The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul, Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. Perſwaſive conſiderations to move men to ſtudy the preſervation of communion with God.
NOw having treated of the cauſes of the ſad loſſe of Gods quickning preſence, I come to conſider of the cure and becauſe as ſome are actually in this miſerable ſtate, and all are potentially in it, that is, though they are not in this maner deſerted, yet they may be: I will accordingly preſcribe rules,
1 Preſervative for all.
2 Reſtaurative, for ſuch as are in this ſtate.
In the former I will propound ſomething,
1 For perſwaſion.
2 For direction.Labour to maintaine communion with God: for,
That which I perſwade is, that men would labour to maintaine a conſtant communion with God, conſider
1. You may loſe much.You may loſe much of God, as I have declared: the beſt may be in this caſe, therefore be not ſecure;gforeign; Greg. Naz. though thou ſayleſt now with a full gale, thou maiſt be becalmed, thy mountain is not ſo ſtrong but it may be ſhaken,hAnimi motus & mores ſuum habent orbem, raro que conſiſtunt. Cun. de republ. Hebr. lib. 1. dangers ſhould make men wiſe, eſpecially ſo great as this; though the promiſe aſſures thee of life, yet thou art not out of danger of ſickneſſe, thou caryeſt a backſliding heart in thy boſome, and there are ſeducing ſpirits (many Legions) which ſeek to cloud the day of thy ſpirituall proſperity: therefore watch, that you enter not into temptation. Mat. 26.41. But work out your ſalvation with feare and trembling. Phil. 2.12.
2. You may loſe that quickly which will hardly be recovered; More then will eaſily be recovered.a Ship is eaſily born down the ſtream, but it is hardly fetched up again; the Philoſophers tell us that the way from the habit to the privation, is eaſier than the way from the privation to the habit; as a man may eaſier make a ſeeing eye blinde, then a blinde eye to ſee; a man may ſoon put an inſtrument out of tune, but not ſo ſoon put it in again; a man may loſe more ſtrength in a dayes ſickneſſe,iCorpora tarde augeſcunt, at cito extingunntur, citius templum à Romanis deſtructum, quam à Iudaeis ſtructum. Savan. then he can recover in many dayes of health: Therefore when thou art mounted aloft by plentifull ſupplies of grace, as upon Eagles wings, take heed of falling, for it is eaſier not to fal, then to riſe; if thou provoke thy God to retire, it may coſt thee many prayers and teares to get him to return, when thy luſts begin to ſtir, and to be armed with a new ſtrength; theſe monſters will coſt you labour and ſweat to muzzle them, & ſubdue them: it is eaſier to keep out an enemy, then to expell him; a man may better keep an eſtate then get it: how did the Church ſeek Chriſt before ſhe found him again? Cant. 5.
3. It will be grievous.The loſſe will be grievous, it is moſt miſerable to have been happy:kMiſerum eſt fuiſſe beatum. foreign. Theophyl. ep. 37. foreign, &c. Eurip. in Hec. acriores ſunt morſus libortatis intermiſſae. Cic. in Offic. when you have found the ſweetneſſe of Gods preſence, it will be a bitter thing to loſe it.
4. Its poſſible to keep it.It is poſſible to be kept, it is a comfort that care will keep it.
Object. But few do maintain a conſtant communion with God, but do at one time or other fall behinde hand.
Anſw. 1. This doth not argue it impoſsible, but difficult.
2. The more difficult, the greater care is required, and a wiſe man ſtirres the more when a caſe is difficult.
Object. But God doth ſometimes of his own pleaſure ſhorten and diminiſh the influences of his Spirit,lAnimus fortis creſcit inipſa rerū difficultate. Bern. ep. 256. even becauſe he will, and that for ends beſt knowne to himſelfe.
Anſw. 1. If it be not for your default, it is not loſt by you, though in ſuch a cafe it be loſt to you, becauſe you have it not, yet you have not loſt it, & ſo it is without ſin to you; as it is in bodily health, if it depart, but not by our default, by want of due care of it, we ſin not, it is our preſent affliction, not our fault.
2. Whom God hath ſo left, he hath not left in that maner as he doth others, as we may ſee in examples. 1. He denyeth not a generall aſsiſtance, but a ſpetiall; that is, he withdrawes not all thoſe workings of his power, by want of which an univerſall weakneſſe and dcadneſſe overſpreads his ſervants, but in ſome particular caſe only, as in Peter; Chriſt did not leave him to a generall declenſion, but to a particular ſlip. 2. He did ſooner return to Peter, and cauſed Peter to return to himſelf. 3. He communicates more to them afterward: ſo Peter gained by his loſſe.
