The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul, Chapter 30
CHAP. XXX. Of Defertions in appearance only, with cauſes of miſtake in this Caſe.
HAving finiſhed the firſt ſort of deſertions, or Gods with drawings of the quickning influences of his Spirit, which are when men are really ſo deſerted; I now come to thoſe deſertions which ſeeme ſuch, but are not; … godly man ſometimes may and doth draw ſad concluſions againſt himſelfe, and conceives that God hath departed from him, when it is not ſo. And this miſtake proceeds from ſuch cauſes as theſe:
1 Fearefulneſſe: 1 Cauſe, Fearefulneſſe.this abounds … ſome more then others, the matter … weighty, and in ſuch caſes man is apt to feare; as one upon a Towre, though the place be ſtrong and he ſure, yet when he lookes downe, he is appalled at the dreadfulneſs of the precipice, & counts himſelfe in danger: This feare is … creaſed in men becauſe they know they may ſinke into ſuch deeps, and they ſee many have fallen; now as in a time of peſtilence and great mortality, feare ſo takes hold of ſome, that they thinke ſometimes that they are ſtruckenmQuod fore poſſe timet, moeſtus adeſſe putat., and that they alſo are going to the houſe of ſilence and darkneſſe, when as they are in healthfull ſtate, ſo ſometimes men think in this caſe. And the tempers of ſome ſpirits are ſuch, that they are apt to feare; there are dusky clouds of Melancholy darkening their reaſon, ſo that they thinke with that melancholy King, that they of men are become beaſts, and ſo are ready to depoſe themſelves from that Princely ſtate which they lived in, to feed with oxen. And to all this there is a working of the Prince of darkneſſe, labouring to hide the light, and to encreaſe the darkneſſe and ſadneſſe of a fearefull ſoule; and this feare being raiſed, doth create diſmall viſions, and apprehenſions, that a man ſeemes to himſelfe to bee metamorphoſed, and thinkes he is as one caſt out from God, when yet his caſe is good.
2 Miſtake in the cauſe of preſent deadniſſe. Miſtaking the cauſe of their preſent ſtate.… When they are clogge… with indiſpoſedneſſe, and ill diſpoſedneſſe they lay this to Gods with drawing himſelfe, which indeed is the fruit of their owne careleſneſſe, ſlothfulneſſe and untowardneſſe; they take not pain… with themſelves, but ſuffer their heart to dy, and to be depraved, and then … out that God hath forſaken them; the… is an aptneſſe in men to charge God, bu… awaken your ſelves, leſt God withdraw indeed.
3 Misjudging themſelves: Misjudgeing themſelves. Error in judgement occaſioned by,They thinke worſe of themſelves then they are, and there are ſundry things which occaſion them to miſtake.
1 Spirituall poverty: A poore man is apt to domplaine, Spirituall poverty.and an humble ma… is apt to thinke meanely of himſelfe. There is that maketh himſelfe rich and hath nothing, and there is that maketh himſelfe poore having great riches. Some mens hearts are high when their worth is low nforeign. de Athanaſio Naz.: the emptieſt eares ſtand higheſt, but the richeſt Mines lye low; an humble. Chriſtian is a rich treaſure… yet he thinkes he is worth but little: But I muſt tell you, all is not gold that gliſters, all in a godly man that ſeemes grace, is not, there is a baſtard humility, as well as a genuine humility; true humility is Iudicious, though it thinke meanely of it ſelfe, yet juſtly; it judgeth not againſt truth; falſe humility is diſtempered, and erres in Iudgement; I ſay it is a melancholy diſtemper in the habit of humility, which can ſee nothing but ill ſights, it can ſee no good; when it lookes this way it cannot ſee wood for trees; it ever is in ſubſtraction in its account of reall worth, and matter of encouragement; but ever in multiplication and addition beyond meaſure of faults and wants and all matter of diſcouragement: Aske him how he doth, and he will tell you, he is a very beggar, a miſerable man, a bankerupt, full of ſinne, empty of God, he is nothing, hath nothing, ſeeth nothing, taſteth nothing, doth nothing, yea, he will tell you (but who can beleeve him that knoweth his rich worth?) that he is worſe then nothingoforeign, hoc unum ſe ſcire dixit, quod nihil ſciret. Socrat. apud Laert..
2 Hungring and thirſting after … grace: Hungring of ſpirit.this is a ſweet companion of humility, but it hath this property, to le… the ſoule ſtill outward, and is ſo ſering in ſeeking what it hath not, that it minds not what it hath; a cove…ou… man is ever poore; becauſe ever wanting; hee forgets what is behinde, and is ſtill preſſing to that which is before pforeign. Chryſoſt. foreign. Prov. Graec.: It is the fault of ſuch as are filled with ſtrong deſires after God, that they much for get what they have received; pride … ver feeds on what it hath, but humility ſeeth beſt what it hath not: But you ſhould remember that ſtrong deſir… after God are ſtrong evidences of his preſence; other things are firſt deſired and then attained, but ſpirituall things are firſt attained, and then deſired: without theſe the heart would reſt without God, and as it cannot be without ſome chiefe good, ſo it would ſeek it out of God; but when it is wheeled about with a ſtrong by as towards God, doubtleſſe God is there.
3 Much love: Much loveThis alſo is neare in blood unto the two former, and is an occaſion ſometimes of ſad thoughts in the heart; Love hath qualities which expoſe the heart to trouble. 1. It is jealous, ever fearefull leaſt it ſhould loſe the happineſſe which now it hath in enjoying God; this ſometimes riſing high, inclineth to thinke that God is gone; it is the nature of a fearefull heart, to fall from care to feare, from feare to jealouſies, from jealous ſuſpitions, to ſad concluſions; as the mother out of the vehemency of affection to her childe, if hee bee out of her ſight, firſt taketh care, then is filled with feares, and ſad conjectures, at laſt cryeth out, where is my childe? 2. Love is liberall, and is never ſatisfied, it would ſtill doe better, and be better, and the more it is, the leſſe it ſeemes to it ſelfe; and is ſo enlarged in diſpoſitions and reſolutions to doe good, that as it knoweth it cannot doe enough, ſo it is apt to thinke it doth almoſt nothing: hence many complaints ariſe, that it is not with them as in former dayes: that which they did before ſeemed much then, becauſe love was not much, and now all ſeemes little, becauſe love is great. But you ſhould conſider, that God is much there where he workes much, and that this flame of love is blowne up by him, for God is love. 1 John 4.16. that is to ſay, the fountaine and author of love; as love is eminently and infinitely in him, ſo it floweth from him. And he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him.