The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul, Chapter 29

The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul · Chapter 29

p. 369CHAP. XXIX. Two other directions how to recover.

THirdly, go to Chriſt, Direct. 3. Goe to Chriſt.and beg of him to cauſe a ſpirit of life to come into thee; I put you upon Chriſt, but take heed of miſtakes here: 1. Caution 1 Thinke not that there is a greater willingneſſe in Chriſt; then in the father, or the holy Ghoſt, to ſhew mercy to you; You muſt honor the Son, as you honor the Father aaQuomodo par non erit aequaliter cum patre honorari, cui adidentitatem ſubſtantiae nihil prorſus deeſt. Cyril. apud Cornel. à lapide., John 5.23. they muſt have the ſame honour, for they are one; they have the ſame being, and the ſame will, and the ſame thoughts, I and my father are one. John 8.30. they have the ſame friends. All thine are mine, and mine are thine. John 17.10.

22 Thinke not that what you have from Chriſt, you have from him excluſively; for they are one fountaine, and as they are one in nature, ſo they are one in all that mercy which is ſhewed to us; therefore ſo caſt honour upon Chriſt, as that you alſo honour the Father and p. 370the Spirit. All that Chriſt doth as Mediator, he doth by Commiſsion, and the … fore he ſaith, he comes to doe the w… of his Father, Heb. 10. John 6. Loo… then upon this great Mediator, as one ſealed of the Father, and filled with the Spirit, yea and clothed with our natures, and ſtanding betwixt God and us, to make both one, and to convey to us, … the riches of his Father; himſelfes the Son of God is equall with the Father, and hath a naturall and eternall ſoveraignty with the Father; but as Mediator, his power is oeconomicall, diſpenſes and delegated to him; All power bbInchoate in incarnatione, complete in aſcenſione. Cornel. à lapide.is given to me, both in things in heaven, and … things on earth. Mat. 28.20. Therefore lift up your hands with joy, and come to Chriſt, pray him to looke upon a poore begger; he hath power in … hand, he is the Lord of life; ſay, Lo… I need much; thou calledſt me, to … of thee gold, and rayment, and eye ſalve. Apoc. 3.18. Now behold my peverty, nakedneſſe, blindneſſe, and … me; ſay to him, Lord I could rather beare all evils then this evill; I could p. 371thinke my ſelfe happy, if I might enjoy thee, though all other troubles were upon me; Lord thou knoweſt what it is for a ſoul to be forſaken, it was ſometimes thine owne caſe, when thou complainedſt, My God my God why haſt thou forſaken me? not O my Lord! but that thou hadſt a divine ſupportment, but thou hadſt not (it ſeemeth) that inward joy which at other times did fill thee; now thou art in thy glory, pitty a worme in miſeryccDa dextram miſero & tecum me tolle per undas. Vargil. Aen. 6. that mournes and deſires more after thee, then all things: Lord thou paidſt deare for my good, let good come unto me; I deſire more from thee, for thee: not meerly that I might have more happineſſe, but that thou mighteſt have better ſervice; if thou wilt give me much, I will return much; thou haſt bid me, If mine enemie hunger, to feed him, if he thirſt give him drinke, Rom. 12.19. Prov. 25.21. Lord deny not ſuch mercies to thy children; though I have ſinned, yet thou art my Father; and though thou haſt beene angry, yet am I not thy childe? this ſhall be thy glory, when theſe dead and p. 372dry bones ſhall live; when the grave ſhall be opened, and the bonds of dea… ſhall be looſed, and I ſhall walk before thee; thou ſaidſt to the woman of Samaria, That if ſhe had knowne the gif… … God, and thy ſelfe, ſhe would have as … of thee, and thou wouldſt have given … living water. John 4.10. Now Lord. I know thee, and this gift, thoſe wate… would be ſweet to my thirſting hea…, oh give unto me alſo; I remember t… mercies of old, and my heart both joyeth and dyeth, the remembrance of the… ſweetneſſe doth delight me, but th… thoughts of their abſence doth afflic… meddMencer ſum, quanta pacefruebar cum in Domino gaudebam; ideo nunc magis doleo, quia ſcio quid perdidi, ſcio quam maxima bana amiſi, redde quod per peccatum mihi abſtuli, redde quod meā culpâ perdidi. Savanar… medit. in Pſal. Miſerere, &c.; I could not have deſired th… preſence but by thee; theſe deſires a… thine, turn them not back without the… end; I was well without thee (as … thought) till thou cameſt to me, a… ſince thy comming, I fell aſleep again…, and was at reſt, but thou haſt called …, and now Lord what wilt thou doe for me? a little will doe me good, and will bleſſe thee. There is no ſorrow … p. 373this, to have thy face hid, and luſts and devils to break in; Lord what, and how many are the troubles of my ſoul? Oh in the multitude of thy compaſſions help me, who am compaſſed about with a multitude of evils; art thou not ſet for the riſing of them that fall? and to be a repayrer of breaches? is not thy name Ieſus? and is not ſalvation thy employment? Oh be a Saviour to me, and pull my ſoule out of the deeps, remember the Covenant, &c. Thus take up words and courage, and go to the throne of grace; carry thine empty ſacks to Ioſeph thy brother, for hee is Lord of all Egypt; ſtand not waſting thy ſelfe in ſad thoughts of thy miſery, but ariſe and pray; turne the ſtreames of thy griefe towards Chriſt, hee will turne them into ſtreames of joy; ſit not like Hagar weeping in the deſart for her child, that is ready to die for thirſt, is not the well before thee? Chriſt is the fountaineccOmne imperfectū redigitur ad perfectum, ſic nos ad Chriſtum, à quo omnis perfectio deſcendit. Savanarol. Expoſ. 4. orat. Domin., let downe thy bucket, and drinke and live; goe with inditements againſt thy ſelfe in one hand, and with Chriſts promiſe and thy petition in the p. 374other, & thou wilt be heard; if thou wilt take this courſe, then you proud luſt and troops of hel, you muſt pack and be gone, you clouds of darknes & unbeliefe muſt be ſcattered, you chaines of death muſt get you hence; here is no abiding for you; for here the King of glory will make his temple, his throne, his reſ… onelyonly come with the whole heart; col… prayers and remiſſeneſſe of ſpirit loſt what you ſeeke, and fervent prayers wi… finde again, what you loſt; be not diſcouraged, here is the gate of life, he… that dwels here is never from home, not ever aſleep, extendddforeign your prayers, as they Acts 12.5. ſtay til the almes come; the thing is ſure, only the time is in the Lords hand; many times prayer is loſt becauſe you waite not for the anſwer; … at the gate, you need not feare to knock the Lord will not be angry; you may be urgent; wreſt the dore open … ſtrong prayers, it ſhuts not becauſe you ſhould not enter, but becauſe you ſhould knock: aske leave to enter, the barres of the gate are mercy, thy prayers are like Petards to breake way into p. 375the City; therefore turne thy feares into hopes, thy complaints into prayers, thy lamentation into ſupplication; and Chriſt will turn thy darkneſſe into light, thy deadneſſe into life, thy bondage into liberty, thy weakneſſe into ſtrength.