3. Wee are not ſo much to minde what God doth in the way of his free pleaſure and abſolute ſoveraignty, as what he doth in ordinary; nor ſo much what he will doe, as what he will that we ſhall doe: nor ſo much what the Iſſue of our work ſhall be, as what our rule is. This out of doubt we ſhall finde by an holy walking, even more of God, if not at this time in this thing, in this kinde or in this meaſure, yet in another, for our labour ſhall not be in vain in the Lord. 1 Cor. 15.58. It is poſſible and frequent to finde little ſtrength in ſome caſe, and much in another: it may be thy luſts may be working, but thy heart melting, fearing, mourning, warring, praying, and abounding in much ſpirituall life: it may be in afflictions thou maiſt have more ſorrow and unquietneſſe of heart, being not ſo abundantly filled with ſpirituall comfort; but this may be recompenſed in much meekneſſe, humbleneſs, hungring after God, dependance upon him, &c. God will not be wanting to thee that faileſt not thy ſelfe, if thy love be conſtant to him, much more is his to thee: we ſay love deſcends ſtronglier then it aſcends, the father loves the childe better than the childe loves the father; Gods love begets ours: therefore it is not only a preventing love, before ours, but an excelling love, above ours.
5. It is an excellent thing: in reſpect of 1 the meanes. 1 Chriſt.Conſider the excellency of enjoyment of God.
1. In the meanes of it, 1 the Son of God dyed to obtain it, his blood was poured out, that there might be a way for man to have Communion with God: we are made neare and have acceſſe to God, and favours from God, at no leſſe price then the blood of the onelyonly begotten Son of God.
2. The Spirit himſelf is imployed to poure in the treaſures of divine grace.2 The Spirit.
3. All the Prophets, Apoſtles, Preachers, yea,3. All ordinances. the Word and Sacraments are the inſtruments of conveyance of this high favour.
It muſt needs be of great worth and excellency, In reſpect of the effects. 1. Comfort and happy concord.for the effecting of which, ſuch high perſons, and excellent means are employed.
2. In the effects. 1. It brings great peace and ſolace, becauſe it ſets the ſoule in an harmonious ſtate mOmne bonum concordiae cognatum eſt. Spond. in hom. Ilia. 2.
1. A man carried on in a heavenly courſe, by a divine hand, hath concord betwixt Conſcience and himſelfe.
Conſcience, Betwixt conſcience and himſelfe.as it is a tutor for inſtruction, ſo is a task maſter for exaction; as it ſhewes what we owe, ſo it demands it: now when a man hath his rent ready for his Lords Baily, he is not moleſted. Conſcience will murmure and grumble if a man come ſhort,nMens conſcia verbere caedit occultum quatiente animo tortore flagellum. Juven. de improb. Sat. 13. but holy walking keepes peace.
2. Concord betwixt the affection and condition; that is, when a man enjoyeth God, Betwixt the affection and condition.he hath what he would have: now if a man have what he loves, he is ſatisfied: as if you give a poore man riches, his heart is eaſed. Whom doth the godly man love and deſire in the world more then God? Pſal. 73.25. he is his light, life, ſtrength, Joy, all in all to him. Col. 3.11.
3. Betwixt inclination and action.Concord betwixt inclination and action; when a man hath a principle that diſpoſeth him to holineſſe, and yet is hindered or perverted, this is a ſickneſſe and paine to the ſoule; as if you ſtop water in its courſe, it is full of unquietneſſe: therefore when by divine aſſiſtance the ſoule is looſed of her bonds, and freed from impediments of running her deſired courſe, it is peace.
4. Betwixt hope and reaſon: Betwixt hope and reaſon.if a mans wayes be not exact, reaſon will give check to hope, and feare and anxiety will breake in, and it cannot be peace; but where reaſon concludes for hope, apprehending not only the excellency of the end, and the poſſibility, but the probability and the certainty; if hope expect, and the underſtanding diſpute againſt it, going about to overthrow its title, it cannot but breed trouble: ſupplies from heaven will prevent this: for theſe ſupplies keep the ſoule in her way, and the way leads to the promiſe, and the promiſe ſtrengthens hope, and in this way reaſon will joyn with it, the underſtanding will ſee all cleare, and ſo the heart will be quiet.
