The Souls Conflict With Itself, Chapter 3
CAP. III.
Of discouragements from within.
BUt to come to some particular causes within us.
There is cause oft in the body of those in whom a melancholly temper prevaileth; darknesse makes men fearefull: Melancholly persons are in a perpetuall darknesse, all things seeme blacke and darke unto them, their spirits as it were dyed blacke. Now to him that is in darknesse, all things seem black and dark, the sweetest comforts are not lightsome enough unto those that are deepe in melancholly. It is (without great watchfulnesse) Satans bath; which hee abuseth as his owne weapon to hurt the soule, which by reason of its sympahy with the body is subject to be missed, as we see where Similethere is a suffusion of the eye by reason of distemper of humours, or where things are presented through a glasse to the eye; things seeme to be of the same colour: so, whatsoever is presented to a melancholly person, comes in a darke way to the soule. From whence it is that their fancy being corrupted, they 5. A deluded fancy causes disquietnesse.judge amisse, even of outward things, as that they are sicke of such and such a disease, or subject to such and such a danger, when it is nothing so; how fit are they then to judge of things removed from sense, as of their spirituall estate in Christ?
To come to causes more neere the 2.soule it selfe, as when there is want of that which should be in it, as of knowledge Causes privative, of discouragement in our selves.in the understanding; &c. Ignorance (being darknesse) is full of false feares; In the night time men think every bush a theefe; our forefathers in 1. Ignorance in the understanding.time of ignorance were frighted with every thing, therefore it is the policy of popish tyrants taught them from the prince of darknesse, to keep the people in darknesse, that so they might make them fearefull, and then abuse that fearefulnesse to superstition: that they might the better rule in their consciences for their owne ends; and that so having intangled them with false feares, they might heale them againe with false cures.
Againe, though the soule be not ignorant, 2. Forgetfulnesse causeth discouragement.yet if it be forgetfull and mindlesse, if, as Heb. 12. the Apostle saith, You have forgot the consolation that speaks unto you, &c. Wee have no more present actuall comfort, then we have remembrance: help a godly mans memory, and help his comfort, like unto charcoale which having once been kindled, are the more easie to take fire. He that hath formerly knowne things, takes ready acquaintance of them againe (as old friends:) things are not strange to him.
And further, want of setting due price upon comforts; as the Israelites were taxed 3. Not duely prizing of comforts.for setting nothing by the pleasant land. It is a great fault, when (as they said to Iob) the consolations of the Almighty seeme light, and small unto us, unlesse Iob 15. 11we have some outward comfort which we linger after.
Adde unto this, a childish kinde of peevishnesse, when they have not what 4. A childish peevishnes.they would have (like children) they throw away al; which (though it be very offensive to Gods spirit) yet it seazeth often upon men otherwise gracious. Abraham himselfe (wanting children) undervalued all other blessings Gen. 16.Ionas, because hee was crossed of his gourd, was weary of his life. The like may be said of Elias, flying from Iezebel. This peevishnesse is increased by a 1 Kingstoo much flattering of their griefe, … farre as to justifie it. Like Ionas, I d… well to be angry even unto death, he would stand to it. Some with Rachel are so peremptory, Ionah 4. 9.that they will not be comforted, as if they were in love with their Ier 31. 15.grievances. Wilfull men are most vexed in their crosses: It is not for those to bee wilfull that have not a great measure of wisedome to guide their wils; for God delights to have his will of those that are wedded to their owne wils: as in Pharaob. No men more subject to discontentments, then those who would have all things after their owne way.
Againe, one maine ground is, False 5. False reasoning, erroneous discourse.reasoning, and errour in our discourse, as that wee have no grace when wee feele none, feeling is not alwayes a fit rule to judge our states by; that God hath rejected us, because we are crossed in outward things, when as this issues from Gods wisdome and love. How many imagine their failings, to be fallings, and their fallings, to be fallings away? Infirmities to be Presumptions: every sinne against Conscience, to be the sinne against the Holy Ghost…? unto which misapprehensions, weake and dark spirits are subject. And Satan (as a cunning Rhetorician) here inlargeth A double cunning of Satan, according to the humour of his patients.the fancy, to apprehend things bigger then they are, Satan abuseth confident spirits another contrary way: to apprehend great sinnes as little; and little as none. Some also, thinke that they have no grace, because they have not so much as growen Christians: whereas, there bee severall ages in Christ. Some againe, are so desirous and inlarged after what they have not, that they minde not what they have. Men may be rich, though they have not millions, and be not Emperors.