Fourthly,Direct. 4. Working and endeavouring. you muſt ſet your hands to the worke; for it is in vaine to expect that God ſhould help you, if you will not help your ſelves; you muſt uſe your hands as well as your tongues eeLevemus corda noſtra cum manibus ad Deum: qui orat & laborat, cor levat ad Deum cum manibus: qui orat & non laborat cor levat ad Deum & non manus; qui, &c. neceſſe eſt cor in oratione ad Deum levare, & manus cum operatione ad Deum extendere, Bern. de Mod. bene vivend. lib. 51. & eiſdem pene verbis. Hieronym. in Lament. 3. foreign. Aeſchyl. in Perſ.Lam 3: idle beggers muſt be whipped; he that will not work muſt not eate. Remember what I have ſaid: you have a life in you, if you be in Chriſt: & as you have a life, ſo there is a never-failing preſence of the Spirit, to attend that power which you have; if then you put forth your ſelves to what you are able, and as far as your power extends, God will draw neare to you. It is true, that which you want is out of your reach, you are not able to make crooked things to become p. 376ſtraite, and lay thoſe ſwelling mountaines of corruption levell, but yet yo… muſt ſet to the worke; Ioſhua could no… with the ſtrength of Rams horne… ſounding caſt down the wals of Ierich…, but yet he muſt ſet upon the worke; when the Midianites fall, there muſt be the Sword of the Lord and of Gideo… Judges 7.18. The father holdeth a… apple to the childe, the childe cann… reach it, yet his ſhort arme muſt be p… forth, and then the father whoſe arm… is long enough will reach it to him… you muſt be doing.

