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. XVII. The second meanes of grieving the Spi∣rit is disobedience and resistance of the Spirit.

THe Spirit may be resisted in

• 1. Others.
• 2. Our selves.

The Spirit may be resisted in others, even by the godly.* 1.1

[unspec 1] 1. By envious workings against their spirituall gifts; when out of a displicen∣cy of minde against the lustre and life of grace and knowledge,* 1.2 which shines forth in others, we set our selves with detractions, discountenance, defamati∣ons, that by such or the like sinfull cour∣ses, we may cloud and darken them; we may and ought to emulate others, but not to envy anyx 1.3: The roote of en∣vy is pride, the fruit is opposition; and this is a grievous sinne, and a sin against the Spirit, tending to the nipping and weakning of grace in others; in which way we worke against the Spirit; for what he builds we destroy, and what he plants we pluck up, and what he cheri∣sheth, we withstand: But such envious spirits shall be brought low, for God gives grace to the humble: but he resisteth the proud, James 4.6.

[unspec 2] 2. By stubborne rejection of the counsells of the godly,* 1.4 especially the ministers: thus the Iewes are said to re∣sist the Holy ghost Acts 7.51. because

they rejected the Doctrine and counsell of the Holy ghost in his servants; when the Prophets spake to them, it is said the Spirit spake, and their disobedience is counted disobedience against the Spi∣rit, Neh. 9.30. and though this be a sin of high nature, yet so have the people of Israel beene transported through the heat of lust, that they have not onely rejected the counsell, but have quarrel∣led also with him that gave it; so Asah did: the Prophet had reproved him for his fault in seeking to the King of Sy∣ria, and for this, Asah was wroth with the Seer, and put him in a prison house, for he was in a rage with him, because of this thing, 2 Chron. 16.10. When the Spirit comes in his servants, to con∣vince, correct, perswade; and we grieve those by our slighting, refusing, and re∣jecting them, wee grieve the Spirit. Luke 10.16.

[unspec 2] Secondly, we resist the Spirit in our selves.* 1.5

• 1. By not doing good required.
• 2. By sinning against light.
• 3. By impenitency.

[unspec 1] 1. When we hang off from that good to which we are strongly moved;* 1.6 so the Israelites were much pressed to re∣pent and to turne from their evill waies to God, * 1.7 yet were rebellious, insuasible, as God complaines of them: Heare oh my people, and I will testifie unto thee, oh Israel, if thou wilt hearken to me, &c. But my people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me; but what followed? So I gave them up to their owne hearts lusts, and they walked in their owne Counsells. Psal. 81.8, 11, 12. God dealt with them as the Physitian doth with an unruly patient, whom if he will not be ordered he gives up; here is a main cause why God hath retyred him∣selfe,y 1.8 you have quenched and resisted his spirit which by inward pulsations and perswasions would have drawne you to a more holy walking, but you would not: but have with-held the truth in unrighteousnesse, Rom. 1.28. For this sin God gave up the Gentiles to a reprobate minde,z 1.9 to a minde with∣out judgment, which could not discerne things aright, but they called darknesse

light, and light darknesse, their foolish hearts being full of darknesse, yea he gave them up to most vile affections. And consider what a grievous sin it is to draw backe from that holinesse which God doth secretly draw thee to.

[unspec 1] 1. It is contempt of his Soveraignty and Authority,* 1.10 who is thy God and guide, * 1.11 and to whom thou hast given up thy selfe, and who hath power to judge and condemne thee.

[unspec 2] 2. It is a contempt of his goodnesse, * 1.12 for to what doth he call thee but to that which is thy good, thy peace, thy crowne, thy life? If thou hadst follow∣ed the Lord wholly, how would he have filled thee with his goodnesse? he would have had thee nearer him, that he might have blessed thee with greater riches of grace and peace; and seest thou not how he leaveth others to walk in a wofull way of darknesse and licen∣tiousnesse? yet of his grace he came to call, and to draw on thy soule to more communion with himselfe: oh why didst thou so ungratefully despise such riches of mercy? how often hath he

sought thee? how long hath he waited on thee? and hast thou contemned this abundant kindnesse?

[unspec 3] 3. * 1.13 It is a wilfull disobedience; be∣cause thou wast not onely enlightned, but with frequent, long, and strong per∣swasions moved: and the more thy re∣bellion is voluntary, the more it is sin∣full, and causeth God to depart; he that sinneth against him, sinneth against his owne soule, Prov. 8.36.

[unspec 4] 4. * 1.14 It is enmity against holinesse, else it could not be resisted, resistance is be∣tweene contraries, and if thou walke contrary to God, what wonder if he walke contrary to thee? Levit. 26.

