The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul, Chapter 5
CHAP. V. That a man may bee Deſerted, and not know it, with the Cauſes and Evills of it.
I Have done with the State of a Deſerted ſoule, the next thing is the Symptomes and Conſequences of it, which will give ſome help to a man to know whether he be in this ſtate or not. And it is needfull to declare the ſignes of it, for often men are in this lamentable caſe and know it not; as in another ſence it is ſaid of Sampſon, when he awaked out of that ſleep in which he loſt his haire, that he wiſt not that the Lord was departed from him. Judg. 16.20. So it is true of many, God is departed from them, and they miſſe him not till they awake out of their ſleepenEt vigil elapſas quaerit avarus opes..
Queſt. But is it poſſible that, that man ſhould be ſo beſotted, that falling from a bleſſed courſe of ſweet communion with God,A mā may be deſerted and not know it. into ſo grievous an eſtrangedneſſe from him he ſhould not perceive it? can a man fall from ſuch a height into ſuch a depth, and not know it?
Anſ. Yea, certainly; and there are divers cauſes of it; as 1, there may be a great fluſh of ſpirit, and much activity from falſe principles, ſo that a man may ſeeme to be the ſame, and to enjoy God as he did, when if it bee obſerved, hee hath loſt much, and the greateſt part of his life ſtands upon other pillars, as vigor of nature, ſtrength of parts, inforcement of conſcience, reſpects to men, falſe joyes, fanatick dreames, ſuperſtitious rules, &c. theſe windes often fill the ſayles, theſe waights move the wheeles, even there where there is little of God.
2. Gods departure is graduall, as hee comes not all at once, but by degrees, ſo he departs not ſuddenly, but gradually, as the Sun riſeth by degrees, and ſets by degrees, and ſo night creepes often upon men before they are aware: So God by degrees eſtrangeth himſelfe, and leaves the ſoul to wither by degrees; as in a body languiſhing in a conſumption, there is not ſuch an apprehenſion of the going out of life, and the comming in of death, as in him that receiveth a ſudden mortall hurt; and as he who waſteth in his eſtate by little and little is not ſo ſenſible of his decay, as he that loſeth all at once: So if a man ſhould fall from a heavenly converſe with God, and from a flouriſhing ſpirituall ſtate, into a liveleſſe and barren condition on a ſudden, he would be more affected with it, but now his fall is graduall, therefore leſſe ſeene; a hill is ſometimes drawne out into ſuch a length, that the deſcent of it doth ſcarce appeare. In Gods way a man may deſcend dayly, yet becauſe his decay is as it were broken into ſo many ſmall parts, he hardly ſeeth it: old age, and gray haires come ſlowly and ſlily, they come by ſtealth, one gray haire creeping after another, and here and there upon them, they know it not. Hoſ. 7.9. A decrepit weake ſtate ſteales upon men, their ſoules being like dreyning ciſternes which empty themſelves by drops, and ſo emptineſſe overtakes them before they ſee it: while they think they are rich, they become poor. Apo. 3.17.
3. Men loſe much of God and know it not,Men miſtake and are many waies deceived in judging. becauſe they reſt too much upon other things that doe deceive them; ſome things without them cauſe them to miſtake, as 1, a pride and conceitedneſſe rayſed by comparing themſelves with others worſe than themſelves; 2, the teſtimony and applauſe which others give them, eſpecially if by many, by the godly, by the wiſe; praiſe blinds them, and holds them in a ſweet dreame of an imaginary excellency; 3, tranſient and fleeting gales, God now and then breaking in with potent workings, and that rather to exerciſe of guifts for his office and for others ſakes, that they may be built up,They conſider not themſelves. when themſelves indeede wither.
4. They conſider not, nor examine their eſtates, they lay down their watch, and hold not continuall ſeſſions for Judgement of themſelves, therefore changes befall them, and they know it not; when men caſt not up their eſtates, they may grow poore and not ſee it. Conſcience is the ſoules watchman, yea her Iudge; …ow if there be a vacation, and the Judge fits not, a man may be ſpoyled of much of his eſtate, and not bee righted: except wee judge our ſelves frequently, wee cannot know our ſelves fully, but may loſe and not ſee it.But it is needful to know whether we be Deſerted or not.
