The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul, Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII. Motives to ſeeke recovery, taken from neceſsity.
SEcondly,2. Motive. It is not to be reſted in. as your recovery is poſsible, ſo when you feele a decay of ſpirituall life, this is no ſtate to bereſted in;
for it is ſinfull.
for it is hurtfull.
1 It is ſinfull.1. Becauſe it is ſinful.
1 Conſider what becomes of that precious talent, Talents lye dead.and truſt of worth which lyeth in your hands? doth it not lie dead by you?
2 Where are you in ſuch a caſe, Where are you?are you not ſleeping in Meſhek and in the tents of wickedneſſe? is not thy heart gone out from the preſence of the Lord? are not other Lords in Chriſts throne? is not thy way a way of ſpirituall whoredome, robbery, diſloyalty, &c? are not other gods ſet up in the temple of the living God? are not you found with Saul againſt David? are you not departed and gone afar off?
3 Either you know that it is thus or …it; if not, then what ſtupidneſſe, If you know not your caſe, it is ſtupidneſſe, if you know and yet reſtit is wickednes.what careleſneſſe, not to miſſe him who is your Lord, your husband, your father, your life? if yea, then to reſt without him, is to deſpiſe him highly; what do you but chuſe Egypt and her calves, before Canaan and the arke, and preſence of the Lord? What doe you but ſet God, his Son, his Spirit in the duſt, to be trampled upon by every vanity, and every baſe luſt? to caſt off the yoke of Chriſt, to ſerve the beaſt…; yea, to caſt downe the crowne of Chriſt, and to make his throne the foot-ſtoole of his enemies?
2 It is hurtfull, Secondly, it is hurtfull.and it muſt needs bee hurtfull that is ſinfull.
1 it cuts off the comfort of the ſoule; Comfort cut off.…he Sun ſhines not bright when the ayre …s full of cloudes, and the Spirit is not a comforting ſpirit, where it is not a quick…ing ſpirit; you may enjoy for a time ſome contentment in the creature, but …hen theſe trees ſhall wither, when theſe fountaines ſhall ceaſe, or be imbitered, then what will you doe? you cannot finde comfort in God, w… you are far from him.
2 All things are dead when you … dead: All things dead. Nil miſere vivit me moriente mihi.a dead man loſeth with himſe… all things, and all things die to h… when he dyeth in himſelfe.
1 When you are in this caſe, your … ceptive and active power is weak… you cannot ſo well comply with … meanes of life, there is a great unſut… neſſe; as water that is frozen is no… capable of impreſſion, nor ſo ap… move as before, a weak man can… live upon his food, as he was wo… the wheeles of a Clock that are …l… ged with duſt cannot run well; th… muſt be ſome fitneſſe in the recipien… joyne with the agent; wet wood … not enkindle ſo ſoon as dry woo… living heart will finde that to be effe… all, which a dead heart findes but … ſhadow; thoſe promiſes, thoſe … cies, thoſe duties, thoſe though… which raiſe others with much po… are but as the blaſts of winde upon … rocks to you, thoſe meanes which … as the waters of Nilus, which ma… …e land rich in fruits, are to you but as …inter ſhowres, which bring up no…ing.
2 The power of God is the life of all, though you had as much life as an Angell, and had the food of Angels, yet except God be in it, you will not thrive: the ordinances are called the power of God. Rom. 1.16. 1 Cor. 1.24. becauſe they are the inſtruments of his …ower: now we know the power of the …nſtrument depends upon the agent; the plough is fit to cut the ground, but the skill and ſtrength of the husbandman muſt guide and move it: if the Angell of Gods preſence move not in theſe waters, they will not heale; All meanes are nothing, it is God that giveth the encreaſe. 1 Cor. 3.7. therefore there is no ſafe reſting in ſuch a ſtate without God.
3 The heart groweth worſe and …orſe: The heart groweth worſe.as the dead body groweth more and more corrupt; this ſhould awaken you; if you get not, you loſe.
Conſider 1. What a change this is: you did converſe with God, and now with devils, you were Chriſts freemer, now drudges to Satan and your luſt… you had Eagles wings to ſoare alo… and now you are like the Serpent that creeps on his belly and licks the duſt thy ſoule was beautifull as a pleaſan… palace for the King of kings, and no… it is a dungeon of darkneſſe, a ſepulchre… a priſon, a den of uncleane ſpirits; … the vaſt difference that is betwixt a… man enjoying God, and a man forſake…; and to this conſider, that it growe… worſe and worſe, your bondage en… creaſeth, your luſts grow, the palla… groweth more ruinous, the dungeo… darker the den fuller, all goeth downe… ward, worſe and worſe.