5. Betwixt the ordinances and the heart.Betwixt the ordinances and our hearts; this concord lyeth not only in this, that a man ſhall more prize them, but alſo that he ſhall receive more by them. For,
1. The heart doth more ſympathize, with thē, it is more receptive, Gods preſence in the ſoule doth capacitate it, it makes it more meet for the Goſpell; and as wood that is dry will take fire more then wood that is wet, becauſe it is nearer the nature of fire, ſo the heart draweth more life, and partakes of the power of ordinances, by how much the more it hath a preparedneſſe through grace.
2. Where God is preſent in the ſoul, he is preſent in the ordinances; as all the ſervants are ready to ſerve him whom the maſter honours: God hath a more full command of all then any Soveraigne, and if he will that the meanes of grace ſhall bring in much of heaven, it will be done: and where a man is thus feaſted with the fat things of Gods houſe, it is a great ſolace to him, partly becauſe the things themſelves are excellent, and partly becauſe they are teſtimonies of Gods ſpeciall favour and grace.
6 Concord betwixt duty and ability: it is a great diſcomfort, when a man ſeeth his way and cannot walk in it, or when there is that diſproportion of ſtrength to his work, that he doth it not without much contention, difficulty, wearineſſe; but when a man is able, then he is merry at his work, his labour is no paine; having the help of a God of power, He runs and is not weary, and walks and faints not. Eſay 40.31. That is done with alacrity which is done with facility.
7 Concord with the Saints: With the Saints.holineſſe is their proper quality, and therefore the more holineſſe the greater agreement, there will be a ſweet conſenting, and concentring with them; your motion on and theirs, your hearts and theirs your end and theirs will harmonize ſo ſweetly, that you ſhall have their counſell, countenance, company, comfort and it is a great ſolace to have communion with them, who are ſo neare … God, and ſo full of God.
2 It brings glory. Effect, glory. 1. A glorying ſpirit1. A glorying ſpirit that is, it worketh joy and triumph i… God, when the ſoule is caried in a holy courſe, the preſence of God is ſo deare and the contentment and ſweetneſſe o… his way ſo precious, that he not only bleſſeth his God, but he alſo bleſſeth himſelf in his God, he ſeeth that Gods with him, and this is a ſign of his favour For wherein ſhall it be knowne here, that and thy people have found grace in the ſight? is it not in that thou goeſt with us Exod. 33.16. And ſo a nobleneſſe o… ſpirit is begotten in him, through which he is ſet above the world, ſo the through his God, whom he findes better than a thouſand worlds, he tramper upon the worldoMoreus Galeacius ſaid, Hee that counts all the gold and ſilver in the world worth one … Communion with Jeſus Chriſt, is worthy to be accurſed.. Rom. 8.31. And neither enticed with hopes, nor detered with feares, but like a conquering Champion breakes through the armies, and hoaſts of the world; what need he feare the aſſaults of creatures, that hath with him the power of the Creator? and how is he armed againſt all trouble, That hath the ſpirit of glory and of God reſting upon him? 1 Pet. 4.14.
2 It is an honour to a man to be full of grace, and full of life; It is an honour to have God dwelling in us.if reaſon which is but humane, do exalt a man ſo much above the beaſt, then how much more doth grace, which is divine, exalt the Saints above men? yea, if thoſe ornaments of the reaſonable creature, which are gotten by humane endeavour and are common to all, be ſuch a crowne of glory, what honour is it to have the Spirit of God, making the godly the tabernacle of his reſt, and filling them with the glory of his preſence, and the bleſſed operations of his grace? To be trees even green and flouriſhing, filled with fruits of grace, to receive daily from heaven that which excels the Crownes of Kings, to have Chriſt under thy roofe, ſupping with thee? Apoc. 3.20. To ſit downe daily, not only with Abraham Iſaac, and Iacob, but with Chriſt himſelfe, to be led into his wine-celler, to have the mighty God walking with thee, what glory is all this to thee, which is the higheſt honour of the Angels?