Likewise, some are much troubled, because they proceed by a false method 6. A fals method and order in judging of our estatesand order in judging of their estates. They will begin with Election, which is the highest step of the ladder, whereas they should begin from … work of grace wrought within thei… hearts, from Gods calling them by hi… spirit, and their answer to his call, and so raise themselves upwards to know their Election by their answer to God calling. Give all diligence saith Peter to make your calling and election sure: 2 Pet. 1.your election by your calling. God descends downe unto us from election to calling, and so to sanctification: wee must ascend to him beginning where he ends. Otherwise it is as great folly as in removing of a pile of wood, to begin at the lowest first, and so (besides the needlesse trouble,) to be in danger to have the rest fall upon our heads. Which besides ignorance argues pride, appearing in this, that they would bring God to their conceits, and be at an end of their worke before they beginne.
This great secret of Gods eternall love to us in Christ, is hidden in his breast, and doth not appeare to us, un till in the use of meanes God by his spirit discovereth the same unto us; The spirit letteth into the soule so much life and sense of Gods love in particular to us, as draweth the soule to Christ, from whom it draweth so much vertue as changeth the frame of it, and quickneth it to duty, which duties are not grounds of our state in grace, but issues, springing from a good state before, and thus farre they helpe us, in judging of our condition, that thoug… they bee not to bee rested in, yet a… streames they lead us to the spring head of grace from whence they arise.
And of signes, some be more apt to deceive us, as being not so certaine, as delight and joy in hearing the word, as appeareth in the third ground: some are Mat. 13. 20more constant and certaine, as love to those that are truly good, and to all such, and because they are such, &c. these as they are wrought by the spirit, so the same spirit giveth evidence to the soule of the truth of them, and leadeth us to faith from whence they come, and faith leads us to the discovery of Gods love made knowne to us inhearing the word opened. The same spirit openeth the truth to us, and our understandings to conceive of it, and our hearts to cloze with it by faith, not only as a truth, but as a truth belonging to us.
Now this faith is manifested, either by it selfe reflecting upon it selfe the light of faith discovering both it selfe, and other things, or by the cause of it, or by the effect, or by all; Faith is oft more knowne to us in the fruit of it, then in it selfe, as in plants the fruits are more apparant then the sappe and roote. But the most setled knowledge is from the cause, as when I know I beleeve, because in hearing Gods gracious promises opened and offered unto me, the spirit of God caryeth my soule to cleave to them as mine owne portion. Eph. 1. 13.Yet the most familiar way of knowledge of our estates is from the effects to gather the cause, the cause being oftentimes more remote and spirituall, the effects more obvious and visible. All the vigour and beauty in nature which we see, comes from a secret influence from the heavens which we see not; In a cleare morning we may see the beames of the Sun shining upon the top of hils and houses before wee can see the Sun it selfe.
Things in the working of them, doe issue from the cause, by whose force they had their being; but our knowing of things ariseth from the effect, where the cause endeth; wee know God must love us before wee can love him, and yet we oft first know that we love him; the love of God is the cause why wee 1 Iohn 4. 19.love our brother, and yet we know we love our brother whom we see more clearly, then God whom we doe not see.1 Iohn 4. 20.
It is a spirituall peevishnesse that keepes men in a perplexed condition, that they neglect these helps to judge of their estates by, whereas God takes liberty to help us sometime to a discovery of our estate by the effects, sometimes by the cause, &c. And it is a sin to set light by any work of the spirit, and the comfort we might have by it, and therefore we may well adde this, a… one cause of disquietnesse in many, that they grieve the spirit, by quarrelling against themselves, and the work of the spirit in them.
Another cause of disquiet is, th… men by a naturall kinde of Popery fe… Comfort sought in sanctification.for their comfort too much in sanctification, neglecting justification, relyin… too much upon their own performances; Saint Paul was of another minde, accounting all but dung and drosse, compared Phillip. 3.to the righteousnesse of Christ. This is that garment, wherewith being deeked we please our husband, and wherein we get the blessing. This giveth satisfaction to the conscience, as satisfying God himselfe, being performed by God the Sonne, and approved therefore by God the Father; Hereupon the soule is quieted, and faith holdeth out this as a shield against the displeasure of God and temptations of Satan: why did the Apostles in their Prefaces joyne grace and peace together, but that we should seek for our peace in the free grace and favour of God in Christ.