[unspec 2] 2. * 1.15 When a man sins against light and strong arguments of disswasiona 1.16: there are two degrees of sin.

• 1. desire, by both the spirit is resisted.
• 2. act, by both the spirit is resisted.

Quest. Whether it be worse to will evill, than to doe it.

Answ. We must distinguish of the will.

There is a will

• Incompleate,
• Compleate.

An incompleat will is that which is not fully and maturely set upon its ob∣ject, and it hath these two things in it, or one of them: 1. it is not deliberate, but sudden, rash, precipitant; when a thing is not done out of judgment and reason, it is not fully voluntary; thus that which is done out of passion, as feare, anger, &c. is not a compleat act of the will, be∣cause not deliberate. 2. It is not deter∣minate, so not so much a wil as a velliety, which is not a full tendency of the heart to a thing, but a weak, mixed, checked, fluctuating inclinednesse to it, the will not going fully one way, but as it hath something to perswade, and something to disswade, so it is divided, partly wil∣ling, and partly nilling.

These things premised, I say:

1. That the greater sinfulnesse in a∣ny act is from the will; for 1 some acts which are materially evill, are not for∣mally evill without the will; as if a man working with an axe kill a man, though killing be materially evill, yet if the will had no influence into the fact, it is not murther, Deut. 19.5, 6. so happily Lots

drunkennesse: 2 All acts which are for∣mally evill, are made more sinfull, by how much the more the will is in them.b 1.17

2. That a determinate will to sin, though without the act is more sinfull, than an act of sin without a determinate will; because he that is fully willing, sins as much as in him lyeth,c 1.18 and though the act be wanting, yet it is not from any reason against it, but from some other cause, as it may be it is out of his power, or appeares very hurtfull, bringing shame, paine, dammage, dan∣ger, or the like; as he sins worse that is purposed to deny Christ, though yet he have not done it, than Peter who did de∣ny him in act, but not with a full will; where sin hath the full consent it is an absolute Soveraigne, but where it hath the act, but not the consent, it is but a ty∣rant, which prevailes not so much by its owne power, as by the weaknesse of its adversary, and the concurrence of ex∣ternall help.

[unspec 3] 3. * 1.19 That a sinfull act with the will is most sinfull, because there is an actuall

concurrence of the whole man to it, yea, and this argueth a great sinfulnesse in the subject, for lustings to sin are lesse evitable than acts, therefore not onely to conceive sin, but to bring it forth ar∣gueth a greater power of sin: there is more against acts of sin than against in∣clinations and desires; many respects keep men from doing evill, that cannot prevent motions to evill, so that sin ru∣leth much in such an one, as willingly commits it.

Now when the soule hankers after sin, in frequent, potent, and allowed lust∣ings unto it, the spirit is resisted,* 1.20 and so grieved; the spirit is resisted in three respects.

[unspec 1] 1. In respect of the rule, the word, * 1.21 which is the law of the spirituall king∣dome, which is a pure and perfect law, not onely ordering and judging the ex∣ternall acts and issues of the heart, * 1.22 but the motions and lustings also, requiring not onely abstinence from sinne, but death unto it, Eph. 4.22. Gal. 5.24.

[unspec 2] 2. In respect of grace,d 1.23 which is a principle disposing against sin, this is

checked; and the light and lustings of it, are overswayed through the rebelli∣ous disobedience of the heart.

[unspec 3] 3. * 1.24 In respect of these inward operati∣ons and workings of the spirit, by which he excites and quickens the new man to newnesse of life;e 1.25 his counsells are re∣pelled, his comforts rejected, his re∣bukes contemned, his offers disvalued, all coards are broken, and the soule like a prevailing streame beares downe all.

2. Secondly, men resist the spirit by doing evill: this is a further degree, when men not onely lust unto sin,* 1.26 but fall into it; here sin is perfected: these things grieve the Spirit, Ephes. 4.30. especially,

[unspec 1] 1. * 1.27 When the acts are for kinde grie. vous, such as are the manifest deeds of the flesh, Gal. 5.19. and those pollutions of the world, 2 Pet. 2.20. these are worse; 1 because the godly have more∣strength against such, then against sins more spirituall: 2. They are most con∣trary to grace, * 1.28 for they are contrary to nature.

[unspec 2] 2. When to the shame of religion,

open sins are provoking sins, because they feed and quicken that malice that lyeth in the sons of Belial to reproaches against godlinesse, and lay stumbling blocks in others wayes, so crossing the Spirit in the great work of turning men from sin, because men are hardened, and set further off when they see such wickednesse in them that are godly: This was their sin that caused Gods worship to be despised. Mal. 1.9. This bath been by your means, and will be re∣gard your persons, saith the Lord of hoasts?

