The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul, Chapter 32
CHAP. XXXII. Other falſe Rules cauſing miſtake in judgement.
THird falſe Rule: Third falſe Rule. More ſtirring of corruptionMore ſtirring of corruptions; becauſe men feele greater workings of luſts and corruptions then before, they think that God is not with them as before; but in way of ſatisfaction to theſe, as I muſt needs grant that this alſo is an ill ſigne, yet I will demonſtrate that it may be the caſe of a man who is as full of God as ever.
1 Diſtinguiſh betwixt corruptions formally conſidered, and effectively conſidered,But 1. diſtinguiſh betwixt corruptions conſidered, formally, effectively. there may be many motions to ſin, which are not corruptions; then they are corruptions, when they do corrupt and deprave the heart; Chriſt himſelfe had motions to ſin, though not riſing from himſelfe, but cauſed by the tempter, ſo that his ſoule was but as a glaſſe of pure water jogged, and though the motions to ſin which ariſe from that ſinfulneſſe in us, are formally and in interpretation of the Law ſins, yet except they take hold of the heart, and doe infect it, they are not corruptions, not ſuch as argue leſſe of God; nay, as when a man lives in an unhealthfull and infectious ayre, the power of God is much ſeen in keeping him up in health, ſo the power of the Spirit is much put forth in that ſoule which is kept ſound from the plague, in the midſt of infectious and poyſonous workings and foamings of that ſinfulneſſe within; it was the Apoſtles caſe, he had ſome burning luſt like a ſplent or coale in his fleſh, but God kept him; My grace is ſufficient for thee, rSufficit mihi gratia tua, cum deſicit virtus mea. Bern. apud Cornel. à lapide in locum.for my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſſe. 2 Cor. 12.9.
2 A man may have more occaſions to ſtir corruptions then before; Occaſions of ſin may be more then have beene.and occaſions to luſts, are as winde to the Seas, or fuell to the fire; it may be you thought better of your ſelves then you had cauſe, you might think you had more meekneſſe, when you were leſſe angry, but it may bee your anger was not ſo much, not becauſe your meekneſſe was great, but becauſe your offences were few; know this, that occaſions do not ſo much beget, as bring forth corruptions.
3 It may be your luſts have not more life, but they ſeeme ſo, Luſts may ſeeme to have more life when it is not ſobecauſe you have more.
1 More light to ſee them; at firſt, grace is buſie about the outward man, and groſſer ſins, but afterwards it deſcends into the lower and more retyred parts of the ſoule, and by the candle of God ſearcheth the hidden deepes, and finding ſtill new worlds of ſin, you are apt to thinke you are worſe then you were; the puddle ſmels when it is ſtirred, but as the Sun ſheweth a great deale of duſt in the ayre, yet you know it was there before, though not ſeen before, ſo, &c.
2 There is more ſenſe: when there was but little life many luſts might work unfelt, but now every touch of ſin is felt, and ſo you may thinke amiſſe, that you have more, when indeed the cauſe is not encreaſe of ſin, but of grace; the Apoſtle made nothing of luſtings, and many other things, till grace had incorporated it ſelfe, and made him quick to feele the bitter and ſtinging workings of it. Rom. 7.
4 It may be your life hath been in a continuall tumult and warfare, It may bee luſts had not time to work.with great afflictions of body and minde, ſo that corruptions had no time to worke, but now being brought to a greater calme, they begin to ſtir; In a tempeſtuous day, the birds hide themſelves in the hedges, and the Conies in their holes, but when the ſtormes are paſt, then they come forth; while Rome was held in wars, and while the Athenians were buſied by the Lacedemonians, their owne diſſentions and internall evils lay aſleep, but when they had reſt, then that which lay hid brake forth to their great hurt: we ſee men that are ſerious, laden with weighty concernments, living in croudes of affaires, or diſtracted with great cares and feares are free from many vices in their lives, which breake out when they have more liberty; Conſider well, if there be not ſome eminent change in your conditions, for a calme eſtate is ſubject to many inconveniences in this kinde, but it is not becauſe luſts have more life, but becauſe they have more advantage.
