A01898:105
A child of light walking in darknessA childe of light vvalking in darknesse
A child of light walking in darkness: or A treatise showing the causes, by which God leaves his children to distress of conscience. The cases, wherein [God leaves his children to distress of conscience.] The ends, for which [God leaves his children to distress of conscience.] Together with directions how to come forth of such a condition: with other observations upon Isaiah 50. 10, and 11. verses. By Tho: Goodwin B.D.A childe of light vvalking in darknesse: or A treatise shewing the causes, by which God leaves his children to distresse of conscience. The cases, wherein [God leaves his children to distresse of conscience.] The ends, for which [God leaves his children to distresse of conscience.] Together vvith directions how to come forth of such a condition: vvith other observations upon Esay 50. 10, and 11. verses. By Tho: Goodwin B.D.
London: printed by Miles for R. Dawlman and L. Fawne, 1636
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And to conclude this,1 if in any condition that befalls Gods child, carnal reason hath the advantage and upper ground of faith. It is now when it is in the valley of the shadow of death, as David speaks, when it walks in darkness and hath no light: A condition that doth afford a most complete Topic for carnal reason to frame objections out of; When in respect of Gods dealings with him there is a seeming conjunction of all bad aspects threatening perdition and destruction: When faith is under so great an eclipse, and is left to fight it our alone in darkness, and hath no second: When on the contrary carnal reason, and our dark hearts (which are led by sense) are possessed with the sense (the deepest and most exquisite sense) and impressions of (that which the heart is most jealous of) Gods sorest wrath and displeasure, and that felt and argued (not mediately and afar off, by consequence from outward afflictions, but) immediately from Gods own hand. Thou always hast suspected (says carnal reason) that thou wert a child of wrath, ⟨p. 38⟩and that thou and God were enemies; But now thou findest it put out of question, and that from Gods own mouth, who speaketh grievous things against thee;2 thou hast it also under his own hand, for lo he writeth bitter things against thee, 3that is, in thy conscience as Job speaks, & holdeth thee for an enemy, ver. 24. and whips thee with the same rod of his immediate wrath and displeasure, where with he lasheth those that are cut from his hand, and whom he remembereth no more, but are now in hell, as Heman speaks. A time also this is when this present sense of wrath so distempers and (to use Heman's words) distracts the mind, that it cannot listen to faith, which speaks of nothing too, but of what it fees not; even as the people of Israel could not attend to Moses his message of deliverance through the anguish of their present bondage Exod. 6. 9. So as no wonder if then carnal reason be most busy, and takes this advantage to frame and suggest the strongest objections to the soul whilst it is in this distemper.