The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul, Chapter 35
CHAP. XXXV. Of the ſtate and degrees of this ſad condition.
NOw I come to the ſad ſtate of the ſoule wanting the comforts of the Holy Ghoſt, God withdrawing himſelfe in reſpect of that gracious effuſion of his mercy, and manifeſtation of his love to the ſoule, ſhutting up thoſe ſweet ſtreames of refreſhment which were wont to flow.
Here I will ſpeake of
1 The Caſe,
2 The Cure.
The ſtate of a deſerted and diſconſolate ſoule requires to conſider of
1 The nature, of it.
2 Degrees, of it.
3 Effects, of it.
4 Cauſe, of it.
Firſt then let us ſee what it is; It is an eminent and abiding uncomfortableneſſe of heart towards God, or a loſſe of that comfort which the ſoule was wont to have in God.
1 It is a loſſe of comfort in God: A man may have much unquietneſſe,It is a loſſe of comfort towards God. and yet not be in this caſe we ſpeake of; diſcomfort, except the object of it bee Gods diſpleaſure, or departure, makes not a deſerted caſe: A man may be afflicted in his ſpirit many waies, yet Gods wonted preſence may continue: As the conſcience of ſome ſinne may cauſe much ſadneſſe, and mourning, eyther ſome ſinne ſtirring, or ſome ſinne acted may much afflict; but trouble of reluctance, or ſorrow of repentance are there, and will be there where God is moſt preſent; Paul is a patterne in the firſt, Romanes 7. and David in the other, Pſal. 51.
The ſinnes of others may diſquiet: Rivers of teares runne downe mine eyes, becauſe men keepe not thy lawes, Pſal. 119. Lot, Ezra, all that have moſt of God, have moſt of theſe ſorrowes, and theſe ſorrowes are no miſeries, but mercies; there is much ſweetneſſe in this temper.
The troubles of the Churches, may in a way of compaſſion and ſympathy afflict, yea outward afflictions may in a naturall way paine the ſpirit for a time, and the ſoule may mourne becauſe of its deficiencies, and poverty, wanting that compleatneſſe of holineſſe which it deſirethbNon perfecte de aliquo gaudet cui non ſufficit. Aquin, though preſent degrees of grace are ſweet, yea, becauſe ſweete, the ſoule is not contented, being in a ſtate of want, it will be in motion till it attaine the fulneſſe, Philip. 3.12. but deſertion imports a loſſe of comfort in God.
2 It is a loſſe of uſuall comfort; as the former kinde of deſertions is a loſſe of uſuall quicknings, A loſſe of uſuall comfort.ſo this is a loſſe of uſuall quietneſſe. And as there are ſeaſons in which God gives more of himſelfe in way of quickning, then he will conſtantly continue, ſo he gives comfort ſometimes in ſuch fulneſſe as ſhall not alwaies abide;Not of extraordinary comfort. every day is not a feaſting day: Paul was taken up into the third heavens, but he came downe againe; the Sunne doth not alwaies ſhine in an equall luſtre. God ſometimes gives coruſcations of glory, but like lightnings they ſhut in againe. As a father ſometimes ſends for his ſonnes from ſchoole and makes merry with them at home, but theſe play times come not every day, they muſt to ſchoole againe, and live under tutors and governours till they come to full age: God opens himſelfe much at ſome times.
1 In ſpeciall approaches of the ſoule to him, then a man ſeeth and taſteth ſuch things that hee is loth to depart, but theſe comforts though they come from Heaven, yet like plants that are carried out of their native ſoyle and climat, keepe not their ſweetneſſe in a conſtant height; a man warmeth himſelfe at the fire and is refreſhed, but this refreſhment weares off againe.
2. In times of great afflictions: the greateſt comforts are uſually found in ſufferings, then God opens himſelfe. 2 Cor. 1.4, 5. The Martyres did ſhine like ſtarres in the night of perſecution, and abounded moſt in comfort, when filled moſt with troubles.