2 Your caſe groweth more incurable … the heart groweth harder, the min… blinder; Satan is ever working, he lo… ſeth no time, and you may be carried out ſo far into an ocean of ſins, and miſeries, that it will be hard recovering land againe; the continuance of ſinne leaves ſo deep a dye, as ſometimes will not out till death; when the temple was ſorely waſted and ſpoiled and lay …ng in ruines, though in time it was built up againe, yet the ſecond temple was not like the firſt; therefore you hurt your ſelves much by careleſnes: ſtir up & awaken your ſelvs, be not willingly worſe and worſe, ſuffer not that to abide, which when it hath entrenched it ſelfe, will not without much difficulty be beaten out againe, and when you have wearied your ſelves, it may bee you will not be able to raiſe your ſpirits to their old vigour; diſeaſes hanging long, leave often ſuch impreſſion, that nature ſeldome gets up: the fire of the ſecond temple ſome Jewes ſay was not like the fire in the firſt iIgnis ſuper altare cubabat ſicut …,quia vis ejus extincta erat, at in priore templo, erat igni… iſt… ſicut le…. C…naeus de rep. Hebr… l. 1. c. 14..
4 You may have a worſe time to ſeeke unto God then now: if age, if ſickneſſe, You may have worſe times for ſeeking of God.if captivity, if poverty, if any miſery come, then it will be an ill time to finde thy heart ſo out of frame to have banks to mend, when you have leſſe time, eſſe help, leſſe ſtrength, and when alſo he winds are high and the ſeas un quiet breaking in upon you, is to be taken i… an ill time: conſider this, you muſt be better ere you dye, you muſt build u… the ruinous houſe within; if you neglect theſe times of reſt, you may be forced to do it in a hard time, when you muſt work by day, and watch by night, carry a toole in one hand, and a weapon … the other; if you have a journey … take, you will take the fitteſt ſeaſon, now is your ſummer, walk in the ligh… while you have it; now you have th… help of ſtrength, health, friends, ordinances, proſperous eſtate; you will find when theſe are gone it will be a ſa… thing to have this work to doe.
5 God will fetch you in, God will fetch you in if you come not.if you come not, he will ſhake thy ſoule with feares, and drop bitterneſſe into thy ſpirit, o… ſend outward afflictions upon thee to viſit thy careleſneſſe upon thee. Phyſicians (they ſay) in the cure of the Lethargie, doe ſometimes put the patient into a feavour; when Epheſus lay in ſuch a ſtupified condition, Chriſt came with a ſharp medicine, I wil come unto thee quickly, & fight againſt thee, &c. Apoc. 2.4, 5. afflictions will ſtir you: when God lay…th on the rod, you will feele that it was a bitter thing to neglect him, then your heavy eyed and ſleeping conſcience ſhall hit you home, and as the yong Lions roare and yell, ſo ſhall the thoughts of your hearts fill you with a cry like unto that of the Propher, Haſt thou not procured this unto thy ſelf in that thou haſt forſaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the way? Jer. 2.17. and now it will put you in minde of running to your pleaſures and ſinfull vanities, as the Prophet doth; Now (ſaith he) what haſt thou to doe in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor; or what haſt thou to doe in the way of Aſſyria, to drinke the waters of the river? thine own wickedneſſe ſhall correct thee, and thy backſtidings ſhall reprove thee kPeccatum eſt ſpiritui ſancto locus quaſi dialecticus, & medium ad concluſionem contra peccantem. Vid. Pariſ. de libel. divin. c. 25.: know therefore, and ſee that it is an evill thing and bitter, that thou haſt forſaken the Lord thy God, and that his feare is not in thee. ver. 18, 19. My brethren, if the word will not, the rod muſt; learne then to avoide blowes; if counſell draw you, you …ay eſcape, but the rod is for the back of fooles; if you come not in, expe… ſome ſad meſſenger; God will do… Abſalom with Ioab, who ſet fire on i… corne, becauſe hee came not when he ſent for him. 2 Sam. 14.29, 30, 3… Therefore while the ſeaſon is calne put forth, and ſeek to regain what you have loſt.
