayes there, Pſal. 55. 13, 14.) that is, we ſuffer it to meddle in matters that pertaine to the Sanctuary, and to debate and conclude of our ſpirituall and eternall eſtates, as well as of our temporall; and which is worſe, we are opinionative of its judgement therein; I thought (ſayes Aſaph in that forementioned Pſalme) to know this, ver. 16. that is, hee thought to have comprehended and reacht Gods minde in thoſe his diſpenſations, by the diſcuſſions of reaſon, and ſo to have concluded rightly from them: Whereas after he had gone into the Sanctuary, ver. 17. with faith alone, and thereby conſulted with the word; he confeſſeth his owne wiſdome and beſt reaſon to have been as ignorant of Gods meaning, and of thoſe rules he proceedeth by, in thoſe his diſpenſations towards his children, Even as a beaſt ver. 22. is of thoſe principles which men walke by, or the intentions they have in their wayes. If Reaſon then, when it is ſo utterly unſkilfull and miſtaken in the premiſes, will yet be exerciſing and trying its faculty in reaſoning from them, no wonder if the concluſions thence deduced bee ſo wide and wilde; and yet with Aſaph, We thinke we know this.
But more particularly:and how deſperate an enemy unto faith, and the reaſon of it. Carnall reaſon is the moſt deſperate enemy to faith of all other principles in man. For until faith be wrought, it is the moſt ſupreme principle; but then faith depoſeth & ſubjecteth it, & afterwards doth often cōtradict it, yea excludes it, as unſkilful in its matters, from being of its counſell. And ſo deepe and deſperate is this enmity againſt faith, that look what is the moſt eſpeciall worke and buſineſſe of faith (which is to alter our eſtates before God, and put us into a ſtate of juſtification and to aſſure us of it) therein, it ſhewes a more peculiar enmity againſt faith, by oppoſing it in that worke of it more then in any other. This enmity ſhewes it ſelfe both before and after faith is wrought, and the one illuſtrates the other. For as before faith was wrought carnall reaſon ſhewes its oppoſition, by uſing the utmoſt of its ſtrength to perſwade a man of the goodneſſe of his eſtate though without faith; thereby to prevent the entrance of faith and our ſeeking after it at all as not needfull to change our eſtates or to juſtifie us, and thus would keepe it wholly out. And therefore in the firſt working of faith, the holy Ghoſt brings faith in by force of open armes, as a Conquerour caſting downe all thoſe ſtrong holds and reaſonings, foreign.(as the word is, 2 Cor. 10. 4.) which carnall reaſon had beene long a building and afortifying, and ſo erecteth faith a throne upon the mines of them all. Thus in like maner after faith is thus wrought, all that carnall reaſon which is left unſubdued, doth out of a further revenge of ſuch an overthrow, and with a greater degree of enmity oppoſe faith ſtill, onelyonly it diverts the warre, now muſtering up new forces, and turneth all the great Ordnance a clean contrary way, namely to perſwade a man by all the objections it can raiſe, of the badneſſe of his eſtate now, as before of the goodneſſe of it: Hereby to blaſpheme the great worke of faith in juſtifying of us: And alſo, becauſe that next to juſtifying us, the office and errand of faith is to ſettle in our hearts peace with God, and a perſwaſion of our being in his favour, as Rom. 5. 1. Therefore doth carnall reaſon bend the utmoſt of its power and Acumen to perſwade upon all occaſions, by all the moſt ſpecious and ſeeming arguments it can ſtart and ſuggeſt, that God is not at peace with us, nor as yet reconciled to us; meerely to contradict faith in what is the principle point it would perſwade us of.
So that as in men whileſt unregenerate, carnall reaſon endeavours by falſe reaſonings to preſerve a good opinion of their eſtates in them: In like maner the very ſame principle of carnall reaſon continuing its oppoſition to faith, doth as much perſwade to a bad opinion of their eſtates when they are once regenerated.
And to conclude this,The great advantage carnall reaſon hath in time of deſertion. if in any condition that befalls Gods childe, carnall reaſon hath the advantage and upper ground of faith. It is now when it is in the valley of the ſhadow of death, as David ſpeakes, when it walkes in darkneſſe and hath no light: A condition that doth afford a moſt compleat Topick for carnall reaſon to frame objections out of; When in reſpect of Gods dealings with him there is a ſeeming conjunction of all bad aſpects threatning perdition and deſtruction: When faith is under ſo great an eclipſe, and is left to fight it our alone in darkneſſe, and hath no ſecond: When on the contrary carnall reaſon, and our darke hearts (which are led by ſenſe) are poſſeſſed with the ſenſe (the deepeſt and moſt exquiſite ſenſe) and impreſſions of (that which the heart is moſt jealous of) Gods ſoreſt wrath and diſpleaſure, and that felt and argued (not mediately and afar off, by conſequence from outward afflictions, but) immediately from Gods owne hand. Thou alwayes haſt ſuſpected (ſayes carnall reaſon) that thou wert a childe of wrath, and that thou and God were enemies; But now thou findeſt it put out of queſtion, and that from Gods owne mouth, who ſpeaketh grievous things againſt thee;Ier. 31. 20. thou haſt it alſo under his own hand, for loe he writeth bitter things againſt thee, Job. 13. 26.that is, in thy conſcience as Iob ſpeaks, & holdeth thee for an enemy, ver. 24. and whips thee with the ſame rod of his immediate wrath and diſpleaſure, where with hee laſheth thoſe that are cut from his hand, and whom hee remembreth no more, but are now in hell, as Heman ſpeakes. A time alſo this is when this preſent ſenſe of wrath ſo diſtempers and (to uſe Hemans words) diſtracts the minde, that it cannot liſten to faith, which ſpeakes of nothing too, but of what it fees not; even as the people of Iſrael could not attend to Moſes his meſſage of deliverance through the anguiſh of their preſent bondage Exod. 6. 9. So as no wonder if then carnall reaſon be moſt buſie, and takes this advantage to frame and ſuggeſt the ſtrongeſt objections to the ſoule whileſt it is in this diſtemper.
