A01898:323
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,1 examine what might be the true cause that provokes God thus to leave thee. So Lament. 3. 40. Let us search and try our ways, it was spoken by the Church in desertion, as appears by the former part of the Chapter. And to help your selves in this, go over all the Cases which have been propounded: hast thou not been carnally confident ⟨p. 20⟩in false signs? or rested too much on true, to the neglect of Christ, and Gods free grace? Didst thou not afore neglect to stir up thy own graces? &c. go over all those cases mentioned: something or other will be found to be the cause. This is necessary, for all the cause be known, the heart submits not; neither will it sanctify Gods name; nor will the trouble cease, till that which provokes God to lay it on be confessed and forsaken. And if it be a particular sin that God aims at, then usually, God useth the horror for, and the guilt of that very sin to afflict thee with; and then that sin it self is made the cause of thy trouble in thy own apprehension. So as then it is easily found out; thou wilt find thy sin to be the thorn in thy foot, the stone in thy shoo, that did grate, gal, and vex thee. David […] knew in Psal. 51. what it was for which God broke his bones: for his very sin was it was the iron Mace, the instrumental cause it self of Gods executing it upon him; the horror of that murder God used as the hammer to break him withal, and as the rod to whip him with, ver. 3. My sin (says he) is ever before me; it was ever in his eye. Indeed; in outward afflictions it is more difficult to find out the cause why God afflicts a man; (unless sometimes you may through Gods wise-disposing hand find and read the sin in the punishment, they so resemble one another, so as a man may say, this cross lay in the womb of such a sin, they are so like: in quo peccamus, in eodem plectimur,) but in those inward distresses of conscience, that sin which is the true cause, and that moveth God to afflict, God often useth even the guilt of that very ⟨p. 21⟩sin to terrify thee; to cast a man into the distress and to keep him in it, it is both the procatarticall cause, and executioner also.