5 God may permit Satan to worke in men, Often ſtirring of luſts works their death.and ſuffer their corruptions to bee drawne out, that they may bee more mortified. Then we take up armes and fight much when wee ſee our enemy comming upon us; if the enemy had kept in his trenches and holds, he had been ſafe, but by comming out he fals into our hands; the rats and mice in their holes are ſecure, but when they ſhew themſelves by comming out, they are taken and killed; when therefore the ſnuffe that you thought was extinguiſhed, ſmels and begins to burne againe, it is that you may make ſurer worke in more full extinction.
Fourth falſe Rule: Fourth falſe Rule. Opinion of others.Men are too much ſwayed by the opinion which others have of them; if they be cenſured or rejected, or diſcountenanced by ſuch, it takes deep impreſsions upon them, eſpecially if they be neare, beloved, wiſe, godly, ſuch as know them; there is a diſpoſition in a man to be much affected with the judgement which he knoweth others to make of him: hence come thoſe inquiries into others breaſts, to ſee what ſtrape we hold in their mirrours;Strad. de bello Belg. as the Emperour acted himſelfe dead, and cauſed his funerals to be ſolemnly performed, his hearſe erected, his followers clad in mourning, and himſelfe carried as a dead Corps, that in the meane time, through a ſecret paſſage, he might obſerve what reſpect he had in his ſubjects hearts. Hence alſo ariſe ſuſpitious and ſecret dejectments of minde, upon conjecture of diſeſteeme and improbation of others: hence alſo vain glorying and ſupercilious elation of minde, upon the applauſe and fame which men have with others: and indeed, to be approved of men wiſe and good, is both deſirable and honourable, the concurrence of their teſtimony is a glorious thing*Gloria eſt conſentiens laus bonorum, & incorrupta vox bene judicantium de excellenti virtute. Cic. Tuſe. qu. l. 3.. And by the ſame reaſon, the disfavour and ill opinion of ſuch, to an ingenuous ſpirit is an unhappineſſe. But ſometimes there is too much weight laid in theſe things: If the opinion and judgement of others were infallible, reaſon would require that we ſhould mould our thoughts of our ſelves, to the modell of other mens opinion, but others are not alwayes competent and ſufficient judges in this caſe; therefore as their ſentence is not to be wholly neglected, ſo it is not too much to bee valued. God ſometimes diſcovers his diſpleaſure by ſtirring up his ſervants againſt men, as when the maſter of the family will eſtrange himſelfe from one, he bids his children and ſervants to ſhew him no countenance: if it be your caſe, you ſhould humbly and wiſely conſider it, and ſay as David when Shimei reviled him, The Lord hath bidden him. 2 Sam. 16.11. Conſider your ſelves, and reſt no way in the ſentence which men give, but appeale from them to the ſupreame Judge, and ſtudy to approve your ſelves to God, For he is a Iew which is one inwardly, whoſe praiſe is not of men but of God. Rom. 2.29.
Fifth falſe Rule: Fifth falſe Rule. Not growing.Men thinke they grow not, and hence conclude ſadly againſt themſelves, they thinke the time hath been when they thrived more in grace, and that therefore they are in this deplorable ſtate of which wee ſpeake. But here may be great miſtake, and for the reliefe of ſuch, let me propound ſome conſiderations tending to the rectifying of their judgement in this Caſe.
