The Holy Arbor, Chapter 5 · Section 1 · Commandment 1 · Section 9
§. 9. Of Deſperation.
THe Diſeaſes of the Body are many, and many grievous, but the Maladies of the Minde are incomparably more and more grievous; thoſe of the Body make us ſick men, thoſe of the Minde make us miſerable men. The Minde can judge of the Bodies Diſeaſes, but how ſhall it declare the Diſeaſes of it felf, when it ſelf is diſeaſed; if the judgement be ſick, how ſhall the ſickneſs be judged? The inſtrument of judging is the Minde, the Diſeaſe whereof is not proper and peculiar onelyonly to ſuch as are troubled, diſtreſſed and diſturbed in Conſcience, but Epidemical, yea moſt raigning in all unregenerate perſons, wanting a right reformed judgement to judge of themſelves, and therefore take or rather miſtake Vice for Vertue, Darkneſs for Light, and Error for Truth. Now of all ſores, the moſt dangerous is the wound of the Spirit, therefore is that the neceſſarieſt Doctrine which relieveth and rectifieth the Conſcience. And as the Word of God is mighty in operation, piercing the heart, and diſcerning the thoughts and intents thereof: So is it alone available and effectual to pacifie the Minde, and to give full ſatisfaction to the Conſcience. In this caſe of Diſtreſs of Minde, it is meet and convenient there ſhould alway be uſed a private confeſſion, Jam. 5.16. not of our Faith ſo much as of our Faults: For the Phyſician muſt know the diſeaſe, before he can apply the remedy; and herein the grief of Minde and ſcruple that troubleth the Conſcience muſt be made known; for man hath but two witneſſes of his Thoughts, God and his own Conſcience, by which man knows that thing of himſelf which God alſo knows of him, and none elſe; for mans Conſcience is known to none beſide himſelf but God.
Now the moſt ſpecial and common diſtreſs of minde, ariſeth from a Divine Temptation, which is a Combat with God himſelf immediately; which is when the Conſcience ſpeaks ſome fearful things of God, and withal the party diſtreſſed feels ſome evident Tokens of Gods wrath. Yet indeed Gods Mercy is never ſweet unto the palate of the Soul, until it be ſeaſoned with ſome taſte of his Wrath and Indignation. This indeed is the true Tryal of our Faith, even when above and againſt Reaſon we relie on the Mercy of God in the Apprehenſion of his Anger. In which time of Temptation men are unfit Judges of themſelves and of their condition, how it ſtands between God and their Souls; even the faithful themſelves at ſuch time may cry out, and complain as if they were without both Faith and feeling of any favor of God, who yet even then is not abſent from them, neither hath forgotten them. The hour of Temptation with the Faithful, is the time of winter, wherein their Faith and Graces ſeem as it were benumm'd; but when the Rejoycing Beams of the Sun of Righteouſneſs break forth, diſſipate and chaſe away from the poor bemiſted Soul, the thick cloud of falſe and forged Suggeſtions, his Faith appears, the ſpring of Graces approacheth, they ſhew forth by lively effects, That they ſtill retained life and were not dead, to the preſent operation of unſpeakable comfort in the late clouded Soul. In ſuch Diſtreſſes let no man think the Weight of his ſins can over-ballance the Merit of his Savior. The Celeſtial Lights may ſuffer Eclipſes; and we muſt walk by Faith, not by Feeling. Now the true Application of Life Everlaſting promiſed in and by the Blood of Chriſt, is the general Remedy for all Diſtreſſes. But note, That the diſtreſſed in minde are not fit for comfort, till they be humbled for their ſins, for till then the Word of God is miſapplied, and ſo abuſed.
Deſpair is a ſin, whereby a man makes ſhipwrack of all Hope of the Mercy of God in Chriſt, ariſing from a falſe conſideration of his ſins which he hath committed, or the good which he hath omitted, with a perſwaſion that God is neither able nor willing to forgive him. Thus the Deſperate man believeth not that God is either good, true, faithful or powerful; he may indeed have ſome conceit that he is ſo in general, but that he is ſo to him in particular, and for his good, this he will not be perſwaded of, but with Judas, conceits that God is not willing to pardon him, or rather that he will not pardon him, Mat. 27. or with Cain, That he is not able to forgive him, Gen. 4.13. Thus Deſpair impeacheth the moſt glorious Attributes of God; his Power, as if he were not able to make good his Promiſe; his Truth, as if he were unfaithful; his Mercy, as if it were dryed up with the heat of mens ſins; his Omnipreſence, as if he were not ever by us. Thus it ſtops the currant of Gods Mercy, barreth up the gates of Heaven againſt men, and openeth the mouth of Hell for them; which if thou wilt avoid, beware of Infidelity, for that is the Mother of Deſpair. And thus Deſpair ariſeth partly from too deep an apprehenſion of the power of the Devil, as if he were Infinite, and he able to do whatſoever his Malice would, or unlimited, God letting the reins looſe, and permitting him to do what himſelf pleaſed; and partly from too light an eſteem of that power which is to be had in God, as if he were not ſufficient to keep us ſafe, and of the Mercy of God, as if it were not Infinite.