3 It is an honour to have God co-working with thee, Honour to have God working with us.his hand with thine: a man would think it an honour to be with Princes in employment: while thou enjoyeſt inward quicknings and aſſiſtance, as heaven joynes it ſelfe with thee, ſo thy work appeares to be a noble employment, and a ſervice acceptable: As the ſacrifice of Abel, Gen. 4. had this teſtimony of Gods acceptance, fire came from heaven upon it; as alſo afterwards in the Law: Levit. 9.24. So when God enkindles the ſoule with his Spirit, for ſpirituall Sacrifices, it is a ſigne that they are accepted of him. The Apoſtle by this proves his Miniſtry to be of God, and according to God becauſe God did work in him, and gave him ſufficiency to thoſe great things. 2 Cor. 3.
6 Conſider there is a neceſsity of divine aſsiſtance; It is neceſſary to have the aſſiſting preſence of God.we are not like a Ship rigged and fitted, and ſent out to Sea, and ſo left to ſhift for it ſelfe, but God is our continuall Pilot, and that power which wrought at firſt unto the working of Converſion, Epheſ. 1. worketh ſtill, Col. 1.18. unto fructification, augmentation, and perſeverance; what need we have of the help of this power may appeare, if we conſider:
1 That the moſt excellent Saints have failed, The beſt have failed without it.when they have been left to themſelves.
2 That our taske is great.Our taske great.
3 That our ſtrength is ſmall.
1 Through the debility of grace received; Our ſtrength little. 1 Grace low.It is but little which we have attained, and grace being ſo imperfect, there remaines in us a proportionable
impotency to good.
enmity to good.
2 Through the meaſure and mixture of a contrary principle; There is a contrary principle.the fleſh ſo rooted, ſo potent, ſo overſpread, ſo active, ſo chayning and preſsing down, Heb. 12.1. that the Apoſtle not only ſaith, we cannot do what we would, Gal. 5.17. but alſo that himſelfe cannot, his ſin like a tyrant leading him captive whither he would not. Rom. 7.
3 Through exigences in our way, Exigences many.great feares, ſtraights, extremities, which without the help of the Spirit, we could not paſſe through.
4 Through Satans mighty and ſubtile tentatious; Satan mighty.all theſe, inherent corruptions, difficult occurrents, Satans workings meeting with ſmall meaſures of grace, muſt needs prevaile unto grievous conſequences without the ſupport of the hand of the Almighty.But at ſometimes eſpecially divine aſſiſtance is moſt neceſſary.
And though wee ſtand alwayes in need of a divine preſence; yet at ſometimes eſpecially.
1 When we are put upon ſome ſpeciall ſervice, In ſome great ſervice.as Abraham, who was to leave all and to go he knew not whither. Gen. 12. how would reaſon and affection have barred and blocked up his paſſage, if he had not been mighty through God; ſo in that other buſineſſe of ſacrificing his ſon. Gen. 22. Ezra when he was to take a long journey by a way that he knew not, asked of God a right way and ſafe protection from the hazzards that he might meet. Ezra 8.21, 22. and when our path is not a beaten way, or when it is a difficult way, and we are put upon new and ſpeciall ſervice, then is a time to crave the aide of God.
2 When there is ſome eminent weakneſſe, When there is ſome eminent decayand decay grown upon the ſpirit, by a cuſtomary careleſneſſe, and long negligence in the way of holineſſe; in ſuch a caſe a man is like one in whom nature is ſo oppreſſed and over-maſtered by the ſtrength of a diſeaſe,Vide Them. ſum. 1.2. q. 109. a. 7. Greg. de Valent. t. 2 diſp. 8. q. 1. punct. 8. that without the help of the Phyſitian hee cannot recover: this David found in his declined eſtate, which made him pray that God would ſet him right, reſtore and eſtabliſh him, When ſome Iuſt hath recovered.Create in me a cleane heart oh God, and renew a right ſpirit within me. Pſal. 51.10.
3 When ſome luſt hath pPeccato in conſuetudinem verſo, niſi ineffabili divinae gratiae miraculo non reſiſtitur. Bern. apud Guilielm. Pariſ. de tentat. & reſiſt.recovered ſtrength: when the Jebuſites have made inroads upon Iſrael, and Babel hath prevailed upon Sion; then we need the help of the Spirit to charme downe theſe ſpirits, to huſh theſe windes, to deliver the poore captive out of chains; if luſts prevaile to lead captive, they will eaſily hold faſt in captivity, and except redemption come from heaven, how ſhould a feeble ſoule quit it ſelfe out of the jawes of Lions; yea, out of the hands of the powers of darkneſſe?
