The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul, Chapter 4

The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul · Chapter 4

p. 25CHAP. IV. Of the firſt ſort of deſertions, the withholding of aſsiſting grace.

THe firſt ſort of deſertion, is in regard of ſpirituall life and grace:

And it is either

Reall,

Or in appearance onelyonly.

Concerning this maladie and ſickneſſe of the ſoule as it is reall, I will treat in this order:

Handling

1 The ſtate.

2 The ſymptomes & conſequents.

3 The cauſes.

4 The cure.

p. 26Firſt of the ſtate, which may be thus deſcribed:The firſt kind of deſertion is a ſuſpenſion of the arbitrary and cuſtomary influence of the ſpirit of grace Then wee are deſerted of God, when he ſuſpendeth or withholdeth the arbitrary and wonted influence of the ſpirit of Grace.

That I may more perſpicuouſly expreſſe the thing, I will take this deſcription in pieces, and explaine it in the parts of it. In the deſcription are two things that require opening.

1 The Act.

2 The Object.

The Act is Gods ſuſpending, Here note, 1 The act, ſuſpenſiō, a negative act, not taking away, but not giving, &c.it is a negative Act, a not giving, or putting forth that which was wont to be; it is not the taking of any thing from a man which was inherent, but a denying of ſomthing that was aſsiſtant; it is not ataking out, but a not putting …n: as when a cock is ſtopped or turned, there is no diminution of water in the veſſell under it, but onelyonly no addition, the veſſell is not made emptier, but not fuller; or as a child when he is ſet downe out of his Fathers armes, is weaker, yet not by any loſſe of his perſonall ſtrength, but by the withdrawing of his fathers help: The Father takes not p. 27away any of his childes ability, but denyeth his owne aide; ſo God when hee deſerts his ſervants, withdraws himſelf and his Spirit, yet ſo, as that wee muſt conceive it, not to be a ſpoiling them of what he had planted in them, but a not conferring of that aſſiſting Grace which he was wont to give, this will be a little more cleare in the next thing.

The next thing in the deſcription is the object, or the thing which is withholden from a man in this caſe, which is the Arbitrary or wonted influence of the Spirit of Grace, here are three things in the object to be obſerved.

1.2 The object, 1. not the preſence, but influence of the ſpirit. It is the influence of the Spirit of Grace. The preſence of the Spirit is one thing, and the influence is another, there may be the former without the latter, the influence may be abated, but the preſence never faileth. As the ſoule in the body is ever equall in her habitation, but not in operation, her power not acting, yet her preſence continuing.

2.2 Not influence which is neceſſary to It is the Arbitrary influence of the ſpirit which is Suſpended, There is a twofold influence of the ſpirit.

p. 28Firſt, neceſſary and conſtant,

Secondly, arbitrary and inconſtant.

The neceſſary influence of the ſpirit, is never denyed, and it is that which God affoords his people.

to

life,

growth.

11. God is ever preſent to uphold his Saints in life, Suſtentation.that though diſeaſes may moleſt them, yet their feet ſhall not bee moved, they ſhall not ſinke. Pſal. 66.9. As that hand of power which wrought in the creation, workes ſtill in the preſervation of all things, Iohn 5.17. ſo the ſpirit workes ſtill, and by a Divine power ſupports the new creature, ſo that it ſhal not fall back into its firſt nothing. David found this hand of God, ſtaying him in the midſt of all his weakneſſes. Nevertheleſſe I am continually with thee, thou haſt holden me by my right hand. Pſa. 73.23. Pſal. 17.5.