3. In the Ordinances lively adminiſtred; here ſo much is found, that a man ſaith as the Apoſtle, it is good to be here, yea as Iacob, This is none other but the houſe of God, this is the gate of Heaven, Gen. 28.17.*Tertul. l. de fugat. Putat Iacobum hic vidiſſe Chriſtum: apud Cornel a lap. in loc.
4 In times of abundant ſorrow and melting of heart, God often in ſuch caſes breaks in with ſweet effuſions of peace, as to Ephraim, Ier. 31.18, 19, 20.
5 At the time of Converſion, God often comes with extraordinary comfort, many (as one obſerveth) came to Chriſt in their ſins and went away renewed; afflicted, and went away comforted; coming with an hell in their ſoules, and going away with Heaven; having a fulneſſe of joy, inſtead of a fulneſſe of feares.
I need not make farther inſtances, the caſe is cleare that comfort may fule, yet except a man loſe that comfort which he ordinarily did enjoy, hee is not deſerted.
3. It is an eminent loſſe: 3. An eminent loſſe.it is not every cloud that makes night, but when the ayre is full of darkneſſe,4. Not a fit, but a ſtate of uncomfortableneſſe. when the Sun is ſet.
4. It is not a fit of uncomfortableneſſe, but a ſtate; an eclipſe of the Sun makes not night; hee is not a poore man that hath a preſent want, but hee that lives in want; every cold blaſt makes not winter.
Secondly,The Degrees. the degrees of this uncomfortable ſtate follow to be conſidered: there are ſome nights darker than others, and ſome winters colder than other, and there are degrees of Gods withdrawing from the ſoule.
1. Degree, when his quieting preſence is much abated:When quickning is abated.
1. Not ſo full as hath beene; 1. Not ſo full.God ſeemes not ſo friendly, but lookes ſomewhat more ſtrangely, ſo that the ſoule complaines as Iacob, I ſee your Father countenance that it is not towards me a before, Gen. 31.5. When the ſoule come to God, it findes not thoſe enliveni… and refreſhing viſions and taſts; the … of conſolation that was wont to b… filled is now but empty; the heavens a… not ſo cleere, his hopes are not ſo full his knowledge of his happineſſe … more obſcured, and feares begin to ov… flow; the light of Gods face is darlened, and the ſoule is troubled.
2. Not ſo frequent: 2. Not ſo frequent.the viſits of the comforting Spirit are more ſeldome; God holds off as if hee were about to breake off from the ſoule; it is a griefe when a friend goeth often by us, and ſeldome owneth us; ſo it is heavineſſe when the ſoule complaines, (to uſe the words of Iob in another ſenſe) Lo hee goeth by me and I ſee him not, he paſſeth on alſo, but I perceive him not, Iob. 9.11. Time was when the ſoule had good newes from Heaven every day, but now ſhe is like the wife, who when her husband is gone far from her, heares but ſeldome from him: returnes are not ſo quick at a great diſtance; God is ſo ſparing in manifeſtations of kindneſſe, that the ſoule thinks it long; How long wilt thou forget me oh Lord, for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? Pſal. 13.1. Is his mercy cleane gone for ever? doth his promiſe faile for evermore? will the Lord caſt off for ever? and will hee be favourable no more? Hath GOD forgotten to bee gracious? hath hee in anger ſhut up his tender mercies? Pſal. 77.7, 8, 9. My ſoule fainteth for thy ſalvation, I hope in thy word, mine eyes faile for thy word, when wilt thou comfort me? Pſ. 119.81, 82.