No wonder why Papists maintaine doubting, who hold salvation by workes; because Satan joyning together with our consciences, will alwayes finde some flaw even in our best performances; Hereupon the doubting and misgiving soule comes to make this absurd demand, as, Who shall ascend to heaven? Psal. 24. 3.which is all one as to fetch Christ from heaven, and so bring him downe to suffer on the Crosse againe. Where as if we beleeve in Christ, wee are as sure to come to heaven as Christ is there: Christ ascending and descending with all that he hath done is ours. So that neither heighth nor depth can separate us from Gods love in Christ.Rom. 8. 39
But we must remember, though the maine pillar of our comfort bee in the To have and maintaine true comfort, we must grow up holinesse.free forgivenesse of our sinnes; yet if there be a neglect in growing in holinesse, the soule will never be soundly quiet, because it will be proane to question the truth of justification, and it is as proper for sinne to raise doubts and feares in the conscience, as for rotten flesh and wood to breed wormes. And therefore we may well joyne this as a 8. Want of a cleare conscience raises tumults in the soule.cause of disquietnesse, the neglect of keeping a cleare conscience. Sinne, like Achan, or Ionas in the ship, is that which causeth stormes within and without; where there is not a pure conscience there is not a pacified conscience, and therefore though some thinking to salve themselves whole in justification, neglect the cleansing of their natures; and ordering of their lives: yet in time of temptation, they will finde it more troublesome then they thinke. For a conscience guilty of many neglects and of allowing it selfe in any sin to lay claime to Gods mercy, is to doe as we see mountebanks sometimes do, who wound their flesh to try conclusions upon their owne bodies how soveraigne the salve is; yet oftentimes they come to feele the smart of their presumption, by long and desperate wounds. So God will let us see what it is to make wounds to try the preciousnesse of his Balme, such may goe mourning to their graves. And though (perhaps) with much wrastling with God, they may get assurance of the pardon of their sins, yet their conscience will bee still trembling (like as Davids though Nathan had pronounced unto Psal. 51.him the forgivenesse of his sin) till God at length speakes further peace, even as the water of the sea (after a storme) is not presently still, but moves and trembles a good while after the storm is over. A Christian is a new creature, and walketh by rule, and so far as hee walketh according to his rule peace is upon him. Loose walkers that regard not Gal. 6. 16.their way, must thinke to meet with sorowes instead of peace. Watchfulnesse is the preserver of peace. It is a deep spirituall judgement to find peace in an ill way.
Some againe, reap the fruit of their Ignorance of our Christian liberty.ignorance of Christian liberty, by unnecessary scruples and doubts. It is both unthankfulnesse to God, and wrong to our selves, to be ignorant of the extent of Christian liberty; It makes melody to Satan, to see Christians troubled with that Danger of abusing Christian liberty.they neither should or need. Yet there is danger in stretching Christian liberty beyond the bounds. For a man may condemne himself in that he approves, as in not walking circumspectly in regard of circumstances, and so breed his owne disquiet, and give scandall to others.
Sometimes also, God suffers men to 10. Want of imployment.be disquieted for want of imployment, who in shunning labour, procure trouble to themselves; and by not doing that which is needfull, they are troubled with that which is unnecessary. An unimployed life is a burden to it selfe. God is a pure Act, alwayes working, alwaies doing: and the neerer our soule comes to God, the more it is in action, and the freer from disquiet. Men experimentally feele that comfort in doing that which belongs unto them, which before they longed for, and went without; a heart not exercised in some honest labour workes trouble out of it selfe.
Againe, Omission of duties and offices 11. Omission of offices and duties of love.of love, often troubles the peace of good people; for even in the time of death when they looke for peace and desire it most, then looking backe upon their former failings and seeing opportunity of doing good wanting to their desire; (the parties perhaps being deceased to whom they owed more respect) are hereupon much disquieted, and so much the more, because they see now hope of the like advantages cut off.
A Christian life is full of duties, and the peace of it is not maintained without much fruitfulnesse and looking about us: debt is a disquieting thing to an honest minde, and duty is debt. Hereupon Rom. 13 8the Apostle layeth the charge, that we should owe nothing to any man, but love.
Againe, one speciall cause of too 12. Want of resolution in good things.much disquiet, is, want of firme resolution in good things. The soule cannot but bee disquieted when it knowes not what to cleave unto, like a ship tossed with contrary windes; Halting is a deformed and troublesome gesture; so halting in religion, is not onelyonly troublesome 1 Kings 18. 21.to others and odious, but also disquiets our selves. If God be God cleave to him; If the duties of religion be such as will bring peace of conscience at the length, be religious to purpose, practise them in the particular passages of life. Wee should labour to have a cleare judgement, and from thence a resolved purpose; a wavering minded man is inconstant in all his wayes. God will Iames 1. 6.not speake peace to a staggering spirit that hath alwayes its religion, and its way to choose. Uncertaine men are alwayes unquiet men, and giving too much way to passion maketh men in particular consultations unsetled. This is the reason why in particular cases when the matter concernes our selves, we cannot judge so clearely as in generall truths, because Satan raiseth a mist between us and the matter in question.
Positive Causes.