6 God is not well pleaſed when he… witholdeth himſelfe; when he eſtrargeth himſelfe, and is not with you, it is a ſigne that hee is angry. Remember thoſe words of Moſes, Numb. 14.4, 42, 43. When you goe to fight again… the Canaanites and Amalekites, your luſts and tentations; you cannot proſper. Becauſe ye are turned away from the Lord, therefore the Lord will not be with yo…. And how doth the Church bewaile the diſpleaſure of God againſt her? Thou haſt caſt us off and put us to ſham, and goeſt not forth with our armies. Pſal. 44.9. It is true, that ſometimes out of his ſoveraignty and abſolute dominion… he may doe this, but yet the thing in i… ſelfe is a ſigne of disfavour, therefore i… is not ſafe to abide in ſuch a caſe; le… then your relation to him, the knowledge of his power, the ſweetneſſe of his favour, your love to him, the kindneſſe which he hath ſhewed you, put you upon a ſtudy of reconcilement, that you may enjoy your former happineſſe, and his ancient loving kindneſſe.
According to the preſence of God with you,3. Motive. As Gods preſence with you is, ſo is your life. the proportion and meaſure of ſpirituall life will bee; as the more the plants have of the Sun, the more they thrive. All the efficacy of ordinances, and all the activity of grace depends upon this: as the houſe of Obed-Edom was bleſſed and all that pertained to him when the Arke the ſignes of Gods preſence was with him, 2 Sam. 6.11, 12. ſo great proſperity of ſoule is there where God hath his abode, and where he puts forth his power and ſpreads his quickning vertue upon the ſoule: were it not an happineſſe to be inriched in grace, and to have your grain of muſtard ſeed growing up unto a tall tree? Awaken your ſelves and fall to thinking of this matter,We ſhould not be content with little. why are you willing to live ſo poorely that might live like Princes? and to creep with the ſnaile, when you might mount as Eagles? let me ſuggeſt a few incentives to quicken your ſpirits.
1 If you have but little, you can doe but little, Becauſe if you have but little, you can doe but little.for nothing can exceed the ſpheare and compaſſe of its ability; much grace makes ſtrong to worke, and abundant in working; a full ſpring makes a full ſtreame, much grace gives much willingneſſe, and as your willingneſſe is, ſo is your ſtrength; I ſay not that ſtrength and willingneſſe are alway equall, for I know a godly mans will is beyond his power, and he cannot doe what he would. Gal. 5.17. but yet by how much the more the heart is prepared, by ſo much the more it is enabled; the greateſt part of the impotency and deadneſſe of unregenerate men is this, that they are unwilling and averſe unto God, and diſaffection bindes them as in chaines, that they cannot walke with God; and the ſtrength of a godly man lyeth moſt in his will: what is the ſtrength of luſts in others, but the will? what is the ſtrength and courage of a ſouldier but a ſtrong will? what is the bounty of a liberall man but a large will to doe good? This will be then your advantage, you will doe more when you have more, and the more you doe, the greater will your reward be; He that ſoweth ſparingly ſhall reape ſparingly, and he that ſoweth bountifully ſhall reape bountifully, 2 Cor. 9.6. Every man hath a large field to ſow in, for the world is as a field to every man; therefore get much into your garners, that you may now ſow much, and reape much when the harveſt commeth.
2. Your works will be more perfect and compleat, if you have much; Your workes will bee more perfect.every thing workes as it is; there is a great difference betwixt the worke of a child, and of a man; When I was a child I ſpake as a child, I underſtood as a child, I thought as a childe, but when, &c. 1 Cor. 13.11. Actions are the births of habits; and the childe will carry the likeneſſe of the Father; if the ſpring be affected with an ill quality, ſo will the ſtreames alſo; a man that hath but little of his trade and art, cannot make compleat worke, but his worke will carry a print of the weakneſſe of his skill. A famous Painter comming to his friends houſe, and not meeting with him, would not leave his name, but with his pencill drew a line, and bad the ſervant ſhew his maſter the line, and when he came home and ſaw it, he knew whoſe hand it was. The Apoſtle tooke care to raiſe up the bounty of the Corinthians to ſuch a height, that ſomething might be done that might be excellent and honourable, 2 Cor. 9.5. So that all that you do wil be more mature and excellent: by how much the more grace you have, and the more perfect your actions are, the better will your reward be, they ſhall have more praiſe with God: and your deſire ſhould be, that all be done exactly.lPerfectum eſſe nolle delinquere eſt. Hieron. Epiſt. 1. de vit. ſolit. laude.
3. Leſſe ſweete.The more grace is rayſed in you the ſweeter will your way be; and that,
1. Becauſe there will be a greater agreement betweene your ſpirits and your worke, and rule; what is the cauſe of that wearineſſe in dutymLaſsitudo eſt deficientia virtutis moventis. Scalig. de ſubtil. exercit. 76.4., and backwardneſſe to it, but a diſproportion betweene you and it? when your hearts are more prepared you will be as a ſmooth bowle in a ſmooth way which runneth with much eaſe and few rubbes.
