The case and cure of a deserted soule, or, A treatise concerning the nature, kindes, degrees, symptomes, causes, cure of, and mistakes about spirituall desertions by Jos. Symonds ...

CHAP. X. Great incredulitie in a Deserted soule, with the Causes of it.

THe fourth evill that befals the mind in time of desertion is incredulity; when God withdrawes himselfe, the wofull fruits of unbeliefe spring up; doubtings, disputes, objections, strange reasonings about spirituall truths, in so much that the soul is greatly perplexed and snared in the diversity, crosnesse, subtilty, ambiguity of her owne reaso∣nings; now it questioneth the authori∣ty and verity of the Scriptures; doub∣ting whether it be the word of God or no, or whether it be not the invention

of men; yea, it is full of suspicions and doubts of divine providence, whether all things be ordered by an hand of in∣finite power and wisdome; yea, the foundation and first stone is often sha∣ken in such a time, the soule calling this in question, Whether there be a God or no, who is able to reckon the strange thoughts and reasonings of the soule, when it walks in darknesse? And who can utter the dreadfull effects of such an evill? What mazes of confusi∣on, what flouds of feares, what thic∣kets and labyrinths of sore perplexities ••s a man led into by this unbeliefe? yea, what deadnesse and barrennesse ••reake in upon him? how exposed to ••iolent assaults of Satan, having not ••he use of the shield of faith? This un∣••eliefe and Atheisme is a rocke which ••he Saints (the most part of them) doe ••trike upon at one time or other; but ••t's a dreadfull evill, like a torrent, it ••eares downe in a great measure, the ••rops and pillars of Christian hope, ••by, patience, obedience; yea, it is of ••hat destroying nature, where it comes

with strength, as it doth in many of the Saints, that it annihilates, in a manner, all spirituall things in their eyes, so that they cannot see God, Christ, promise, heaven, or any thing; or if they see them, it is with so much obscu∣rity and uncertainty, that the life which these things were wont to yeeld, is much impaired. And as it is pernici∣ous, so it's hard to cure; a man would never, without the conduct of a divine hand, finde the way to get out of these perplexities. Unbeliefe hath a great strength in all, and were it not checked, it would more appeare.

Quest. What is the cause that unbe∣liefe doth so quickly and strongly, up∣on Gods withdrawing of himselfe, put forth it selfe in the godly?

Answ. [unspec 1] First, the inevidence of the object of faith: it is evidence in any thing that settles and swayes judgement; and when things lie hid in darknesse, and carry no convincing and satisfying evi∣dence of reason, the minde will not re∣ceive them with a full assent; yea, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 proportions her credit which she gives

to the strength of reason, which she discernes for it; so that in some things she fully embraceth them, and hath an acquiescencie and rest in her assent, being fully answered in point of reason; in other things she goeth not further then to an opinion, which is an imper∣fect assent, founded on arguments only probable; in other things she goeth not so farre, but stands doubting, and in suspense, being equally charged with reason both wayes; having arguments why she should beleeve this or that, and arguments why she should not; by which encounter of contrary reaso∣nings, she is like the river, which by the meeting of two contrary streames, becomes a still water; or like the scales in the ballance, which having equall weights in them, stand in equipoyse.

This we finde in men in matters of religion and godlinesse, that all beleeve not alike, because there is not the like evidence of spirituall truths to all; some beleeve fully, others beleeve, but not with a setled assent; others doubt; the former are like the scales, whereby the

weight in one prevailing, there is a set∣ling; the second, like the scales wave∣ring, and turning sometimes this way, and sometimes that way; the third, like the scales standing, but still it is the evidence in the object, which begets faith, yea, commands it.

Now the inevidence of the object of faith, by which unbeliefe stands fast, is in respect of

• 1 The object it selfe.
• 2 Subject of faith.

[unspec 1] 1 The object is in it selfe, sometimes hidden and strange to reason, and therefore hard to be beleeved: Such things are all those supernaturall truths, as the Unity in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity, the resurrection of the body, the incarnation of the Sonne of God, redemption by the satisfaction of Christ, justification by faith, &c. These truths, and the like, are above reason, such the minde of it selfe cannot be∣leeve; what though they be revealed, and are so made conspicuous, in a sort, by the word, yet (if there be nothing but the testimony and authority of the

word) except the power of the spirit set in, there will be no faith.

[unspec 2] 2 The inevidence is sometimes in respect of the subject, and that is, when things are clearly brought to the un∣derstanding, but through it's weaknesse it is not able to see the reason of them; the object is cleare, but the minde is darke, as though the Sunne shine, and make all things evident in themselves; yet if the eye be blinde, it seeth not; things are hid, but this vaile is not on the things, but on the eye; or suppose a man come with a faire and full testi∣moniall of his worth, yet if he to whom it is brought cannot read it, he will not beleeve him, or accept him: Now God hath revealed himselfe by the creation, Rom. 1.19, 20. all the crea∣tures are as so many witnesses to reason it selfe, that there is a God which made all; but reason is deafe, and heares not That sound that is gone through the world, Psal. 19. or heares it so weakly, that it cannot settle and quiet it selfe in this truth, that God is, and that he made the worlds, so that our faith even in

these things, is not onely from the light of nature, but also and especially from the light of the spirit; and according as this light is afforded more or lesse, so doth our faith vary in it's operation, by the weaknesse and blindnesse that re∣maines upon the understanding, though it be renewed, the minde is disabled to answer these various and snarling obje∣ctions, which are conceived in this fruitfull wombe: how many reasonings and strange disputes, doth the carnall minde, when it is left to it selfe, forge against the truth, which doe so cloud and puzzle the soule, that it is often strangely foyled? As those Gentiles be∣ing left of God, became vaine in their imaginations, Rom. 1.21. So the Saints themselves, when God shutteth in the light of his spirit, are full of dange∣rous reasonings & entangling thoughts; the Psalmist beholding the manner of Gods dealing with the wicked, and with the godly, that they prospered, and these were asslicted; from hence argues so strangely, that he had almost beene soiled, but that God did guide him with

his counsels, and upheld him by his right hand. Psal. 73.

So Moses, though God had told him what he would doe for the provi∣sion of his people, consulting with reason, had this answer from it, Can God prepare a table in the wildernesse, Num. 11. I need not insist upon instan∣ces of this nature; the minde is very active and quick in working, and is able to lose it selfe in doubts and perplex∣ing reasonings, but it is not so able with∣out divine assistance to untie her knots, and to free her selfe.

[unspec 2] 2 Cause is Satan, whose worke it is to molest the Saints; he is full of all knowledge, so that he knowes how to weave the most subtilenets to toyle the soule; and he hath a way into a man by the phantasie, where he is able both to keepe the thoughts working upon some strong imagination, and ensnaring reasoning, and to suggest new: hence it comes about, that a man is so mightily and uncessantly pursued with doubts and strong workings of unbeliefe, that there is scarce an article of his faith so

rooted in him, but by these blustering and tempestuous winds, it is at one time or other much shaken. These then are the causes of the new and strong work∣ing of incredulity & Atheisme, which as it seemed by former force and power of supernaturall light to have beene buried, doth in a time of desertion rise up againe, to the great affrightment and disturbance of the heart.

Notes

• Fourth e∣vill in the minde, in∣credulitie.
• Cause of unbeliefe prevailing in deser∣tion.
• Inevidence of the ob∣ject of faith.
• Object hidden.
• Subject darke.
• Satans working.