The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Rules to judge when one is Deſerted. The firſt is the conſideration of his graces. Firſt, their activity is abated.
SInce men may be Deſerted, and not know it, and ſince it ſo much concernes all to know how it fares with them in this caſe, I will propound ſome rules for their helpe in judgement of themſelves in this point.
Theſe rules are three conſiderations, or the view of three things.
1 Their graces.
2 Corruptions.
3 Meanes of grace.
Firſt rule. Firſt rule; Conſideration of graces, in which whē one is deſerted, will be decay in reſpect ofConſider your graces which you have received; for when there is a variation of divine influence, there will be a change in the new man: as you may reade in the very face and countenance of the earth, what her receipts are from the heavens; whether the heat and rain be liberally or ſparingly afforded: ſo when the Sunne of righteouſneſſe ſhuts in himſelfe, it will ſoone appeare in the change of your ſpirits.
In times of deſertion there will be a change in your ſpirits in reſpect of
1 Activity.
2 Light and ſight.1 Activity, which appeareth by 1. Unfruitfulneſſe.
3 Affection.
That decay of ſpirituall activity appeareth and ſheweth it ſelf in 2. things.
1 Vnfruitfulneſſe in good.
2 Indiſpoſedneſſe to good.
1. There is leſſe done, there are fewer fruits: you are not ſo frequent, Leſſe done.and ſo abundant: duties are curted, and clipped; God hath not his ſervices in that number and meaſure as before: you doe not ſo much good by counſels, perſwaſions, reprehenſions, and ſuch other offices of Chriſtian love, but are become more uſeleſſe and fruitleſſe.
In this abatement of action, there are three things conſiderable.
1. It is voluntary. There is an abatement ſometimes (for a ſeaſon) out of neceſſity, as in caſe of bodily infirmity, or other inevitable occaſions; but this is not ſinfull, where the affection and deſire to duties is not quenched, but held up in ſtrength; But when men do voluntarily lay downe their ſtrength of holy endeavours in the wayes of God, and move more ſlowly and negligently, either much omitting, or ſlightly performing the duties of godlineſſe, it is a ſigne that it is not with them as it hath beene, Apoc. 2.4, 5.
2. It is an abatement eſpecially of ſuch acts of grace, as are internall, and moſt proper to a godly man,Eſpecially in internal and moſt vitall actions. as mourning for ſinne, rejoycing in God, ſelfe judging, heavenly improvement of the promiſes, and providence of God, deſire of Chriſts appearing, &c. There may poſſibly be an holding up of duties externall, as hearing, prayer, &c. but if theſe inward actions and motions of the new man ceaſe, it is a certaine argument that a man is upon the loſing hand. Externall duties may be upheld by the power of conſcience, and other cauſes, but thoſe inward acts cannot ſpring but from an inward root. Here Grace inherens is the womb, and grace aſsiſtant is the mid wife, the one gives diſpoſition, the other action; ſo that when a man is leſſe in theſe, he hath leſſe of God.
3. In the abatement of externall acts;In perſonall and ſecret duties. there will be leſſe done in perſonall and ſecret duties, than in more publick duties which are with and before others: pride and other civill reſpects may enkindle a falſe fire in a frozen heart; the breath of applauſe may fill the ſails, & move the ſhip, which otherwiſe would lie ſtill, or move another way: A Phariſaicall ſpirit will be much quickned with praiſe and glory, and a ſervile ſpirit will be much provoked by feares; men are content to doe more then they would ſometimes through hope of the favour of men, ſometimes through feare of disfavour. But ſuch are moved not by the ſpirit that is from above, but by the ſpirit that is in the world: therefore judge your ſelves by ſecret acts, follow your ſelves into your cloſets and retiring places, and obſerve your diligence, endevour, and ſpirit in your hidden wayes, and ſecret duties, for what you are in them, that you are indeed: as then you may beſt take your height, when you remove all advantages, for if you ſtand upon any thing, you will ſeeme higher then you are; ſo you may beſt ſee the temper of your ſpirits, when all externall enforcements are abſent; when you are your ſelves, without the ingrediencies of reſpects to men, to intermingle with your ſpirits.
As there will be leſſe done in a time of deſertion, and an abatement of fruitfulneſſe, ſo you may diſcerne an indiſpoſedneſſe, By indiſpoſednes.and unmeetneſſe to duties.
1 Leſſe willingneſſe; you may doe good,Leſſe willingneſſe. but it is rather as a taske rNil niſi juſſus agit. Ovid., than a delight, and you are not carried to it ſo much out of liking and contentment, as by a compulſory judgement, which layeth a neceſſity on you, that you doe it as a debt and due, which the law exacts upon paine of impriſonment, but not as a free-will offering, and Euchariſticall ſacrifice. When the heart is filled with God, its delight is with him, and he yeelds obedience in love, and counts his worke wages: an evill heart is hardly drawne to good, it quarrels with the rule, and is loath to be bound. David, when he was in diſtemper, and left in the rage of his corruption, was not willing to be limited by the law of God; but when he was himſelfe, then he loved it, Pſal. 119.129. Gold and ſilver was not ſo precious, he choſe it, v. 137. he took it as his portion, verſ. 57. I ſaid, oh Lord, this is my portion, I will keep thy words ſCalvin. in loc..
When a man enjoyeth God, his walking with God, is his life; he is much affected with converſe with him, partly through love and ſutableneſſe to God, in reſpect of which, he is the Centre to which he tends, and in which he reſts, partly through reſpect to the recompence which he hath in hope, and partly for the ſenſe of ſweetneſſe which he hath in his converſe, God meeting his ſervants with ſatisfying comforts, ſweet embracements, and bleſſed coruſcations, and beames of mercy and loving kindneſſe, ſo that they ſay in their hearts with David, It is good for me to draw near to God, Pſal. 37.28.
Yea, love mightily commandeth and enclineth the hearts to duties; but when a man is in greater diſtance from God, then the pleaſant wayes of holineſſe, which were to the ſoule as a delightfull Paradife, are become as the way of a deſart, a way of thornes and briars, a weariſome and unpleaſant path.
2 That zeale & fervencie which you had, will be much weakned: Leſſe zeal and fervency.when God is with a man by powerfull and plentifull ſupplies of the ſpirit, he muſters up all the powers of his ſoule, and cals in all his abilities to wait on God, and to doe him ſervice. So David, Praiſe the Lord, O my ſoule, and all that is within me bleſſe his holy name, Pſal. 103.1. Obſerve with what contention and ſtrength you were wont to doe what you did; for if now you put leſſe to it, and goe on in a way of ſpirituall lazineſſe and ſloth, it's ſure there is a diminution of heavenly influence: this ſeemeth to be the caſe of the Church in the greateſt part of it, which cauſed the Prophet to complaine, There is none that calleth upon thy name, or ſtirreth up himſelfe to take hold of thee, Eſay 64.7.