Adde unto all this 4. that as there is ſuch ſtrength of corrupt reaſon which is thus oppoſite to faith,§. 4. ſo that there are many other principles of corrupt affections in the heart,§ 4. Principle, corrupt affections of jealouſie, ſuſpition, and incredulity, joyn with carnall reaſon in this. which joyne and take part with carnall reaſon in all this its oppoſition againſt faith, and which ſet it a worke and doe backe it as much in perſwading Gods children that their eſtates are naught, as in ſecuring men unregenerate that their eſtates are good; and the hand of ſelfe-love (which bribeth and byaſſeth carnall reaſon, eſpecially in judging of our eſtates) is found as deepe in the one as in the other; and this doth yet give further light to this point in hand. For looke as before faith is wrought, ſelfe-flattery (which is one branch of ſelfe-love) bribeth and ſetteth carnall reaſon aworke to plead the goodneſſe of their eſtates to men unregenerate, and cauſeth all ſuch falſe reaſons to take with them which tend to perſwade them to think well of themſelves. So when once faith is wrought, jealouſie, and ſuſpiciouſneſſe, and incredulity, (which are other, as great ſprigs of pride and ſelfe-love in us, as the former, which do begin to ſprout and ſhew themſelves, when that other is lopt off, and which doe grow up together with the worke of faith) theſe doe edge and ſharpen the wit of carnall reaſon, to argue and wrangle againſt the worke of faith and grace begun; and all ſuch objections as carnall reaſon doth finde out againſt it, are pleaſing and plauſible to theſe corrupt principles, for they are thereby nouriſhed and ſtrengthned.
And the reaſon why ſuch jealouſies, The uſe of them and their working in the heart.and ſuſpitions, &c. (which are ſuch contrary diſpoſitions unto ſelfe-flattery which ſwayed our opinions of our eſtates before) ſhould thus ariſe and bee ſtarted up in the heart upon the worke of faith, and be apt rather to prevaile now after faith, is; 1 Becauſe that in the worke of humiliation, (which prepares for faith) all thoſe ſtrong holds of carnall reaſon being demoliſht, which upheld ſelfe-flattery, and that falſe good opinion of a mans eſtate, and thoſe mountainous thoughts of preſumption as then laid low, a man is for ever put out of conceit with himſelf, as of himſelf. At which time alſo, 2 he was ſo throughly and feelingly convinced of the hainouſneſſe of ſinne, (which before hee ſlighted) and of the greatneſſe and multitudes of his ſinnes, that he is apt now (inſtead of preſuming as before) to bee jealous of God, leſt he might have been ſo provoked as never to pardon him, and is accordingly apt to draw a miſinterpretation of all Gods dealings with him to ſtrengthen that conceit. And 3 having through the ſame conviction the infinite errour and deceitfulneſſe of his heart before, in flattering him and judging his eſtate good, when it was moſt accurſed, ſo clearely diſcovered and diſcerned; he thereby becomes exceeding jealous, and afraid of erring on that hand ſtill, and ſo is apt to lend an eare to any doubt or ſcruple that is ſuggeſted. Eſpecially 4 he being withall made apprehenſive both of that infinite danger to his eternall ſalvation there may be in nouriſhing a falſe opinion of the goodneſſe of his eſtate if it ſhould prove otherwiſe; becauſe ſuch a falſe conceit keepes a man from ſaving faith; whereas to cheriſh the contrary errour in judging his eſtate bad, when it is in truth good, tends but to his preſent diſcomfort; ſo as he thinkes it ſafer to erre on that hand then the other. And 5 being alſo ſenſible of what tranſcendent concernment his eternall ſalvation is of, (which he before ſlighted) this rowſeth ſuſpition, (which in all matters of great conſequence and moment, is alwayes doubting and inquiſitive,) and alſo keepes it waking, which before lay aſleepe. And all theſe being now ſtartled and ſtirred up, doe not onelyonly provoke carnall reaſon unſatisfiedly to pry into all things that may ſeem to argue Gods disfavour, or the unſoundneſſe of our hearts, but alſo doe give entertainment too, and applaud all ſuch objections as are found out, and makes up too haſtily falſe concluſions from them.