Before I come to ſhew what is to be done,For you have a power. it wil be needful to convince you, that men regenerate have power to doe ſomething of themſelves; for oftentimes men miſunderſtanding the ſtate of regeneration, doe either excuſe the … negligence by pretended inability, … ſit downe diſcouraged, as having no power in their hands at all; how often doe they complaine and ſigh in vaine, alas, I am nothing of my ſelfe, except God give me a heart and ſtrength what can I doe? I can doe nothing, &c.

p. 377To theſe I ſay, that theſe concluſions are ill drawne from a true principle, which is this, that all is of God, and that by nature we are dead; but it is ill urged in this caſe, 1for that the regenerate have a power to doe good appeares,Becauſe life. 1. becauſe they are living, and all life is a power to act,Elſe no difference betwixt regenerate and unregenerate. 22. elſe there is no ſpecificall difference betwixt a man regenerate and unregenerate, if both were ſtill dead and without ſtrength.

33 Grace is a renewing of that Image of God and holineſſe, which we loſt in Adam. Epheſ. 4.24. but that was a power to doe what God required,Grace reneweth that which Adam had therefore ſo far as that Image is repaired, ſo far there is a power.

44 Elſe we ſhould not have as much benefit by the ſecond Adam, Elſe wee have not ſo much by the ſecond Adam as by the firſt.as we had by the firſt; the firſt would have communicated his power to do good, and being corrupted doth communicate power to ſin, therefore much more by Chriſt have we a power to doe good in our meaſure.

Object. It may be objected that it is ſaid, John 15.5. Without me yee can doe nothing. p. 378So that it ſeemeth that we have not power in our ſelves.

Sol. The meaning is, except you be implanted into me, ye can doe nothing: the word without me ffforeign Scorſim a me. Caly. Camer. &c.ſignifieth, ſeparate from me, or apart from me, and intimateth this only, that till we be knit unto Chriſt, we are but dead, and barren branches, and ſo Chriſt explaines himſelfe. ver. 4. As the branch cannot bring forth fruit of it ſelfe, except it abide in the Vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in mee.

Object. Phil. 2.13. It is God which worketh both to will and to doe of his good pleaſure.

Anſw. The place proves what I ſayggVide Zanch. in loc., that the Saints have a power, it is true, it is of God; therefore we ſhould work out our ſalvation in humility, not boaſting in our ſelves; for all is received of God. More fully, God is ſaid to work the will and the deed,

1 By giving habituall grace, a renewed frame of heart.

2 In exciting and ſtrengthning this grace.

p. 379And both theſe are ever afforded to the Saints, only the latter is more and leſſe according to his pleaſure, ſo that in the worſt times a Chriſtian hath a power to doe good, though not alike at all times: And this power you muſt uſe, and put forth your ſelves, as you are able, elſe you cannot with reaſon expect his help; a Ship hath inſtruments of motion, (though not an internall principle) and if the Mariner would have help by the windes, he muſt looſe his Cables, and hoiſe his ſailes; ſo muſt you, or elſe you may lie ſtill.

Now that which you are to doe is,Things to be done Firſt, ſtir up your ſelves.