[unspec 3] 3. * 1.29 When the sins are such as he hath often fallen into, and often confessed and bewayled; iterated sins are double sins, as it is in figures, the addition of any one makes the number ten times more, this strikes deep, that having been often in fault, and often freed; yet a man should sin again, this was that which made So∣lomons sin of a deeper dye, that he had found mercy: The Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel, which had ap∣peared unto him twise. 1 Kings 11.9. So Ezra confesseth the grievousnesse of

sin, being committed after pardon After all that is come upon us, for our ev•• deeds, and for our great trespasse; seeing that our God hath punished us lesse they our iniquities: and hast given us such de∣liverance as this, should we again break thy Commandements, and joyne in affinity with the people of these abominations, wouldst thou not be angry with us till then hadst consumed us, so that there should by no remnant nor escaping? Ezra 9.13.14. Concerning the sin which the peo∣ple of God committed before the Cap∣tivity, God gives them especiall charge. Thou shalt not commit this leudnesse of a thine abominations. Ezech. 16.43. who then a man after mercy, begged, and graciously renewed, he shall again trans∣gresse, this is high rebellion. So Mal. 2.13. &c.

[unspec 4] 4. * 1.30 When a man hath suffered mu•• for his sins, many rebukes from heaven checks from conscience, frownes from men, stripes from God, yet willing returnes to do this evill; this was the great impiety in the wildernesse, the though often reproved, yet they sinne

in like kinde again and again, They have tempted me these ten times. Numb. 14.22. this was in Nebemiahs eye the great ag∣gravation of their sin, that after they had suffered so great miseries, They did evill again before God. Neh. 9.28.

[unspec 5] 5. When the acts are frequent, * 1.31 though in their kinde lesse abominable then many; many smaller sins may a∣mount to as much as a great transgressi∣on, yea often lesser evils provoke mostf 1.32, as we say to our friend, would you stick with me in so small a thing? so God takes it ill, when in things which are more in our power, we transgresse, for it proceeds from much neglect of him; and it is more that he should be negle∣cted by his children, then that his enc∣mies rebell.

[unspec 6] 6. When the occasion is lesse, * 1.33 the sin is the greater: Adams turning from God for the forbidden fruit, so small a mat∣ter, was very grievous; the lesse a man is tempted, the more voluntary is his sin, and so more sinfull.

[unspec 7] 7. When it is a leading sin, as 1. * 1.34 when by a governour, or minister, whose ex∣ample

doth much, especially if such a one sin in drawing others to sin, this God will punish, as in Aaron who was not only an occasion, but a cause of the peoples Idolatry, by the Idols which he made. Exod. 32.4. So Mal. 2.7, 8, 9.2. When it is the first transgression, and breach of a law: so Nadab and Abihu for offering strange fire, were judged of God. Levit. 10. So Vzzah for touch∣ing the Arke. 1 Chron. 13.10. As in ci∣vill States the first breach of a law is often punished with exemplary punish∣ment: it is a dangerous thing in a com∣mon wealth to be the first man in a re∣bellion, and to break the yce to others.

Thus you see how the Spirit may be resisted and grieved many wayes, and for such causes, as the outward man is often left unto great calamities, so the inward man is afflicted with great mise∣ries, through Gods departing from it: when the soule joynes it selfto other lovers, then comes a kinde of divorce and God saith of a man as he did of Ephraim, Ephraim is joyned to Idols, l•••• him alone. Hos. 4.17. Let him god

on in his way, let his soule wither, let his lusts prevaile upon him, let nothing do him good.

3. Men resist the Spirit,* 1.35 when they beare up themselves with fearelesnesse, boldnesse, shamelesnesse, and impeni∣tency in their way, ospecially when they are strongly called and urged to repentance: as the authority of a Prince is two wayes resisted.

1. When men willingly transgresse. 2. When they beare up themselves im∣pudently and stubhornly in their trans∣gression. So God is not only opposed and affronted by disobedience, but also by impenitence: and indeed there is more provocation in a fault when not bewailed, then in a fault when it is com∣mitted; to a good disposition, he that is penitent is in a sort innocent, humble confession is a kinde of satis faction, but stoutnesse and stiffeneckednesse encrea∣seth rage: For impenitence is,

1. A cōtinuatiō of the offence,* 1.36 he is stil in the offence, his heart is with it, and in in∣terpretation of Justice, he doth sin conti∣nually, that repents not; Repentance

breakes off the foul from it, but impeni∣tence is a continuing it; disobedience in committing sin, is like the falling into mire, & impenitence is like the lying in it.