Temptations to draw us to doubt of that help we have in God, and to Deſpair, are properly termed The fiery darts of the devil, which he ſhoots into our thoughts to poyſon the Soul with their venomous heads, thereby to draw us into Perdition. Theſe Temptations, where they light and faſten, pierce deep; ſhowers of them did the Devil ſhoot at poor Job: David complains much they were let fly at him; yea, he flung ſome even at Chriſt himſelf in the wilderneſs, Mat. 4.3. in the garden, Mat. 26.37, &c. and on the Croſs, 27.46. He that Deſpairs, ſucks fiery burning poyſon into his Soul, hath the Brimſtone of Hell ſulphering in his very bowels, not a drop of the gracious Promiſes of God to quench it, becauſe he thinks the Puddle-pool of his ſins greater then the Ocean of Gods Mercy: This fire either ſtupifies the Spiritual Senſes, and dries up the life of the Soul, or torments him like Cain, Saul and Judas, intolerably, without all hope of redreſs. Whoſoever therefore by reaſon of their weakneſs, or through the violence of ſome Temptation, have ſo let fall their ſhield of Faith, as that Satans fiery darts have touched their Conſcience and pierced their Soul, let them not thereupon utterly deſpair, and give themſelves up to the power of Satan: but know, That a Renewing of Faith by a ſpeedy recourſe to the Promiſes of God in Chriſt, is a liquid Balſam to quench the flame, Virtual to draw out the fire, and Soveraign to cure the wound. Faith applying the Vertue of Chriſts Sacrifice to a perplexed and troubled Soul, diſpelleth the inward anguiſh thereof; but he that after ſome failings and ſpiritual wounds puts off all Hope, as if Death and Deſtruction without all Remedy, muſt needs follow thereupon, is like him that will rather dye then take Phyſick; murthers his Soul, becauſe it was ſick, haſtens his own Damnation, and by a Blaſphemous prejudice to the unvaluable Merits of Chriſt, through Infidelity becomes the wilful Deſtroyer of that Soul which might have lived for ever, had he had the grace of Faith to apply the Remedy.
The ſpecial diſtreſſes of the Minde are five; and ariſe either
1. Of a Divine Temptation.
2. From outward Affliction.
3. Of the Temptation of Blaſphemy.
4. From a mans own Sins.
5. From a mans own Body.
Diſtreſs in minde is, when a man is diſquieted and diſtempered in Conſcience, and conſequently in his Affections, touching his eſtate before God, which hath two Degrees:
1. The leſs, which is a ſingle fear, grief, ſuſpence or doubt touching his Salvation.
2. The greater, which is Deſpair, when a man in his own ſenſe and apprehenſion is without all hope of Salvation.
All diſtreſſes of the Minde ariſeth from Temptation either begun or continued; therefore according to the divers kindes of Temptations, muſt the Diſtreſſes of the minde be diſtinguiſhed, which (as formerly) may be all reduced to theſe two Heads; viz.
1. Of Tryal, which is twofold:
1. Combat of the Conſcience directly with the wrath of God, called a Divine Temptation.
2. Of the Croſs, whereby God proves and makes tryal of the Faith of his children.
2. Of Seducement, which is threefold:
1. Immediately from the Devil, called the Temptation of Blaſphemy.
2. From a mans own ſins, both Original and Actual.
3. From Imagination corrupted, irregulated and depraved.
Deſpair is of three ſorts of men; viz.
1. Of Epicures, Prophane men and Atheiſts, who rejecting all Hope, and refuſing to wait for Mercy, their Conſcience convicting them that there is nothing to be expected but damnation, give themſelves over to all maner of wickedneſs, laboring to extinguiſh out of their hearts, That there is a God, a Heaven, or a Hell, Jer. 18.12.
2. Of thoſe men who are overcome with too much ſorrow, ariſing from the grief of the puniſhment, 2 Cor. 2.7. & 7.10.
3. Of thoſe who are troubled in minde for ſins, ſuppoſing that their ſins are ſo great and ſo many, that God cannot nor will not forgive them. This kinde ariſeth from grief for ſin, and is twofold; viz.
1. Temporary, onelyonly for a time: This is curable, and may happen to a childe of God.
2. Final and incurable: This kinde is onelyonly incident to the Reprobate.
The cauſes of Deſpair are twofold; viz.