3. Not ſo permanent; 3. Not ſo permanēt.God comes and goes: the day of their peace is often overcaſt, the comforts which did flow, ebb againe; the ſoule is grieved as much with Gods ſudden departure, as delighted in his gracious preſence; it hath not ſo conſtant health, but is well onelyonly by fits; the ſoule that was as a dwelling-place to her friend, is but as an Inne now; Hee whom ſhee loves comes rather as a ſtranger and as a paſſenger than an inhabitant, ſo that here you may heare the Prophets complaint, Oh the hope of Iſrael, the Saviour therof in the time of trouble, why ſhould … thou be as a ſtranger in the land, and … way faring man that turneth aſide to tarry for a night? Jer. 14.8. Comfort come like thin clouds that yeeld ſweet ſhowers, but are ſoone gone; the gourd whoſe ſhade was ſweet, ſoone withers; th… heart is become like a cracked veſſel, which though it receive much, yet holds but little; the waters of life run out as faſt as they come in.
The ſecond degree of deſertion, and uncomfortableneſſe,Degree: Much quickneſs, but no quietneſs. is when there is much quickneſſe, but no quietneſſe: grace lives, but peace dies; the ſoule is ſo farre happie, that it ſeekes what it hath loſt, but herein unhappie that it finds not what it ſeekes; it thirſts but drinkes not, it runnes but obtaines not; holineſs is in flouriſh, but it is the winter of comfort. David was full of holy affections, even when he was empty of conſolation; when is the heart in better caſe then when it cals, inquires, runneth, weepeth, ſigheth, cryes after God? yet in ſuch a caſe a man may want all comfort: the richeſt ſhips may wander in the darke and be toſſed in the ſtorme: ſometimes a father will frowne upon the beſt and deareſt childe; the moſt living Chriſtian may lay himſelfe out for dead, Pſ. 88. Grace and peace are not linked in indiſſoluble ſociety, theſe lovers may ſhake hands and part. And the more a man abounds in grace, the more grievous it is to want the comfortable preſence of God; a fathers frowne and ſuch a fathers frowne, is bitter to ſo filiall a ſpirit; ſtrangeneſſe to ſtrangers is not ſtrange, but to lovers it is grievous. But it is a leſſe evill in it ſelfe when God is with the ſoule quickning it, though he doe not comfort it, then when God leaveth it in uncomfortable deadneſſe; though it be more bitter to ſenſe, yet in reaſon it is worſe, when comfort ceaſeth, and grace ſleepeth at once.
3. Degree when both are gone.Degree: When neither comfort nor livelineſſe, but a night of darkneſſe and wofull deadneſſe covers the ſoule, when hope and love are both in a damp, ſo that a man is as farre from a holy and living ſtate of heart, as from comfort, neither joying nor deſiring, but being fallen from the height of living and joyfull converſe with God; he is like the prodigall brought to another life, to feed upon huskes with ſwine, inſtead of bread in his Fathers houſe. Many ſuch there are who had reviving taſts of Ieſus Chriſt, and did rejoyce to ſee the ſtreames of the well of Life ſweetly flowing, and with overflowing abundantly filling the Saints and themſelves with comfort, but now the tree in the midſt of their paradiſe, is to them like the withered fig-tree, the ſhadow and fruit of it ceaſeth, and they are miſerable in the loſſe of that which is the happineſſe of thoſe that have it, and herein their miſery is ſo much the greater by how much they count it leſs. Is it not a ſad thing to ſee a man ſo degenerated, that he can live without his life, and reſt out of his place? that place where hee hath had ſuch peace and ſuch contentment? Oh here is an heavie ſpectacle; a man hath loſt his eſtate and he grieves; hee hath loſt his name, or health, or &c. and he grieves, but hee hath loſt his God, and yet hee mournes not: he ſaith it is well, alas, hee is not himſelfe; when the day breakes, and the Sun ſends, out her beames into this darke region; when a ſpirit of truth and life ſhall brings this wandring creature home againe, and cauſe him to bee himſelfe, then you ſhall ſee the man acting another part, alas, what amazement will ceaze upon him? how will he melt, that is now frozen? how will hee bee afflicted to ſee himſelfe and his caſe, in which, now he lieth as quiet, as Peter in his chaines? Acts 12.