1 To ſtir up your ſelves, for God hath promiſed to meete you, and to reach out his hand to help you, if you be not wantinghhFas non eſt, ut qui ipſe guavus eſt, vel amicos agere ſuâ cauſa jubeat, nedum ipſos Deos. Demoſt. Olynth. 2. Apud Dominum utra que haec ſibi neceſſario congruunt, & ut oratione operatio, & operatione fulciatur oratio. Hieron. in Lament. cap. 3.Lam 3 to your ſelves; it is certaine a godly man cannot by the ſtrength of his endeavours alone raiſe up his ſoule, nor recover his loſſe, though he ſhould lay mountain upon mountain, and pile endeavours upon endeavours, yet he p. 380could not reach that life he ſeeks, but the ſtrength of all our endeavours is the grace and promiſe of Godaaforeign Chryſ. hom. 22. ad Antioch., but as endeavours without God cannot, ſo God without endeavours will not; therefore labour to quicken your ſelves, that is, work upon your hearts by your underſtandings; as the ſtriking of the flint and ſteele together begetteth fire, ſo the meeting of theſe two faculties, having an internall life in them, do quicken the ſoule; God hath made the underſtanding the guide and treaſure of the ſoule, upon this altar lyeth the fire of God; if theſe coales be blowed up and caſt upon the heart, they will warme, melt, purge, and quicken it.

There are two things in a renewed minde;

1 A treaſure of habituall knowledge; You have 1. a treaſure of knowledge.it is the ark of God, in which the tables of the law are kept; the myſtery of the Goſpell is engraven on it; ſo that the minde is as the head to the body, which gives ſence and motion to all the members; ſpirituall truths are as the ſpirits in the head, for the quickning of the ſoul.

p. 38122 There is a power to uſe and improve theſe truths, Power to uſe it.by meditation and applicationiiforeign. Homer, to awaken and provoke the will; as a man hath power to counſell and perſwade another, ſo he may doe this to himſelfe by this diſcurſive faculty: ſo we ſee David pleading with himſelfe, ſometimes chiding: Why art thou caſt downe oh my ſoule, and why art thou diſquieted within me? Pſal. 42.5. ſometimes exciting himſelfe to duty, Praiſe the Lord oh my ſoule, and all that is within me praiſe his holy name. Pſal. 103.1. Sometime comforting himſelfe in God, Returne to thy reſt oh my ſoule, for God hath dealt bountifully with thee. Pſal. 116.7. it was a uſuall thing with him, to talke with himſelfe; the minde hath a language as well as the body, My reins teach me in the night ſeaſon. Pſal. 16.7. & he found ſo much good in this way, that he puts all upon it: Commune with your hearts upon your beds, and be ſtill. Pſal. 4.4. Bring out thoſe truths which are laid up in you, and whet them upon your ſelves, God hath fitted you with faculties and powers to doe this, you p. 382have an apprehenſive faculty, to lay in truths and notions, a retentive faculty to lay them up, and a recollective faculty to lay out; you have not only power of intelligence, but alſo of reminiſcence, that you may call to minde and ponder of things knowne, and call them out of the Cels in which they lye, to revive the heart: the underſtanding is to the heart, as the breaſt to the childe, or as the ſtomach to the body, all is fed by it; ſet therefore upon your hearts with quickning thoughts; for as rubbing and chafing the hands or other parts with hot oyles is a means to recover them, when they are benummed, ſo the plying of the heart with ſtirring thoughts, enforcing arguments, is a meanes to revive it; among all thoughts there are none more prevalent, then of ſins paſt, of heaven, hell, eternity, love of God, the death of Chriſt: Rules helping to quicken the heart by the underſtanding.theſe are ſtrong cordials to cheare up the ſpirits.

To help you in this worke of dealing with your hearts; let mee propound theſe rules.

11 Make every notion practicall; let p. 383the heart ſhare with the underſtanding, count not your ſelves better for a thouſand notions, except there bee ſome heate in them; minde your hearts, and ſtrive to gain by all things; if you reade, or heare, or diſcourſe, let your ayme and deſire be, to better your hearts.

22 Be frequent in thoughts, for mindleſſe men, are liveleſſe.

33 Be ponderous, for ſlight thoughts are weak in working.

44 Pitch upon things which moſt concerne you; all are good, but ſome are more ſeaſonable.

5 Obſerve the temper of thy heart, 5what may work moſt; all thoughts have not the like efficacy in all, the conſtitutions of mens ſoules differ; learne to know your tempers.