May be, 1. When men lay up their When mē lay up too much comfort in outward things.comfort too much on outward things which being subject to much inconstancy and change, breed disquiet. Vexation alwayes followes vanity, when vanity is not apprehended to be where it is. In that measure we are cast downe in the disappointing of our hopes, as wee were too much lifted up in expectation of good from them. Whence proceed these complaints; such a friend hath failed mee: I never thought to have fallen into this condition; I had setled my joy in this childe, in this friend, &c. but this is to build our comfort upon things that have no firm foundation, to build castles in the aire (as we use to say.) Therefore it is a good desire of the wiseman Agur, to desire God, to remove from us vanity and Prov. 30.lies, that is, a vaine and a false apprehension pitching upon things that are vaine and lying, promising a contentment to our selves from the creature, which it cannot yeeld; confidence in vaine things makes a vaine heart, the heart becomming of the nature of the thing it relies on; we may say of all earthly things as the Prophet speaketh, Here is not our rest.Mich. 2. 10
It is no wonder therefore, that worldly men are oft cast downe and disquieted, when they walke in a vaine shadow, Psal. 39.as likewise that men given much to recreations should be subject to passionate distempers, because here things fall out otherwise then they lookt for… recreations being about matters that are variable, which especially fals ou… in games of hazard, wherein they of… spare not Divine Providence it selfe, but break out into blasphemy.
Likewise men that graspe more businesses then they can discharge, must needs beare both the blame and the griefe of losing or marring many businesses. It being almost impossible to doe many things so well as to give content to Conscience; Hence it is that covetous and busie men trouble both their hearts and their houses; though some men from a largenesse of parts, and a speciall dexterity in affaires may turne over much; yet the most capacious heart hath its measure, and when the cup is full, a little drop may cause the rest to spill. There is a spirituall surfet, when the soule is over-charged with businesse; it is fit the soule should have its meet burthen and no more.
As likewise, those that depend too much upon the opinions of other men; 2. Too much relying upon the opinions of others. Sic leve sic parvum est animum quod laudis avarum, subruit aut reficit.A very light matter will refresh, and then againe discourage a minde that rests too much upon the liking of others. Men that seeke themselves too much abroad, finde themselves disquieted at home; even good men many times are too much troubled with the unjust censures of other men, specially in the day of their trouble: It was Iob… case; and it is a heavy thing to have affliction Job.added to affliction: It was Hannahs case, who being troubled in spirit, 1 Sam. 1. 14.was censured by Eli, for distemper i… braine; but for vain men who live mo… to reputation then to conscience, i… cannot be that they should long enjoy setled quiet, because those in who… good opinion they desire to dwell a… ready often to take up contrary conceits upon slender grounds.
It is also a ground of overmuch trouble, when we looke too much and toolong 3. Too much looking and poring on evils, in our selves & abroad.upon the ill in our selves and abroad; we may fixe our eyes too long even upon sinne it selfe; considering that we have not onelyonly a remedy against the hurt by sinne, but a commandement to rejoyce alwayes in the Lord Much more may we erre in poring toomuch Philip. 4. 4upon our afflictions; wherein we may finde alwayes in our selves upon search a cause to justifie God, and alwaies something left to comfort us: Though we naturally minde more … crosse then a hundred favours, dwelling overlong upon the sore.
So likewise, our mindes may be too much taken up in consideration of the miseries of the times at home and abroad, as if Christ did not rule in the midst of his enemies; and would not help all in due time, or as if the condition of the Church in this world, were not for the most part in an afflicted and conflicting condition. Indeed there is a perfect rest both for the soules and bodies of Gods people, but that is not in this world, but is kept for hereafter, here we are in a sea, where what can wee look for, but stormes?
To insist upon no more, one cause is, that wee doe usurpe upon God, and take his office upon us, by troubling our selves in forecasting the event of things, whereas our worke is onelyonly to doe our work and be quiet, as children when they please their parents take no further thought; our trouble is the fruit of our folly in this kinde.
That which we should observe from Vse 1.all that hath beene sa… is, that wee bee not overhasty in consuring others, when wee see their spirits out of temper, for we see how many things there are that work strongly upon the weak nature of man. Wee may sinne more by harsh censure, then they by overmuch distemper: as in Iobs case, it was a matter rather of just griefe and pity, then great wonder or heavy censure.
And, for our selves: If our estate be calme for the present, yet wee should Vse 2.labour to prepare our hearts, not onelyonly for an alteration of estate, but of spirit, unlesse wee be marvellous carefull before hand, that our spirits fall not down with our Condition. And if it befalls us to find it otherwise with our soules then at other times, we should so farre labour to beare it, as that wee doe not judge it our owne case alone, when we see here David thus to complaine of himselfe, Why art thou cast downe ô my soule, &c.