4. Degree: When not onelyonly loſſe of comfort but affliction of ſoule.Degree; when God not onelyonly ſuſpends his comforts, but afflicteth the ſoule; not only not continuing the ſtaffe of living bread, but feeding them with the bread of ſorrow and affliction, which he doth diverſe waies.
1.1. By rebukes of ſpirit: 4. waies. By rebukes of ſpirit: the Spirit of God comes ſometimes in a way of diſpleaſure and chides and rebukes the ſoule; this David found which maketh him often cry and mourne, as the child whom his Father rebuketh; this chiding is,
1. A conviction of ſin, not onelyonly of the fact, but of the ſinfulneſſe; God ſometimes comes to ſet out a ſin unto man, and then it is very dreadful; ſuch a terror and aſtoniſhment ceazeth upon him by a full ſight and ſenſe of ſinne, as that if there bee not a ſupporting hand of grace and mercy extended to him, he cannot ſtand under it. Sin is a ſtrange thing, and if God ſhould pull off the viſage of this monſter, and diſcover fully the fearefull nature of it, it would be a but then too heavie to be borne; now then when God conceales his love and reveales guilt, it muſt needs be bitter: when a man ſeeth his inditement, but hath not his pardon, it muſt needs bee grievous.
2. Opening the deſert of ſin, and ſhewing a man into what a gulfe he hath caſt himſelfe, that now in juſtice and in ſentence of Law, he ſtands condemned to eternall death; when the grace of the promiſe is obſcured, and the juſtice of the Law lively preſented, it muſt needs cauſe a man to feare much. Now ſaith God, ſee what I may doe, I may cauſe all thy welfare to paſſe away like a cloud, and bring in a deluge of woes upon thee; I might ſhut thee by a decreed baniſhment from my preſence, and caſt thee as a ſtone that is hurled from a ſling, into hell for ever. Such words as theſe are heavier than mountaines; when the ſoule ſeeth that vaſtneſſe of eternity filled with death and ſufferings, and ſeeth not the refuge in the Goſpel, this is a great ſhaking to the ſoule.
3 By holding the eye upon theſe ſad things, ſo that whitherſoever a man turnes, his ſinne is with him, and hell before him; the cry of ſinne, and the curſe of the law is ever in his eares; My ſinne is ever before me, Pſal. 51.3. It was alſo Iobs ſad caſe, that the ſinnes which he thought he had beene rid of long agoe, returned upon him, and did ſo cleave to him, as if they had been his poſſeſſion, Thou writeſt bitter things againſt me, and makeſt me to poſſeſſe the iniquities of my youth; thou putteſt my feete alſo into the ſtockes, &c. Job. 13.26, 27. this is an heavy thing, when God continueth in this way of diſpleaſure, breaking the ſpirit with theſe grievous charges.
4 By menacing outward or inward troubles, as he did to David when hee had ſinned greatly againſt him, he told him what he would doe, how he would follow him with evills for ever, and that his poſterity ſhould rue his folly; and when he had numbred the people, what a ſevere way did God take? now temporary evills, eſpecially ſpirituall, are often very grievous; when God ſhall ſay I will ſhut up my peace, and my comforts from thee; thou rebell and ungratefull wretch, thou ſhalt no more ſee my face as thou haſt done; others ſhall drinke but thou ſhalt thirſt, others ſhall rejoyce but thou ſhalt mourne, I will no more meete thee as I have done, I will ſpare thy life, but I will not ſhew thee my favour all thy dayes, thou ſhalt live dubiouſly, and dye anxiouſly; I ſay, when theſe words are heard, what an heavy caſe is this? how did David even waſt himſelfe with grieving, when God did eſtrange himſelfe? Pſal. 32. Pſal. 51.