1 The growth in ſome graces ſome, Growth in ſome graces hinders the weake, in diſcerning growth in others.times to weake ſpirits, hinders the diſcerning of growth in others: beſides that ſpirituall poverty and humility which I have ſpoken of; the increaſe of light proves ſometimes an impediment. 1. The more light, the more weight lyeth upon the ſoule concerning the matters of eternity, which ſometimes doth raiſe up care and ſolicitouſneſſe to that height, that a man is diſpoſed to feare and jealouſie concerning his condition. 2. The more light, the more duties are diſcovered; a Chriſtian ſeeth not all his work at firſt, God raiſeth up his way to his eye by degrees, as a childe is put at firſt to ſuch things as are proportionable to his age and ſtrength, and as he groweth in yeares, to more capacity and ability, ſo hee is put on to greater things. Now the godly finding ſtill a diſproportion in their ſtrength to their worke, think that they grow not; as if he that taketh a meaſure of his height in a tree, comming afterwards to meaſure his growth, and finding that he doth not exceed, yea ſcarce reach his marke, ſhould conclude hee hath not growne, this were no good reaſoning, becauſe the tree is growne alſo. Or as if one that tryeth his ſtrength by ſhaking a tree when it is yong, comming ſome yeares after, and upon triall finding that he cannot ſtir the tree more, yea it may bee not ſo much, ſhould conclude he hath not increaſed in ſtrength, he ſhould judge amiſſe, not conſidering that the tree is alſo growne more ſtrong, and more unapt to be moved. The taske of a godly man groweth, his relations, ſtate, temper, calling, company, tentations, and ſuch like things cauſe great variations in his worke. And God uſeth a gracious indulgence in not impoſing ſo much in the infancy as in the progreſſe of his people; and as many things are not impoſed at firſt, ſo the ſpiritualneſſe an… exactneſſe of duties is more and more diſcovered: and hence it is that the godly labouring ſtill with weakneſſe and diſproportion of ſtrength, do thinke (though cauſeleſly) that they grow not.
2 There are different growths.There are different growths.
1 There is a growth upward, in hope, peace, joy.
2 A growth downward, as a tree that groweth in the roote; ſo many growne humility, and lowlineſſe, &c. and hence as I have ſhewed, they are apt to thinke meanly, yea, meaner of themſelves then is meeteaCreſcente gratia, creſcit & abyſſalis vacuitas humilitatis, & ut mare cum ipſumintrant omnia flumina, non reds dat, ſic nec ipſa, imo quodeſt mirabilius, de ipſa repletione ex nanitur, &c Guiliel. Pariſ. de morib. cap. 10. p. 236..
3 There is a growth in bulk, as who a tree groweth bigger.
4 A growth in maturity; as a childe which groweth a great while more … bulk and quantity, then in ripeneſſe and dexterity, but afterward he groweth more in perfection of parts, then extenſion of parts, he groweth more ſtrong, active, apprehenſive, wiſe; So a godly man groweth at firſt much in the bulke of knowledge and grace, but after theſe becomes more mature, to know the things which he knoweth better, more practically and vitally, and to be able to doe what he did more ſpiritually and perfectly: an apple for a time groweth bigger and bigger, but afterward it groweth better and ſweeter. Now men not diſcerning this, are apt to think that they grow not when they doe.
3 Men often miſtake in the judgement of their growths, by being too haſty; Men are too haſty in judging of growth.the judgement of growth is, by comparing ones ſelfe with ones ſelfe, but if a man meaſure himſelfe to day, and a week hence meaſure againe, his growth though it be reall, will be imperceptible: when you compare your ſelves with your ſelves, if you finde no growth, then look upon your ſelves at a greater diſtance, if you cannot diſcerne growth by comparing your ſelves with your ſelves the laſt yeare, then ſee what you were two yeares, or three yeares, or ſeaven yeares paſt, and now tell mee if you find not your ſelves better, if no… ſenſibly increaſed in the bulke, yet a leaſt in maturity and ſpiritualneſſe of your graces?
4 Growth is not alway equall: Growth not alwayes equall.as in nature, a childe ſhootes up ſometimes more in one yeare, then afterward in two or three yeares, ſo grace groweth not ſo faſt ſome times as at other times… as in nature, diſeaſes, wounds, obſtructions, ill dyet, &c. may keep downe, ſo the ſoule by diſtempers, fals, ill dyet, &c. may bee hindred in her ſpirituall growth. But a man muſt take heed of concluding in ſuch Caſes, that God hath deſerted him: For as I have ſaid before, it is not every fit of unproficiency, which argueth a man in ſuch a ſtate. Yea, all things conſidered, it may be, though the growth in times paſt doe exceed the preſent growth, yet a man conſidering the abatement of meanes of growth, with other ſtrong impediments of growth, a man may have as full a preſence of God with him, though he for a time grow not as he did.
Be not therefore haſty in paſſing ſentence; For as many through ſlackneſſe and ſlowneſſe to judgement of themſelves, are declined, but know it not, ſo many by haſtineſſe in judgement, conclude they are deſerted, when they are not.