A Soul-Searching Catechism, Catechism 1 · Part 5
Of Gods with-drawments from the Soul.
Q. WHether may not God with-draw from his own Children?
A. Yes: if God forſake Chriſt his onelyonly begotten Son, Mat. 26.38. in reſpect of comfort and joy, though not in reſpect of union of natures, then Believers muſt not look to go free.
Q. Why doth God with-draw from his children?
A. Careleſs and negligent uſe of means of grace, or an overly performance of duties of Religion, Song 5.2, 2, 3, 4.
2. For grieving his Spirit, Iſa. 63.10. either by ſcandalous ſins, Pſal. 51.11. or treacherous denial of Chriſt, 2 Tim. 2.12. Chriſt will deny to ſuch, comfort as well as owning.
3. Not eſteeming Gods preſence, Iob 15.11. we prize things in their abſence.
4. To make us grow in a hatred of ſin, as of that which deprives us of Communion with God, Iſa. 57.17.
5. That we may know what Chriſt underwent for us, in the abſence of Gods preſence, Luk. 22.
6. To try whether we will truſt in God in the want of feeling, Job 13.15.
Q. What may comfort a ſoul, when God withdraws comfortable feeling and influence of his preſence, which the ſoul hath formerly felt in Prayer and other Ordinances?
A. There are divers comforts, as,
1. Thy ſadneſs for his abſence doth argue a former enjoyment of his preſence; and being once Chriſts, thou art ever Chriſts, John 13.1.
2. A man may fear God and have part in Chriſt, and yet feel little or no comfort, Iſa. 50.10.
3. As in the gloomieſt day there is ſo much light, whereby we may know it to be day, and not night, ſo a Chriſtian whom God hath in part forſaken, may diſcern himſelf to be ſincere, becauſe he hath a love to God and his glory, 1 Sam. 4.18. vehement deſires after grace and Gods preſence, Pſal. 63.1. and an abſolute purpoſe againſt ſin, though he ſhould dye without comfort, Pſal. 44.17, 18.
4. Conſider, a Chriſtian in a forſaken Eſtate, breathing out ſighs and groans for the return of Chriſts preſence, may be as dear to God, as he that enjoyes Gods preſence, Job 13.15.
5. Abſence of accuſtomed feelings then onelyonly argue a back-ſliding heart, when they are ſuffered in the ſoul without ſorrow and grief, Pſal. 28.1. & 143.7. yet are not thy groans and ſorrows the cauſes of Gods return, but the diſpoſitions of perſons to whom he doth return.
6. Chriſt in his withdrawment, as well as in his return, aimes at his ſouls good; for upon his withdrawment, the ſoul is ſtretched with deſire after him Pſal. 42.1.
7. God withdraws from the ſpirits of Saints, onelyonly in crowning graces; as joy, peace, feeling: not in ſaving graces; as faith, repentance, ſelf-denial, &c. theſe God never takes away.
Q. But why do you ſay, Faith, repentance, ſelf-denial, &c. are never taken away? are they not Creatures, and every Creature is ſubject to periſh?
A. Grace of it ſelf conſidered, may dye, for it is a Creature; but conſider it as united to Chriſt, ſo it cannot dye, Joh. 4.14. If believers were cut off from Chriſt, grace ſhould wither, as the branch being cut off from the root doth; but being knit to him, the ſap muſt be in the branches, becauſe it is in the root; and life will be in the members, becauſe it is in the head: waters will never dry up, ſo long as there is a Fountain to maintain them.
Q. How may I recover the feeling of the Lords love to my ſoul?
A. 1. Cry mightily for his preſence, Pſal. 4.6 7. & 27.9.
2. Enquire when, where, and why God with-drew, Jer. 14.8. as we do concerning dear friends when they abſent themſelves from us.
3. Converſe in all Ordinances wherein there is any in-comes of God. Some receive comfort in reading, 2 Reg. 22.11, 19. others in Baptiſm, Act. 8.39. others in hearing, Act. 10.44. others in conference, Luk. 24.32.
4. Be humble and afflicted under Gods withdrawment, Luke 1.53. vallies are bleſt with the happieſt influence of Heaven.
5. Call to remembrance thy former times of comfort, Pſal. 77.5, 6. aſſuring thy ſelf thou haſt to deal with an unchangeable God. Though in winter the ſap in plants goes into the root, yet will it at Spring ſpread it ſelf in the branches.
6. Count no condition in the world too much, though it were baniſhment, impriſonment, reproach, or poverty, ſo thou maiſt recover Gods countenance. Many are ſo dainty, that they will not ſuffer any thing for God, and therefore God inflicts that which is the greateſt of ſufferings, that is, the with-drawment of himſelf.
7. Beware of reſting contented in the comfort of any Creatu…e without God and his ſweet preſence: the whole earth is a barren Wilderneſs without himſelf, Pſal. 63.1.
8. Give not way to ſpiritual drouzineſs.
Q. But my heart is drouzy, how ſhall I keep it awake?
A. Uſe wakeful conſiderations, as of the ſhortneſs of life, the eternity of glory, the danger of back-ſliding, Pſal. 39.3, &c.
2. Keep your ſelves in the light: darkneſs makes men fit to ſleep.
3. Nouriſh Gods fear, which is a wakeful affection, as being converſant about danger. Fear of God, and comfort of the Holy Ghoſt, go together, Act. 9.31.
4. Keep company with wakeful Chriſtians, Heb. 3.13.
5. Conſider the danger of a drouzy Eſtate. As firſt, Its troubleſome to the conſcience, Song 3.1, 2, 3. Secondly, Its the fore-runner of ſome great croſs or ſin, Song 5.2. & 6.