66 When thoughts begin to take hold, ply them, keep the fire burning, and let it not goe out for want of blowing.

77 Arme your thoughts with prayer, beſeech God to be in them.

Thus then employ your mindes; this is Gods way; God will keep his method which he hath ſet, he hath appointed p. 384the minde to this office, and he will not balke it; Kings doe all by their officers: God comes not himſelfe into the inward temple, but by this gate; all his workings upon the heart are in a rationall way, ſutable to the ſtate of the creature, hee deales with the heart by the minde, and upon the whole man by the heart; as the firſt pipe takes in water for it ſelfe and for all the reſt; what ever is in the ciſtern of the heart is conveighed by the minde, this is the ſpring in the watch of your ſoules; winde up this, and all the wheeles will move.

22 Attend the ordinances, Attend the Ordinances.I will ſay no more of this having met with it before.

33 Take the help of the Saints, crave their counſels,Seek help of the Saints. their prayers, uſe their company, for they are living, and they will impart their life: they will be helpfull to the infirme, they have a ſpirit of compaſſion to ſuccour the neceſsitous. Woe be to him that is alone; if he fal, who ſhall raiſe him up? it may bee your forſaking the aſſembly of theſe hath brought you into this withering ſtate: p. 385God hath appointed the Saints unto fellowſhip, and when they knit not but careleſly out of pride, vaine feares, or envy, or any the like ungodly principle, they hang off from each other, they ſhall not proſper.

44 Doe your firſt workes: Doe your firſt worksthis is the counſell of Chriſt to a back ſliding Church, Apoc. 2.5. Doe your firſt workes for quantity, as much as you did: you ſee abatement hath impoveriſhed you; therefore work harder, to make up your ſelves againe. Doe them alſo as much as you are able for quality as you did before, remember from whence you are fallen, call to minde with what feare, with what reverence, with what diligence, with what intention of ſpirit, with what tenderneſſe you were wont to doe all, ſo do againe.

Object. Alas I cannot, this is my miſery: if I could doe as I have done, I could rejoyce.

Anſw. 1 You may doe more then you doe.

2 See if the fault lie not more in the defect of will then of power, and ſtir up your ſelves, if you were more willing, p. 386things would be more eaſie kkforeign. Nazianz. De patre ſuo adictionem Epiſcopi Caeſarienſis proſecturo, cum valetudinarius & ſevex eſt Orat. 20..

3 The more you ſtrive the more y… will gaine; the root of diſcouragement is unbeliefe; when God bids you repent, hee knoweth how little you ſtrength is, and how hard your hea…s are, and ſo when he bids you pray, he… knoweth your infirmities what th… are; both thoſe of Infancy and defect… grace, and thoſe of ſickneſſe by de… ning from him, and his intent is not tha… you ſhould worke out theſe alone, but he cals upon you to put to your ſtrēgth, and he will joyne with you, and will g… hand in hand with youllforeign. Aeſchyl. apud Stob., therefore awaken your ſelves and be encouraged, for if you be doing, he will worke with you, in you, for you; And ſo you may recover your ſelves againe, and what is … your ſorrows and labours to this recompence? if God will return aga… you will thinke all labour and paint well beſtowed: oh how ſweete will … be after ſuch a time of deadneſſe, how p. 387ſweet will a cleare underſtanding and an eſtabliſhed faith be after ſuch miſts of darkneſſe and unbeliefe? how ſweete will liberty be, after ſo long a time of cruell ſervitude? how ſweete will victory and reſt be after ſo long and ſo bloody a war? now the Ordinances will be as the greene paſtures in which your ſoules ſhall feed and delight themſelves; now you that did dwell in the duſt, and were compaſſed about with helliſh luſts, and uncleane ſpirits, ſhall be filled with the Spirit of Chriſt, and ſhall converſe with God; it will be a ſweete time when all things ſhall become new; when your diſeaſes ſhall be turned to health, and you, ſhall renew your ſtrength as the Eagles, when Chriſt ſhal come into his ancient throne, Pſ. 103.5.Ps 103:5and rule you with the Sceptor of his grace. And I pray God that all that have been deſerted may ſeek him and finde him. This ſhall ſuffice for the firſt ſort of ſpirituall deſertions, viz. reall, now followeth another ſort (if I may ſo call it) deſertions only in appearance.