2.* 1.37 Impenitence is a Iustification of the offende; for he that repents not, ac∣knowledgeth no offence: when a man apprehonds that he hath done evilly, this breeds shame, sorrow, which ever arises as high as the sight of the sinful∣nesse of sin; so he that is not ashamed, seeth not the evill that he hath done see it in the Jews, No man repented him of his witkednesse, saying, what have I done? Jer. 8.6. they being a stiffencok∣ed people, were far from judging and condemning themselves, yea they ex∣cused themselves and pleaded their cause as if they had done nothing wor∣thy of such ovils as the Prophets threat∣ned; yea, they argue the matter with God hand to hand. O ye Priests that de∣spise my Name, and ye say, wherein have we despised thy Name? Mal. 1.6. Yee offer polluted bread upon mine Altar, and ye say, wherein have we polluted thear? v. 7. Yee have wearied the Lord with

your words, yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? Chap. 2.17. Return unto me, saith the Lord of hoasts, and I will re∣turn unto you; but ye said, Wherein shall we return? Chap. 3.7. Ye have robbed me; but ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? v. 8. Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord, yet ye say, What have we spoken against thee? v. 13.

Thus an impenitent person justifieth himself, and this provokes highly, espe∣cially where the fault is,

• 1 Great. as it is here.
• 2 Cleare. as it is here.

[unspec 3] 3. Impenitence is disloyalty, yea, * 1.38 greater than an act of offence, for a man may offend out of feare, hope, rashness, ignorance, &c. but he that is wilfully impenitent hath a disloyall spirit to∣wards his God.

1. Here is little love,* 1.39 for love would meltand draw the heart back to God.

2. Little feare, for this would make a man serious in consideration, humble in confession, and fervent in supplicati∣on that his sin may be pardoned, and fa∣vour restored.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Spirit resi∣sted, first in others.
• * 1.2

  By envy∣ing their gifts and graces.
• x 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The mist. apud Plut. de cap. ex¦hostib. util.
• * 1.4

  Rejecting their coun∣sells.
• * 1.5

  The Spirit resisted in our selves.
• * 1.6

  Pro. 8.35.
• * 1.7

  By hang∣ing backe when it draweth strongly.
• y 1.8

  Certissi••e noverimus nullum fide∣lium, a Deo nondisceden∣tem relinqui. Prosp. l. 2. de vocat. gent. c. 12. Fulgent. de re hac fusius. I. 1. ad Mon Deus nisi deserentem se non dese∣rit— non nos de∣serit fons si nos fontem non desera∣mus. Aug. in Joan. 32
• z 1.9

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.10

  It is con∣tempt,
• * 1.11

  Of his So∣veraignty.
• * 1.12

  Of his goodnesse.
• * 1.13

  It is wil∣full diso∣bedience
• * 1.14

  It is en∣mity.
• * 1.15

  By lustings against light.
• a 1.16

  Parcit Deus eis qui mala faciunt po∣tius ignora∣tione boni, quam appe∣titione mali Plut. de his qui sero, &c.
• b 1.17

  Dionysius cum au diret duos dese male dicen∣tes, ebriosum et sobrium; bunc utin∣eptum, illum vero ut ma∣levolum demisit. Plut.
• c 1.18

  Qui homi∣nem non oc∣cidit. sed vulneravit ut occidat, pro homici∣da est. Ele∣ment. Jur. part 4. §. 9.
• * 1.19

  A sin wil∣full most sinfull.
• * 1.20

  For the spirit is re∣sisted in re∣spect,
• * 1.21

  Of the rule
• * 1.22

  Grace.
• d 1.23

  Ineadem specie pec∣oati gravius peccatfidelis quam infi∣delis. A qui. in Rom. 8. lect. 1.
• * 1.24

  Inward workings.
• e 1.25

  Vniuscu∣jusque Ca∣sus tanto major is est criminis, quan oprius∣quam cade∣vet, majoris erat virtu∣tis. Bern. de inter. Dom. c. 50.
• * 1.26

  Spirit resi∣sted by do∣ing evill a∣gainstlight Especially when,
• * 1.27

  The acts are for kinde grie∣vous.
• * 1.28

  To the shame of religion.
• * 1.29

  Relapses.
• * 1.30

  When such as a man hath suffered much for.
• * 1.31

  When of∣ten com∣mitted.
• f 1.32

  Quo levi∣us manda∣tum, co grae∣vius pecca∣tum.
• * 1.33

  When oc∣casion small.
• * 1.34

  When it is a leading sin.
• * 1.35

  Thirdly, the Spirit is resisted by volun∣tary impe∣nitency.
• * 1.36

  For it is 1. a cōtinua∣tion of the offence.
• * 1.37

  2. A justi∣fication of the offence
• * 1.38

  Greater disloyalty then the act.
• * 1.39

  Impeni∣tents are disloyall, having 1 Little love. 2 Little feare.