1. Hidden and ſecret: So Reprobation may be ſaid to be the cauſe of final Deſpair.
2. Open and more manifeſt, which generally are theſe four, Unbelief, Impenitency, Hardneſs of Heart, and An abſolute Denyal of the known Truth joyned with Blaſphemy.
The more particular open cauſes of Deſpair are theſe; viz.
1. The greatneſs and multitude of ſins, Gen. 4.13.
2. The multitude of Temptations, Judg. 3.1. Gen. 21.1.
3. The often falling into ſin: This is incident to the beſt, Prov. 24.24.
4. Overmuch grief, melancholly, and ſadneſs of heart, Prov. 15.13.
5. Ignorance in mindes not inſtructed in the Reconciliation by Chriſt.
6. An inveterate cuſtom in ſinning, whence proceeds hardneſs of heart.
7. The too much conſideration of our own unworthineſs with the leaſt reflection on Chriſt and his Merits.
8. That compelled Abnegation and denyal of the known Truth through tyrannical Violence and Compulſion, too hard for the weakneſs of the fleſh.
Four Caveats in private Confeſſion convenient in caſe of Diſtreſs of minde, Jam. 5.16.
1. It muſt not be urged as a thing ſimply or abſolutely neceſſary to Salvation.
2. It need not be of all ſins, but of ſuch as trouble the Conſcience.
3. It is eſpecially to be made to Miniſters, though it may be made to any man.
4. The perſon to whom it is made, muſt be one of truſt and fidelity.
Helps and Remedies againſt Deſpair; or, that we may the better avoid Deſperation and carnal ſecurity, we are always to have in minde,
1. That the Promiſes of Grace and Favor to Mankinde are univerſal, Mark 11.38.
2. The Promiſes of Mercy, how hainous ſoever ours ſins have been, Iſa. 1.18.
3. That the Mercy of God is above all ſin, Rom. 20.
4. That the Doctrine of the Goſpel for the free Remiſſion of ſins, is to be preached not unto a few, but univerſally and generally unto all, Mat. 28.19.
5. That the Seals of the Covenant are appointed to be given to all men which are members of the Viſible Church, or deſirous to be incorporated thereinto, Matth. 28.19. & 26.26, 27.
6. That as the Diſobedience of Adam brought Condemnation on all men: So the Blood and Obedience of Chriſt is All-ſufficient to waſh away all ſins, and that of all men, 1 Cor. 11.24.
7. That God delights not in any ſinners Death, but deſires his Converſion, Ezek. 33.
8. That if any Believer ſin, he hath a ſufficient Advocate with the Father, 1 Joh. 2.2. Heb. 9.24. Rom. 8.34.
9. Labor to lay hold upon the Promiſes by a right-grounded Faith.
10. Take heed of too much melancholly and worldly ſorrow.
11. Conſider the grievouſneſs of the ſin of Deſpair.
12. Remember the Paſſion of Chriſt, the Truth and greatneſs of his Mercy.
13. Have in minde the Examples of mercy, as to Murther and Adultery in David, to Apoſtacy in Peter, to Idolatry in Manaſſeh, to Theft in the Thief on the Croſs, to Blaſphemy in Paul, and much Iniquity and Impurity in Mary, having many foul Devils in her.
14. The Indignity offered unto God by Deſpair, ſeeing we refuſe to truſt him upon his moſt holy Word, and the inevitable deſtruction of our own Souls thereby; conſider, That ſo long as we deſpair not, we are not ſhut out from Mercy upon Repentance, but while we deſpair, there is no hope, we are loſt for ever, and moſt worthily.
Again, to avoid Deſpair, it is neceſſary that we pray to be kept and preſerved
1. From preſumptuous and notorious ſins moſt chiefly, as Murther, Apoſtacy, Adultery, Blaſphemy, &c.
2. From wicked Company, which like a violent ſtream and torrent doth force men to all kinde of wickedneſs.
3. From the Neglect of Gods Worſhip, whereby we loſe our Spiritual Armature, and are laid naked to our potent foes.
4. From the love of, and immoderate affection to the things of this world, which having the heart, if they fail, our heart faileth alſo, and a wide gap is opened to Deſpair.
Reader, When ere thou meat one in Despair,
Lock thine Ears, his very breath poiſons th' Air:
Nothing but Sulphur from his Lungs proceed,
Hot enough to make an Adamant bleed.
Of Gods free Promiſes diſcourſe the point,
And thou wilt finde his Soul quite out of joynt;
His lips foam Blasphemies, and who can tell
But that his Heart goes to the tune of Hell?
In this ſad caſe, his wound is much the worſe,
In that he holds the Salve his greateſt Curſe.