22. So that life being wrought by the ſpirit of life,Augmentation. never dyeth; and as the ſpirit worketh alway to the conſervation of ſpirituall life, ſo it worketh ever to the growth of grace; a Chriſtian is ever p. 29growing, he groweth when he ſeemes to himſelf and others to ſtand at a ſtay, yea to decline, hee groweth alway really, though not apparently, nor equally; as there are ſeaſons in nature, ſo in grace; Grace hath her ſprings and Autumnes: but as nature is ever tending to perfection, ſo grace is ever ripening and increaſing, yea even in tentations and deſertitions; when God ſeemes to leave his people, he is about the worke of perfecting the new man, as in the lopping of a tree, there ſeemes to bee a kind of diminution, and deſtruction, yet the end and iſſue of it is better growth; and as the weakning of the body by phyſicke, ſeemes to tend to death, yet it produceth better health, and more ſtrength; and as the ball by falling downeward, riſeth upward, and water in pipes deſcends, to aſcend, So the new man when it ſeemes to decay is ſtill carryed on by the hidden Methods of God to encreaſe; the plants are as wel profited by the nipping blaſts of winter, which cauſe not onelyonly the fruits, but the leaves alſo to fall, as by the warm beames of the Sun p. 30in Summer: a Chriſtian is a member of a thriving body, in which there is no Atrophie, but a continuall iſſuing of ſpirits from the head, Eph. 4.16. Col. 2.19. every part is ſupplyed by the effectuall working of the Spirit of Chriſt, ſo that the influence that tends to life and growth is neceſſary, and certaine.

But there is another influence of the ſpirit which I call Arbitrary, But the arbitrary influence, which iswhich is given and with-held according to the pleaſure of God.

This is aſsiſting grace, Aſſiſting grace.or Gods gratious concourſe with that habituall grace which hee hath wrought in his people. I call it arbitrary, becauſe though all grace depend upon, and flow from his good pleaſure, yet in this God is free, hee hath more abſolutely promiſed to conſerve and encreaſe holineſſe than to quicken, actuate and excite that principle of life: this he doth with great variations according to his good pleaſure, being more mightily preſent by the working and actuall aide of his Spirit to ſome than to others, yea more to the ſame man at ſome times, and in ſome conditions p. 31than in others, ſometimes the ſame Chriſtian is as a burning and ſhining light, ſometimes as ſmoaking flax; the Spirit bloweth where it liſteth, Iohn 3. ſometimes he fills the ſoule with fuller gales, ſometimes again ſhe is becalmed, a man hath more at one time than at another.

This aſſiſting grace is to actuate,

This aſſiſting grace is to regulate,

This aſſiſting grace is to corroborate.

Actuating aſsiſtance hhCum nullū agens ſecundū agat niſi in virtute primi, ſitque caro ſpiritui perpetuo rebellis, nonpoteſt homo licet jam gratiam conſequutus, per ſeipſū …perari bonū et vitare peocatū, abſ que novo auxilio Dei ipſum moventis, dirigentis, et protegentis, quamvis alia habitualis gratia ad hoc ei neceſſaria non eſt. Vid. Aqui. ſum. 1. 2^ae. q. 109. d.g. Cumel. varias diſput. t. 3. diſput. 2. concluſ. 1. & dub. 1. concluſ. 2. optime Pariſienſ. c. 1. de tent. & reſiſtent. & Alvarez de auxil. grat. diſp. 88. num. 6, 7. &c. 1. By exciting.is that by which God carrieth his people,Which is 1 to actuate. to action and fruitfulneſſe, cauſing that inward ſeede which he hath ſown to bud and beare.

This, God worketh firſt by exciting and blowing up that latent ſparke of grace in the heart; Grace is an active thing, yet needs to be excited, becauſe of the indiſpoſedneſſe of the ſubject in which it is; as fire though it be apt to burne, and is very active, yet when it is in wet wood, it needs blowing up, becauſe p. 32it meeteth with ſtrong oppoſition in the ſubject, wetneſſe of the wood which gives checke unto the active ſpirit of the fire: and (beſides this contrariety in us, in whom the fleſh luſteth againſt the ſpirit, ſo that without aſſiſtance we cannot do the Good that we would. Gal. 5.17.) there is an externall impediment, Sathan aſſaulting with all poſſible quench-coales, that he may caſt a damp upon the ſoule.

Therefore we need to bee quickned by a continuall influence;iiforeign. Odyſ. 3. and this God is pleaſed to give to his ſervants; Ieremie found this working of the ſpirit to quicken and ſtir up his graces which began to flagge, impatience and paſſion began to ſtifle his zeale and readineſſe in his miniſtery, but God came in to help him, and blowed up the ſparke, ſo that (ſaith he) It was in mine heart as a burning fire ſhut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not ſtay. Jer. 20.9. When this is denyed, there is much deadneſſe and dulneſſe, and ſlumber in the ſoule, that a man ſhall ſee it is not with him as in former dayes, when p. 33the Lord was more graciouſly preſent, and aſſiſtant to him.