But when God ſhall menace not onelyonly this, but hell and eternall death, this is farre more grievous; but this God doth even to his owne, and ſets it on ſo ſtrongly, that hee makes often their ſpirits to waſte, and their ſtrength to conſume. David and Heman were drenched in theſe deepes; and how grievous were their complaints?
2.2. By tradition of the ſoule. 1. Into its own hands By tradition of the ſoule.
1. Into its owne hands: the heart of a man is the greateſt tyrant, and cruelleſt monſter againſt it ſelfe; it is more a divell than the divell: he needs no furies to fulfill his troubles, who is given up unto an accuſing ſpirit;eNihil eſt miſerius quam animus hominis conſcius. Plaut. This is grievous. it hath cries, clamors, ſtripes, ſtings, wounds, deaths; it will be law, witneſſe, plaintife, judge, executioner; chaines, rackes, gibbets, what not? hee hath a hell within him that is in ſuch a caſe; For conſider
1. The temper and nature of the ſoule, it is receptive of much evill and miſery, and very active, and this activity is improved to ſelfe affliction. 1. Byguilt, which is as powder to the flames, or as the windes to ſeas, which makes them to rage and boyle. 2. By the weapons, which the heart diſquieted hath againſt it ſelfe; an eternall God, and a juſt Law. 3. By unbeleefe; by which the ſoule is made naked to her owne blowes; a guilty conſcience ſtrikes the promiſe out of a mans hand, and drawes the ſword and ſheathes it in the ſoule; it undermines all forts, and batters downe all comforts in former evidences, as wals of paper; it cuts off all reliefe, and preſents God unwilling to hearken to any reconcilement; and it hath alſo many abettors, which contribute ſtrength to make this man more bloody; as temper of body, which powers in abundance of darke and black thoughts and paſſions, and the Cenſures of others, who by their cloudy aſpects, and rejecting carriages, do ſharpen the ſword in the hands of an unbeleeving and accuſing conſcience, that it may make more gaſtly wounds, and draw out fuller ſtreames of blood: Thus the ſoule, like the man that fell into the hands of Theeves, is left halfe dead; diſtracting and accuſing thoughts, are worſe than robbers; a man may ſay of them, what David ſaid of Goliahs ſword, There is none like that, 1 Sam. 21.9. Here is a ſoare battell, when the ſoule like Saul, fals upon its owne ſword, 1 Sam. 31.4.
2. The power of God; God hath given to Conſcience a commiſsion to afflict; God hath a hand in all things, working and ordering; hee can ſend Hornets into the ſoule, even ſtinging thoughts, and piercing feares. He ruleth much in mens ſpirits, and in theſe ſeas raiſeth ſtormes at pleaſure; though hee worke not deſpairing thoughts in his, yet he ordereth that unbeliefe which is in them; and as he orders the finfulneſſe of mens hearts this way or that way, not being a cauſe of it, ſo hee doth in this caſe; yea hee doth preſent ſin and wrath ſo, that the heart being left to its owne darkeneſſe and unbeliefe, cannot but be a cruell and active enemie againſt it ſelfe; and now as the Prophet ſaid in that caſe, ſo it may be ſaid to a man in this caſe, Oh thou ſword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou be quiet? put up thy ſelfe into thy ſcabbard, reſt and be ſtill; how can it be quiet, ſeeing the Lord hath given it a charge againſt Askelon, and againſt the ſea ſhoare? there hath he appointed it. Jer. 47.6, 7.
2.2. Into Satans hands Into Satans hands: God may leave his people much to the will of Satan, as he did Iob, and he out of envie at our happineſſe, enmity againſt God, hatred of us, is willing to improve all his skill and power to afflict the Saints; ſo that a man may here take up that complaint; His troupes come together, and raiſe up their way againſt mee, and encampe round about my Tabernacle, Iob 19.12.