2. There is a ſweetneſſe in doing good, and the more you are able to doe the more ſweetneſſe you have; the deeper you digge, the more treaſure you ſhall finde; every action ſpiritually performed caſteth a reward upon the ſoule, it is like the preſſing of grapes, his labour droppes in that which is better than wine: the waies of God are as beds of ſpices, the more you walk in them, the more they requite you with ſweet delights and inward refreſhments; all the waies of wiſedome are waies of pleaſantneſſe, Prov. 3.17. Here motion is reſt, as in the heavens, their perfection is their motion; Gods waies are large, the ſoule is moſt free and at greateſt liberty in them.nLibertas voluntatis eſt amplitudo &c. Gibieuf. de libert. Dei & creaturae l. 1. c. 1. Iniquitas arcta eſt, ſola innocentia lata eſt. Aug apud eund.
4. The leſſe grace the more corruptions; this is the nature of contraries which admit no middle thing, More corruptions.to partake of either, that where one is not, there the other is, and the loſſe of one, the more of the other, as the leſſe light in the ayre, the more darkneſſe; now ſo farre you are miſerable as you are ſinfull; it is not immunity from calamities, but from ſinne which makes happy: and what calamity is not upon him that hath many and ſtrong corruptions? thinke of all evills in the world, and you ſhall finde them meeting in ſuch a one; his luſts are all evills, and containe all in their bowells, feares, ſorrowes, wants, warres, chaines, waſtings, ſickneſſe, &c.
5. The greater meaſure of grace, brings in more comfort, Much grace brings much comfort.little grace will bring but little joy.
1. The ſoule is not ſo capable; much grace makes capacious; a little veſſell cannot receive much;It makes the ſoule capacious. a ſmall candle cannot give much light: The ſame promiſes are ſweeteſt to the heart that hath moſt of God; the ſame food is ſweeter to a healthfull ſtrong man, than to a ſickly, weake man; the godly here have the ſame objective happineſſe with the Saints in heaven, but not the ſame ſubjective happineſſe; they are more happy in heaven, becauſe they are more capacious and take in more of God.
2. The leſſe grace, the leſſe evidence of truth, and of Gods favour; as a letter written in ſmall and imperfect letters is not ſo legible as that which is written with more full characters;It gives more evidence. you will be troubled to ſpell Gods love out of weak and low graces; what is grace but a ſeale and ſtamp of God upon a man? the more viſible the ſeale is, the more aſſurance it yeelds; when a plant is in the ſprout, you can hardly diſcern what it is; but when it riſeth up into a tree, it ſheweth it ſelfe fully: gold in the Oare cannot be diſcerned by every eye; but when the earth and droſſe is taken away, then it is apparent; in a cloudy night the little ſtarres are hid, but the greater are more eaſily ſeene.
3. Comfort is uſually given as a reward; they that are very holy,Comfort is the reward of grace. and walk much with God, in much love and heavenly mindedneſſe, do uſually exceed others in comfort; Acts 9.31. They being edified walked in the feare of the Lord, and the comforts of the Holy Ghoſt. Though ſometimes the beſt and chiefe of the Saints come ſhort in comforts, yet I ſay, that they have cauſe more than others, and it is by accident that they rejoycenot; either they mind not what they have received, or they are under a darke cloud of unbeliefe, which cuts off the light of joy from them; but whoſe fault is it? the promiſe lyeth faire for them, and they have a greater advantage to beleeve than others, becauſe with the promiſe they have a pledge.
6. That little which you have, is for this end left defective, The end of what you have is to put you to ſeek more.that labouring with meekeneſſe you might ſeeke continually for more: God hath ſo ordered the conditions of his people, that he will have them live in a perpetuall dependance, and come daily to the throne of grace for almes; and more encourage your ſelves, for God is on the giving hand, the dayes of the goſpell are dole-dayes, he hath reſerved better things for his people now, than he gave in former daies; the Church of the Iewes was a child in Minority, and had leſſe, Gal. 4.1. But in theſe times hee promiſed to poure out his ſpirit more abundantly, Ioel 3.28. Which though it was literally fulfilled, and more eminently in the comming of the Holy-ghoſt upon them, Acts 2.17. yet it extends it ſelfe unto all the Church unto the end, Acts 2.39. So the Apoſtle acknowledgeth an abundance of grace upon the godly afterward. 2 Cor. 8.7. Epheſ. 1.8. Tit. 3.6. Theſe times are alſo times of affliction and trouble, and God is wont in ſuch times to give much of himſelfe, therefore ſeek to abound, and to this end, labour to recover your ſelves, and to gaine the good preſence of God with you, which you have loſt.