22. By enabling to act. It is not enough that God hath given habituall grace, By enabling.or that we be excited, and come to the bud and bloſſome of holy deſires, holy diſpoſitions, and holy reſolutions, but we need ſtill the help of his power, that theſe bloſſomes faile not, but that we may bring forth the fruit of action; as in a tree there is a ſeminall vertue of bearing, yet except it be helped by the influence of the heavens, it cannot bring forth fruit. It is God that giveth not onelyonly to will, but to doe, Phil. 2.13. There is a power of God which worketh in thoſe that beleeve, Eph. 1.19. Col. 1.18. and according to the working of this power, is a Chriſtians fruitfulneſſe: when God is pleaſed to put forth his hand to take hold of him, to draw him, and enable him, hee runnes with joy and ſpeed in the wayes of God; his affections are enflamed, his heart is prepared, and he is apt to doe good, and receive good, and walkes with delight with God; but when God ſhuts in his wonted mercy, then hee walkes p. 34heaviſy, and now his ſoule is full of complaints, I would, but cannot: there are deſires, and good inclinations, but they come not to perfection; the ſoule conceiveth, and travelleth with purpoſes, and ſaith, I will looke to my wayes that I offend not, I will pray more, and mourne more, and doe more, but it wants ſtrength to bring forth: therefore the godly cry for help, which they need not, if they had a ſufficiency in themſelvesiiQuid ſtultius quam orare ut facias quod in poteſtate habeas? Aug. de nat. & grat. c. 18..

22. Aſsiſtance is to regulate, and order a man in doing good. This is neceſſary, for often there is much readineſſe, and life, and aptneſſe to doe good, but yet much failing in the manner of it: the ſame ſpirit therefore that directs to what wee ſhould doe,To regulate and direct in working. teacheth how to doe it. How often are the godly in that caſe, that they would faine humble their ſoules, and afflict them themſelves, yet know not how to doe it? How often bent to other duties, yet know not how to doe them in a ſpirituall mannerkkRemanet quaedam ignorantiae obſcuritas in intellectu ſecundū quā (ut etiā dicitur Rom. 8.) Quid oremus ſicut oportet neſcimus; propter varios enim rerum eventus, & quia no sipſos non perfectè cognoſcimꝰ, non poſſumꝰ ad plenum ſcire quid nobis expediat, ideo neceſſe eſt ut à Deo dirigamur & protegamur, qui omnia novit, et omnia poteſt. Aqui. ſum. 1.2^ae. q. 109. a. 9.Rom 8? What the Apoſtle ſaith of one duty is true p. 35of all, Wee know not how to pray as wee ought, Rom. 8.26. Therefore the ſpirit helpeth our infirmities, and by a gracious conduct, leads us, that wee walke aright; as the Maſter guides the hand of a young writer to write according to his copie; and as the father in leading his childe, drawes him, becauſe he is unwilling; helps him, becauſe hee is weake; guides him, becauſe he is apt to loſe his way, ſo God is ſaid not onelyonly to draw, Cant. 1.4. Ioh. 6.44. and to help, Rom. 8.26. but to order, and direct his people, Pſal. 37.23. Pſal. 119.133. 2 Theſ. 3.5. A Ship may be rigged, and have a fitneſſe to ſaile, yet it wants a winde to move it, and a Pilot to guide it.