5. Degree: Degree: When to all this, other evils are added.when to all this he adds an accumulation of other miſeries; as, 1. the disfavour of the Saints, this is a great cutting to an holy heart, for hee conſtrueth their favour and disfavour to be the reflexion of Gods; and inded, oftentimes God ſets on his Children againſt ſuch as hee is diſpleaſed with, as a Maſter of a family ſaith to his houſhold, concerning a child which hee will correct for much ſtubbornneſſe, ſhew him no countenance, eate not with him, keepe not with him; ſo here God ſaith, with ſuch a one have no amity, no fellowſhip, no familiarity: it was a great griefe to Iob, and he complaineth of it; Hee hath put my brethren farre from me, and mine acquaintance are verily eſtranged from me, my kinſfolke have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me, they that dwell in mine houſe, and my maids count me for a ſtranger, I am an aliant in their ſight; I called my ſervant, and he gave mee no anſwer, I intreated him with my mouth; my breath is ſtrange to my wife, though I intreated for the childrens ſake of mine owne body; yea young children deſpiſed me, I aroſe and they ſpake againſt me; all my inward friends abhorred me, and they whom I loved are turned againſt me, &c. Job 19.13.20. You ſee ſometimes, how even the neareſt friends fall off with God, and when divine grace is clouded, nature it ſelfe is alſo clouded: Heman alſo found this evill to all his evils, Thou haſt put away mine acquaintance farre from me, thou haſt made mee an abomination to them, Pſal. 88.6.
2. The loſſe of worldly comforts, as peace, liberty, eſtate, &c. this was Iobs caſe. Now when the ſoule is bereft of all comforts from heaven and from earth, it is an heavie caſe.
3. The loſſe of the meanes of grace: God may remove his Candleſtick and take away the Shew-bread, the doores of his houſe may be ſhut, or a man may bee impriſoned by ſickneſſe, ſo that the clouds above, and the ſprings beneath failing, breed ſore diſtreſſe.
6. Degree: Degree: When all this is continued.When all this is extended and continued, ſo that a man complaines not of dayes, but yeares of affliction; a man may lie long in this miſerable plight, like Paul and his company, to whom neither Sun nor Stars appeared for many daies, aNec mihi dant ſtellae lucem, nec Cynthia lumen, Cauſin. aenigm 8.Acts 27.20. Hence come thoſe mournefull ſighings, Lord how long! will the Lord caſt off for ever? will he be favourable no more, &c. How many are the dayes of thy ſervant, Pſal. 119.84. I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up, Pſal. 88.15.
There may bee much praying that God would breake theſe darke clouds, and ſhine upon the ſoule, a man may cry with Iob, Oh that I knew where I might finde him, that I might come even to his ſeat, cap. 23.3. and with the Church may call after him, yet may complaine, Behold I goe forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I cannot not perceive him; on the left hand, but I cannot behold him, he hideth himſelfe on the right hand that I cannot ſee him, Job… 23.8, 9. I ſought him but I could not finde him, I called him but hee gave me no anſwer, Cant. 5.5. Thou haſt covered thy ſelfe with a cloud, that our prayer ſhall not paſſe through: when I cry and ſhout, hee ſhutteth out my prayer, Lament. 3.8.44.
A man may ſeeke him in the Ordinances yet not finde him, yea his ſorrow may increaſe; God may ſeem angry with his prayer, Oh Lord God of hoaſt how long wilt thou be angry with the prayer of thy people? Pſ. 80.4. And the Word may ſeeme to bee againſt him, and may make his wounds ſorer, ſo that thoſe words may well be taken u… by this afflicted ſoule; If I goe into the field, then behold the ſlain with the ſwor… and if I enter into the City, then behold them that are ſick with famine; haſt th… utterly rejected Iudah? hath thy ſoule l… thed Zion? why haſt thou ſmitten us, … there is no healing for us? wee looked fo… peace and there is no good, and for the ti… of healing, and behold trouble, Jor. 14.18.19.