4 In fierce aſſaults, In fierce aſſaults.and ſtrong tentationsqViſ. Pariſienſ. de tentat. & reſiſt.; when Satan layeth ſiege to the ſoule, ſhooting his fiery darts, and uſing ſtratagems of policy, joyning his endeavours with our corruptions, as winde with tyde; then we have cauſe to pray as David, Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footſteps ſlip not. Pſal. 17.5. The Apoſtle alſo found he had need of help from heaven when he was aſſaulted; and therefore he prayed thrice, that the thing that he feared might depart from him. 2 Cor. 12. Chriſt hath taught us to pray daily, Lead us not into tentation rIn Mat. 26.41. Debuit juxta vos dieere non quidem ſurgite & orate, ſed ſurgite & reſiſtite, inquit Hieron. contr. Pelag. lib. 2. Iubet orare ne intentationem ducantur, i. e. ne ab ea vicantur. Aug. lib. de corr. & grat. cap. 6., for it is dangerous; and then tentations are moſt dangerous, when 1. moſt ſutable, when Satan joynes with our diſpoſition or conſtitution. 2 continuall. 3 when opportunity and power is greateſt.
5 In great afflictions, wants, paines, In great afflictions.dangers, perſecutions, it is hard to endure fights of afflictions, to ſuffer great and ſore evils, eſpecially when they are multiplyed and continued, whether our ſufferings be corrections from God, or perſecutions from men, wee need then a greater ſtrength then our owne, for we ſee in both how the greateſt champions have been foyled, when God hath for a time retreated, and left thē to try it out in their own ſtrength: Iob, the mirrour of patience was overtaken with much impatience; and Peter that man of courage ſQuoſ que neges unquam poſſe jacere cadunt. Ovid. am. lib. 1., was over-maſtered with cowardize; the one ſo far, as to quarrell with his God, the other ſo far, as to deny his maſter; and theſe things are written for ustƲtruina majorum ſit cautela minorum. Greg. Moral. David amieus Dei, & Solomon amabilis ejus aucti ſunt. Ʋt & ruinae nobis ad cautionem, exempla praeberent. Hieron. t. 1. ep. 9. Ad hoc peccata illorum hominum ſcripta ſunt, ut Apoſtolica illa ſententia ubi que tremenda ſit, qui videtur ſtare, videat ne cadat. Aug. de doct. Chriſt. lib. 3. cap. 23..
6 When the meanes of grace are cut off from us; In want of means.theſe are the food of the ſoule; and when theſe faile, it would be with the ſoule as with fire, which by withdrawing the fuell would be extinguiſhed; or as with the body, which by want of nutriment would be famiſhed. A garden, if when the heavens drop not in ſweet ſhowres, it be not watered by the Gardiner, withereth; this is our comfort, that though when the meanes of ſpirituall life are afforded, we muſt expect all ſupplies in that way, yet we are not ſet in ſuch an abſolute dependance upon them, but that through God, when they are wanting we may be ſuſtained: Light in the preſent ordinary courſe of nature comes from the Sun and Stars; yet God gave light at firſt to the world, when yet they were not created, Gen. 1. So when the Sun and Moone (the meanes of knowledge) ſhall not give light, The Lord ſhall be to thee an everlaſting Light, and thy God thy glory. Eſay 60.19. but if God ſhould not feed us himſelfe, when with Eliah we are in the wilderneſſe, how ſhould we ſubſiſt?
7 When inward comforts are ſuſpended, When comfort is ſuſpended.and the ſtreames of living water flow not from the well of life, when ſtormes and tempeſts ariſe, and the waters of Marah overflow; then if God doe not uphold, the ſoul ſinkes in the deeps, as David. Pſal. 69.1, 2. Heman. Pſal. 88. Iob 1.6. In times when the ſweete guſt and taſte of thoſe things which did refreſh the heart are cut off: if God put forth himſelfe in a way of help, the thirſt and labour of the heart, will bee much after God. Pſal. 63.8. but if God withdraw his hand, either the heart lyeth ſleeping and feeding upon inferiour things, like the Prodigall, who when he had not bread, fed upon chaffe and draffe; or elſe it faints in diſcouragement, hangs the wing, and lyeth in fruitleſſe and mournfull dejectment, either fearing to draw neare ſo great a God, or thinking it in vaine to ſtir. It is hard to live by faith, when all ſenſe faileth, and to retain a living hope, when feares break in like a flood.
All theſe things conſidered, doth it not much concern us to endeavour to keep the good hand of God with us in all our wayes? Let this ſuffice for perſwaſion.