3. Aſsiſtance is to corroborate, and fortifie in ſome eminent difficulty: As ſuppoſe a man mightily aſſaulted by ſome ſtrong luſt, armed with occaſion,3. To corroborate in difficulties opportunity, and Sathans ſtrong power, in ſuch a caſe God is wont to underprop and ſhoare up the ſoule with ſtrong aide: alſo how ſhould a bruiſed reed ſtand againſt ſuch a p. 36blaſtmmCum via dura fuit; jam tum mihi currere viſus,— plus homine eſt. Vas fragile mentis noſtrae, quo gratiae theſaurus continetur, gravioribus tētationibus ſaepe concuſſum, tandem frangeretur, niſi auxilits divinis fulc iretur. Greg. de Valent. t. 2. diſp. 8. q. 1. pun. 6. Dei eſt eum qui ſtat ſtatuere ut per ſeveranter, ſtet, & eum qui cadit reſtituere. Concil. Trid. ſeſſ. 6 can. 13. & 22. ibid. vide etiam plura. ibid. & apud Aqun ſum. 1. 2^ae. q. 109. a. 10.? As a father when he ſeeth his childe like to be devoured by ſome ravenous creature, makes ſupply of the childes weakneſſe by his own ſtrength. The Apoſtle Saint Paul was in ſome great temptation, Sathan had ſhot ſome arrow at him, but God ſuffered him not to fall, but told him, His grace ſhould be ſufficient for him, 2 Cor. 12. At another time Sathan tooke up other weapons, aſſaulting him with the terrours of troubles, and of death, hee brought in an Emperor againſt him, whoſe power and majeſtie hee thought might have daunted him, but God was a pillar of ſtrength to him, that hee was not moved: All men left him, but God did not leave him, The Lord ſtood by me, and ſtrengthened me, 1 Tim. 4.17. In Afflictions alſo this aſſiſtance is wont to be afforded, and in hard ſeaſons. The ſame Apoſtle alſo found God here; he was put to many an hard ſhift for his living; he paſſed through nakedneſſe, and hunger, and thirſt, and want, which p. 37was able to have broken the heart of a man, but ſaith the Apoſtle, I am able to doe all things through Chriſt that ſtrengtheneth me, Phil. 4.13. Thus God is wont to ſtand by his ſervants in hard brunts; but when he comes not with ſupplyes and aid; they faile and faint; temptations overcome them, diſtreſſes overwhelme them, difficulties daunt them. Thus wee ſee what that arbitrary influence of the ſpirit is: but there is another thing to be obſerved, that Deſertion is a ſuſpenſion of the arbitrary influence which wee were wont to enjoy. For note, there is a twofold influence, or aſſiſtance.

1 Extraordinary.

2 Ordinary.

The extraordinary is,Aſſiſting grace, I extraordinary. when in ſome extraordinary caſe, God comes in with more abundant help, leading the ſoul in triumph over all aſſaults, mightily corroborating; not onelyonly valiantly to withſtand them, but alſo gloriouſly to conquer them. This as it commeth upon extraordinary occaſion, ſo it ceaſeth p. 38uſually with it: and the ceaſing of it is not Deſertion.

2The ordinary aſſiſtance, is that which uſually a man hath in the courſe of his life;Ordinary. when this is abated and withdrawne, then a man is deferted. When a man is not what he was wont, not ſo cheerfull, ready, conſtant in doing good, when hee doth not, nor can doe as hee was wont, as time hath beene, when hee lived more with God, but now his heart is fallen from that heavenly communion with him; he could formerly mourn bitterly in the remembrance of his finnes, but now the heart is frozen, and cannot relent; he could have prayed with much affection, and holy boldneſſe, but now the heart is cooled, weakened, ſtraitned, indiſpoſed, &c. When it fares thus with a man, he is Deſerted.

But here I will adde a few Advertiſements to guide the judgement in this point of Gods withdrawing his aſſiſtance.Note, 1. it is never wholly denyed.

1. God never denyeth it wholy to a faithfull ſoule: though ſome degrees of p. 39divine help be denyed; ſo that the ſoul languiſh in a ſort, and ſinke into a ſtate of deadneſſe and dulneſſe; yet there is life, and that both habituall and actuall. Gods clock never ſtands, there is no ſuch deliquium gratiae, no ſuch ſwoun of the new man in which all acts do ceaſe. It may be ſo ill with a Chriſtian, that he may fall from his firſt love in the acts of it, in a great meaſure. Apoc. 2.4, 5. He may be much impaired, that there may leeme to be but the remaines of what was before, and theſe remaines alſo may be ready to dye, Apoc. 3.1, 2. But God will not quite depart, he will keepe the root, and the ſeed of God ſhall remaine in him, 1 Ioh. 3.9. Yea and the husband man is ever in ſome meaſure dreſſing, and pruning, and watering the branches of his vine, Iohn 15.2. Eſay 27.3. So that though they may beare leſſe fruit ſometimes, yet at all times they beare ſome; a Chriſtian may doe leſſe, but ſtill he doth ſomething; for though he may loſe ſome help from God, yet not all.