You ſee then that one may be Deſerted and not know it; but it much concernes a man to be vigilant, that he may diſcerne Gods acceſſes to him, and receſſes from him: For,
1. Elſe though hee enjoy God, hee cannot be thankfull; it is not the preſence, Elſe though God be enjoyed, yet we ſhal bee unthankfull.but the evidence and ſenſe of mercies that rayſeth thankfulneſſe: hee that receiveth not, and he that knoweth not that he receiveth, is alike unthankfull: when a man lyeth long out of the ballance of Judgment, hee knoweth not whether he bee better or worſe: God may be preſent in many gracious counſels, checks, incitements, impulſions, and yet have little thanks for his precious mercies, except they be obſerved. If a Prince come in favour to viſit thee, and ſtand knocking, and be not known, thou canſt not acknowledge that high favour with thankfulneſſe; And though Chriſt ſtand at the doore and knock, that thou mayſt open that he may come in and ſup with thee, and thou with him, if thou know not this day of ſalvation, and this ſeaſon of grace, it cannot affect thee. What a ſinne is this? God is with thee by ſecret workings of his Spirit, he is with thee in thy way, and in the meanes of grace, and thou obſerveſt not? But it is with thee as with Iacob in another caſe,Though wee enjoy not God, we ſhall be ſecure. who ſleeping, knew not what had befalne him, but when hee awaked, then hee ſaid, God was in this place, and I knew it not, Gen. 28.16.
2. Except you know how it fares with you, if God be departed, you will lie ſtill and not enquire after him oforeign. Ar. Rhet. l. 1. c. 5.. Hee that is ſick, and knoweth it not, ſeekes not for cure. The whole, that is, ſuch as thinke they are well, need not the Phyſitian, but the ſick: ſuch as feele their ſickneſſe and paine, Matth. 9.12. They that are rich in their owne opinion, ſeek not for ſupply, but ſay, They want nothing, Apoc. 3.17. He will neither beg nor worke for bread that is full. He that thinkes all is well, and ſeemes to be ſomething, when he is nothing, Gal. 6.3. is at reſt, as one that needs not. It is ſaid, that the Phariſes need norepentance, Luk. 15.7. that is, they know no need, becauſe they ſee not their ſinne. No man ſeekes that he thinkes he hath, therefore looke well to thy ſelfe, leſt thou be deceived: A man may goe on with an opinion of a good eſtate, and be miſtaken. As the hungry man dreameth, and behold he eateth, but when he awaketh his ſoule is empty: and as the thirſty man dreameth, and behold he drinketh, but when he awaketh, behold he is faint, Eſay 29.8. ſo you may be in a beggerly condition, while you conceit you are rich. Except you ſearch your ſelves, and till you awake out of your dreame and behold your miſery, you will not ſeeke for remedy. What brings the beaſt to the river, but thirſt and heat? That man will not ſeeke for the Well of life, that feeles no want. Neceſſity is the mother of induſtrie, and indigence breeds diligence.
3. It is a contempt of God not to obſerve what intereſt you have in him,Not to ſeeke to know this is to contemne God. and what communion with him. If a friend, much more if a King come to thy houſe, and thou take no notice of his comming in or going out, will he not take it ill, and count it a great neglect of him? Is it not a ſigne his company is not valued, whoſe preſence is not accepted, and whoſe abſence is not regarded? Things that thou prizeſt thou keepeſt with care, poſſeſſeſt with joy, and loſeſt with grief. A ſmall matter may be loſt, and not miſſed; but if a jewel be loſt, it is ſoot miſſed.
Conſider, if an husband had occaſion of departure for a ſeaſon, and the wife ſhould not be loath to part with himpIndicium amoris eſt non delectatio illa quae pulchri praeſentia percipitus, ſed morſus & dolor qui eo avulſoſentitur. Plut. de profect. Virt., nor grieved to want him; would not all ſay ſhe loves him not? When you make a feaſt, you ſit not downe till the chiefe gueſt come, and when hee comes, you meet him with all fit reſpect and kind entertainment: If then you ſit downe to make merry with the creatures when God is not come in to ſup with you, Apoc. 3.20. or when you entertaine your pleaſures, and delights, and profits, and other worldly contentments, and give but ſlender heed and reſpect to God, ſo that his preſence or abſence is not much to you, it is a ſigne he is not your chiefe, but you deſpiſe him: therefore be carefull to obſerve diligently how God is with you, that you may not loſe him, and not ſee it; for this is to contemne him. Adde this, that Gods withholding himſelfe is a ſigne of his diſpleaſureqSubſtractio gratiae eſt maxima poena. Altiſ. in ſent. l. 2. tract. 30. q. 2., and it is a great provocation to ſlight it.