A01898:245
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.
First, for some gross sins committed against light. 1An instance for this is David. With though he was a man after Gods heart, yet we meet with him often complaining, as one that was frequently in these desertions; amongst other times, once in the 119. Psal. 25, 28. ver. where his soul cleaveth unto the dust, and is even at deaths door, for he says, quicken me, he means it in regard of the sense of Gods favour, which is better than life; which also is the meaning of that phrase, that his soul did […] the dust; that is, was brought to the apprehension of death, therefore Psal. 22. 15. Christ upon the Cross (of whom the Psalm is made) cries out, that God had forsaken him, and brought his soul to the dust of death: and David says here also, that his soul […], and was […] even all the powers of it were loosened, and •• led within him, at the sense of Gods wrath, even as wax melts before the fire: ordinarily we find in Scripture no such eminent desertion, but we find the cause of […] off, if we read on; so here, in the 29. verse, Remove from •ee (says David) the way of lying. He points to the scare of his heart, wherein his grief lay. David among other corruptions, had a lying spirit, […] is very roundly, two ⟨p. 133⟩or three lies together, when he fled from Saul, and came to Ahimelech; who fearing to harbour him because of Saul, asked him why he was alone; it being a suspicious thing, that he so great a man should have no greater train to attend him: and did argue that he fled as a proscribed person, and then it would be dangerous to foster him. To this he answers roundly; That the King had commanded him a business. There is one lie; and that the King had commanded him secrecy in it, there is another: and because my servants should not know it, I have sent them away to several places, there is a third: and again, at the 8. verse, I have not brought my sword, because the Kings business required hast, there is a fourth lie. David went on here in a way of lying; they were all made, and deliberate lies. Other such like speeches of his, as that 1 Sam. 2. 8. 10. where he told Achish, That he went against the South of Judah, and against the South of the Kenites, v. 10. when as he went against the Geshurites and the Amalekites, ver. 8. some excuse, because those nations bordered over against the South of Judah, and the house of the Kenites;