The Case and Cure of a Deserted Soul, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. The light and notions of a deſerted man have not their former efficacie, to affect, impell, repell, and humble the heart.
THe ſecond evill that befals the minde, is inefficacie.The ſecond evill that befals the minde, is inefficacie. Prov. 10.27. vide Druſ. qu. Hebr. l. r. q. 11. The underſtanding by its light, ſhould be as the compaſſe in the ſhip, to guide and order men; and as the ſailes and wings, to ſet all in Motion; and as the anchor, to hold up in all ſtreſſes; but when God leaves a man to himſelfe, how weake is this light, and unable to diſcharge its office? it hath not thoſe effectuall operations that it had upon the ſoule.
1 A man is not ſo affected with the things that he knoweth, Not affecting.as in former dayes; time was when the apprehenſion of Gods love did worke mightily, melting to repentance, quickning to obedience, encouraging to confidence, filling the heart with gladneſſe and glorying, and the mouth with praiſes and ſongs of rejoycing; but now the thoughts of divine love doe not ſo raiſe the heart; So time was, when the ſight of ſinne was a wound to the ſoule, caſting ſhame into the face, and cauſing griefe in the heart; but now you can behold your ſinnes, and cannot ſay as in the dayes of old, Mine eye hath wounded my heart, Lament. 3.51. This weakneſſe and inefficacie of knowledge is a ſigne you are in an ill caſe.
2 A man is not ſo impelled to duty where God is preſent with much aſſiſtance, Not impelling to good.and abundant influences of his ſpirit, there he rules and holds his ſubjects in a ſtrict obedience; the ſcepter by which he ruleth, is the Word, but not the word as it is written with Inke, and lieth in the letter, but as it is engraven in the heart, and as it is in the throne, ſeated in the underſtanding, yea, and as it is ſwayed by that inviſible hand which worheth mightily in thoſe that beleeve, Epheſ. 1.19. When God holds backe the working of this power, ſpirituall truths lie bound hand and foot, and put not forth themſelves in their former regall power, which they did exerciſe as Gods Vicegerents and Vicerours to command and governe, but the heart enjoyes a wofull liberty and tolleration, in a barren and unfruitfull converſation; the Majeſty and mercy of the great and gracious God, doth not conſtraine bforeign, ſignificantius forſan conſtrictos tenet nos, ut luc. 19.43. foreign. Hen. Steph, as it doth in thoſe who enjoy God, 2 Gor. 5.14. But as if the heart had none to feare, and nothing to hope for, or none to judge it, it is dull, careleſſe and heedleſſe; in former dayes, the minde which is Gods ſtatute booke, and the monitor in a man, was often ſuggeſting counſels and perſwaſions, crying as that voice, Eſay 30.21. This is the way, walke in it, when ye turne to the right hand, and to the left; that is, in all your wayes; but now it is ſilent, and become like thoſe idoll ſhepherds, that had eyes, and ſaw not, and tongues, but ſpake not: it was as a law, having an obligatory and binding power, Rom. 7.23. ſo that there was no peace but in holy walking; but now that light is become weake, and the whole man is out of order.
3 A man is not ſo reſtrained as he was, Not reſtraining from evill.this is one office of an enlightned minde, to be as a bridle to corruptions and a checke to impetuous luſts; there is a great power in the naturall mans conſcience, when God awakens it, and ſets it on, to limit the boundleſſe ſpirits of men unregenerate, as we ſee in … laam, who though he had a good mind to pleaſure Balack in hope of profit, yet durſt not, the light within him durbed him, and held him ſo ſtrongly back, that a houſe full of ſilver and gold could not draw him; but when God, for the hardneſſe of mens hearts ceaſeth to quicken this light, it becomes weake, and men are let looſe to all evill, as thoſe, Rom. 1.26. becauſe they impriſoned the truth which would have ruled in them, therefore God gave them up to a reprobate minde cforeign. i. mentem ſine judicio, Beza: at hoc minus malum eſt, & ſaepe naturale, mens ergo reproba eſt judicium perverſum, diſtortum, pravum, quo inſanda juditabant licita. Cor. a Lapid. Eſt. Paraeus. &c. Vid. Camer. defenſ. finem verſus..
So in the godly there is a renewed conſcience, an underſtanding enlightned with ſaving light, which while God by continuall pulſations and motions keeps waking, becomes a ſtrong banke to preſerve the ſoule from the overflowing rage of ſinne; but when God ceaſeth to worke in it, then the heart is left like a ſhip in a ſtorme, when her cables breake or faile. David in his grievous foile which he ſuffered, knew that adultery was a ſinne, yet God not adding his influence to this light, it became too weake to raiſe up reſolutions ſufficient, and to chaine up that monſter in his ſoule, 2 Sam. 11. And Aſah had light enough to convince him: what a ſinne it was to rob Gods treaſury, to make a preſent to ſend to the King of Syria, that he might curry favour with him; yet he adventures upon this ſacriledge; his knowledge could not hold his hands from doing evill, no not from impriſoning the prophet, who did his duty, 2 Chron. 16. ſo that if you be leſſe reſtrained by your knowledge, it is a ſigne that the power of God is not ſo much put forth in you as heretofore.
4 A man is not ſo humbled: the practicall underſtanding being renewed,Not humbling. is the Count PalatinedCuropalates. vid. Seld. honoris tit., next to God in the palace of the ſoule; the power of judgement is in its hands; it hath power to ſend out writs to ſummon men to its barre, and to examine cauſes, and to paſſe ſentence; and when God is with it, it will afflict and chaſtiſe the ſoule for ſinne, So it is ſaid, that Davids heart ſmote him, 2 Sam. 24. but when conſcience groweth careleſſe, and men judge not themſelves, when they condemne not, and afflict not themſelves for ſinne, but the ſword lieth ſtill in the ſcabbard, and execution is not done, but crimes are winked at; the offender is juſtified or ſpared; it is a ſigne of a ſleepe fallen upon them, and that God hath withdrawne himſelfe; or if you be judged by the light, yet are not humble, if you can ſhift and ward off the blows of conſcience, ſo that it cannot wound you; the efficacie of it is weakned, and God is departed: David was in this caſe, his conſcience was too dallying and indulgent, it did not arreſt him, nor ſeiſe upon him with her wonted Majeſtie, becauſe God ſuffered him to he for a time, as he permitted him to fall; but when the ſpirit came in the miniſtery, of Nathan, then conſcience was armed with a ſtronger power; and laid hands on him, bound him in chaines, and laid him up in priſon; and now David humbleth himſelfe, confeſſeth his ſinne, weeps, and ſighs, and mourns night and day, and could have no quiet till he had his pardon, and was reconciled to his God, Pſal. 32.