Laſt of all,§. 5. as there are theſe corrupt principles of carnall reaſon,3. Principle. The guilt in our owne conſciences, remaining in part defiled, a cauſe of this darkneſſe. and ſuſpitiouſneſſe in us, to raiſe and foment theſe doubts, and feares from Gods dealings towards us: So there is an abundance of guilt within us, of our falſe dealings towards him. And wee have conſciences, which remaine in part defiled, which may further joyne with all theſe, and encreaſe our feares and doubtings; and as wee are darke and weake creatures, ſo guilty creatures alſo. And this guilt, like the waves of the Sea, or the ſwellings of Jordan, doe begin upon theſe terrible ſtormes from God to riſe, and ſwell, and over-flow in our conſciences. As in David Pſal. 38. when Gods wrath was ſore upon him, ver. 1. 2. then alſo he complaines, Mine iniquities are gone over my head, ver. 4. There is much guile and falſeneſſe of heart, which in thoſe diſtempers (when our conſciences doe boile within us, and are ſtirred and heated to the bottome) doth like the ſcumme, come up and flote aloft. Thus in David when hee was under the rod for his ſinne of murther, as the guilt of his ſinne ſo the guile of his Spirit came up, and he calls for Truth in the inward parts, Pſal. 51. 6. For as his ſinne, ver. 2. ſo his falſeneſſe of heart was ever before him, and with an eye to this hee ſpake that ſpeech, Pſal. 32. Oh bleſſed is that man in whoſe ſpirit is no guile, and to whom the Lord imputeth no ſin. Thus hee ſpake when God had charged upon him the guilt of his ſin, and diſcovered to him the guile of his ſpirit, ver. 4. 5. And this guile doth oftentimes ſo appeare, that our conſciences can hardly diſcerne any thing elſe to be in us, it lies uppermoſt, and covers our graces from our view; and like as the chaffe when the wheat is toſſed in the fanne, comes up to the top: So in theſe commotions and winnowings of ſpirit, doe our corruptions float in our conſciences, whileſt the graces that are in us lyecovered under them out of ſight; and the darke ſide of our hearts (as of the cloud) is turned towards us, and the light ſide from us. And indeed there are in the beſt of us humours enough, which if they bee ſtirred and congregated in our conſciences, may alone caſt us into theſe burning fits of trouble and diſtreſſe; ſo as whilſt Gods Spirit ſhall withhold from us the light of our own graces, & our own cōſciences repreſent to us the guilt and corruptions that are in our beſt performances, our hearts may conclude our ſelves hypocrites, as M. Bradfar in ſome of his letters cloth of himſelf; & others of the Saints have done. Yea, ſo as even our own conſciences, (which are the onelyonly principle now left in us, which ſhould take part with and encourage faith, and witneſſe to us (as the office of it is) the goodneſſe of our eſtates) in this may joyn with the former corruptions againſt us, and bring in a falſe evidence, and pronounce a falſe judgement. Even Conſcience it ſelfe, which is ordained as the urine of the body to ſhew the eſtate of the whole; (and therefore is accordingly called Good or Evill as the mans ſtate is) This is apt in ſuch diſtempers to change and turne colour; and looke to a mans own view as … as the ſtate of a very Hypocrite.
And the reaſon of this is alſo as evident,The reaſon. as is the experience of it. Even becauſe conſcience remaines in part defiled in a man that is regenerate: and though we are ſprinkled from an evill conſcience in part, yet not wholly: ſo as though our perſons are fully diſcharged from the guilt of our ſins, through the ſprinkling of Chriſts blood, before God; yet the ſprinkling of that blood upon our conſciences whereby we apprehend this, is imperfect, and the reaſon is, becauſe this very ſprinkling of conſcience, whereby it reſtifies the ſprinkling of Chriſts blood, and our juſtification thereby, is but part of the ſanctification of Conſcience, as it is a faculty, whoſe office and duty is to teſtifie and with … our eſtates; and therefore as the ſanctification of all other faculties is imperfect, ſo of conſcience alſo herein. And hence it is that when Gods Spirit forbeareth to witneſſe with conſcience, the goodneſſe of our eſtates, and ceaſeth to embolden and encourage conſcience by his preſence, and the ſprinkling of Chriſts blood upon it againſt the remaining defilement; that then our conſciences are as apt to fall into feares, and doubts, and ſelf-condemnings; even as much as when he withdrawes the aſſiſtance of his grace, thoſe other faculties are to fall into any other ſinne: And therefore as the Law of ſinne in the other members may be up in armes and prevaile ſo farre as to leade us captive unto ſinne: So may the guilt of ſinne in our conſciences remaining in part defiled, by the ſame reaſon prevaile againſt us, and get the upper hand, and lead us captive to feares and doubtings, and caſt us into bondage.