If hee cannot beleeve with that fulneſſe p. 40of aſſurance, and joy as before, yet he can pray; or if he cannot pray as he hath done, yet he can ſigh, and groan, and mourn. As a ſpring under ground, if it be ſtopped in one place, breaks up in another; ſo the Spirit of Grace, if it be ſtopped in ſome parts, yet it ſheweth it ſelfe in others. Though the ſunne yeeld not an equall comfort to the plants, yet a conſtant comfort; it retires ſometimes in part, never wholly; yea God often withholds his quickning virtue from ſome one grace, for the perfecting and quickning of another: hee ſometimes leaves faith in a poor eſtate, ſo that it may be much darkened and clouded with unbeliefe and Atheiſme; to raiſe up feare, to awaken to watchfulneſſe; to enrich with ſpirituall poverty, that the ſoule may mourne more ſeriouſly, and ſeeke more earneſtly after God: ſometimes he takes off his hand that held downe ſome preſent luſt, and ſuffers it to ſhew it ſelfe in monſtrous ſhape and rage, to pull down pride, and advance humility, and put the ſoul more to ſeek to be ſtrong in God.

p. 4122. It is not every degree of ſuſpenſion of aſſiſting grace, that layeth a man in this forlorne eſtate,Deſertion is onelyonly when the abatemēt of life is eminent. as one forſaken of God; but Deſertion is an eminent abatement of it: ſo that there is an eminent decay of affection and fruitfulneſſe, and an eminent, increaſe of darkneſſe and luſt. As a child cannot be ſaid to be forſaken of his father, when hee abateth ſomewhat of the height and fulneſſe of his maintenance, but when he keeps from him things neceſſary, ſuffering him to wander up and downe, to goe ragged and torne, pinched and waſted with hunger and cold, and not relieving, though the ſonne ſue and entreat him to pitty him; Then you may ſay God hath deſerted you, when he leaves you under the preſſures of unbeliefe, and the power of corruption, and yet though you cry and call, ſupplyes are reſtrained, and you are ſuffered to walk in the valley of the ſhadow of death.

33. Deſertion is not to be judged by an indiſpoſedneſſe, and deadneſſe partiall, When the deadneſſe is univerſall.but univerſall. Not all ſuſpenſion of grace makes this mournfull ſtate; for p. 42as I have ſhewed, ſometimes God hides himſelfe from one part for the quickning of another, and may be moſt abundantly preſent, where he ſeemes in great meaſure departed, as I ſhall ſhew hereafter. But when a man is overgrowne with deadneſſe, which ſpreads over the whole man, that a man is now leſſe in affection, leſſe in action, yea unmeet, unwilling, unapt to all good, and the means of good, being abated in all his former life and luſtre, then he is deſerted; there maybe indiſpoſednes to fome duties, frō ſundry cauſes, but when a man is leſſe in all, then he is in this wofull ſtate.

44. Not every interruption of communion with God,When the deadneſſe abides on the heart. not every preſent diſtemper and indiſpoſedneſſe, argueth God to have withdrawne himſelfe: There may be cold blaſts, ſtormie weather, troubled aire, darke clouds in the ſpring, yea in the ſummer ſeaſon. A man cannot conclude from ſome preſent chilneſſe, or benummedneſſe of ſpirit, or from ſome ſtormes of impetuous luſts, that he is deſerted. The deadneſs of a deſerted ſoule is not a tranſient, but p. 43an abiding deadneſſe; not a ſlumber, but a ſleepe; not a fit, but a ſtate of ſpirituall benummedneſs. As a mother is not ſaid to forſake her child, that goeth away and returnes quickly; ſo Deſertion is not a preſent ſhort abatement of Gods quickning preſence, but a continued ceſſation for ſome ſpace of time: it may be long.