The Government of the Thoughts, Chapter 33
CHAP. XXXIII. The Sense of Spiritual Wants.
THE next thing which wounds and afflicts the Conscience, is Sense of defects, and Spiritual Wants: As want of Faith, Hope and Assurance of Salvation; Want of Sanctification, Purity of Heart, the Spirit of Prayer, and Hearing, and want of ability to perform other Holy Duties. In these the Spirit is stupified, and overcast even in the best of Christians for a time: The Religious Person sometimes is sensible of a dulness, and want of Fervency in Prayer, and of a comfortable assurance, that God heareth or regardeth it, because he doth not presenty answer, or not grant our Petitions. Sometimes they feel a Deviation of the Mind, and discomposure of thoughts, in attention, and unbelief in hearing and reading the Word: Sometimes want of Patience, want of Love to God, and Charity to Men: In short, such a general debility, or distemper of the Internal Man, that he readily concludes with St. Paul, That in his Flesh dwelleth no good thing, Rom. 7.18. These are great Maladies of the Soul, and Wounds of the Spirit; but it inferreth a good Prognostick of a bad Cause: Where these are and the Sinner is insensible, they are desperate Symptomes.
2. IN this Case let us consider, that the very same measure of Grace, which to the present sense of a Regenerate Man, seemeth incompetent, may yet be a sufficient measure to save him: And when he Invocates the Divine Assistance, he is most strong, though in his own sense he is weak and deficient: For in St. Paul's distress the Lord thus answered his Petition, My Grace is sufficient for thee, 2 Cor. 12.8. It saith not it shall be, but it is sufficient, meaning the present measure of Grace he had in his Possession, when he looked upon himself as a weak Vessel.
3. THE most Pious, their measure of Assurance is such, as they are not only enjoyned to give diligence to make their Calling and Election sure, that so an entrance may be administred to them abundantly into the Everlasting Kingdom, but they are in duty bound also to Work out their own Salvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2.12. All Incredulity inferreth not a Reprobate sense: There is Incredulity in the very Elect before, and a perplexing Remnant after their Calling; yea, even in their best Estate here; else why did the Holy Apostles pray, Lord encrease our Faith, Luke 17.5. And why did our Saviour upbraid them with unbelief, Mark 16.14.
4. AND Saving Faith differeth in degrees: So that there is a stronger and a weaker Faith, yet both true, and justifying: So do all other Graces, one hath a greater and more Excellent measure of the Spirit of Prayer than another: One hath a more discerning and attentive Spirit of Hearing than another, and yet in either instance, the minor may be true and sufficient: For to every Man is given according to the measure of Christ, Ephes. 4.7. One hath ten Talents, and another but two: Nay, even in one and the same Person's Faith, there is sometimes a grander, and sometimes a diminutive measure of Confidence and Assurance: And so we must judge of other Gifts; sometimes there is more fervency in Prayer, and other times less. The Sun doth not display his Radiant Beams on us always alike, neither doth the light of Gods Grace illuminate us after one manner.
5. A true saving Faith may be very impotent, and the Believer may be insensible for some space, but yet the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it, as may appear in St. Peter's Example. There are doubtings and failings in the best on Earth, by Reason we are but here partly Spiritual: We are not yet arrived to perfection: Faith here must receive continual encreases, and be subject to Tryals: And the like does ensue to all other Vertues and Graces: That true Faith, never shall finally fall away, or utterly fail, though it be subject to Intension and Remission; because Christ interceeded for us, as he said to St. Peter, behold, Satan hath desired that he may sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for thee, that thy Faith fail not, Luke 22.31, 32. Because his Grace by which we are called, and stand, is immutable in the Counsel and Decree of Heaven, and are Sealed up by the Holy Spirit of Promise, 2 Cor. 1.22. And the like we are to judge of of all the Fruits of Sanctification, which being the Donations and Graces of God, are such as he repenteth not of, neither finally withdraweth, Rom. 11.29.
6. THOU hast indeed a true sense of thy Spiritual wants, and mournest at thy Corruptions of Heart, which on every occasion produce sinful Acts against thy Maker; if this be a heavy burden unto thee, receive this Comfort, that thy sin is excluded its proper place, and become a Stranger unto thee: For nothing in its own proper station is so ponderous. The danger is want of Sense, and taking pleasure in Unrighteousness: If a wounded Person is insensible, he is either dead, or in some dangerous Exstacy: No part hath sense but the Living; though it were for the present more comfortable to be whole, yet sense of smart in thy wounds inferreth Life; and indeed in Gods Medicaments, who makes all things operate for the best to them that love him, 'tis a better State, (in respect of the quiet Fruits of Righteousness, accruing to them that are thereby Exercised, and the Ulcerous Corruptions of our Souls, often necessitating our wounding that we may be healed) than the secure prosperity of Sinners; for it is good and beneficial at the last for the just that they have been afflicted, Psal. 119.67.
7. WHEN thou hearest, or readest the Scriptures, art thou sensible of the want of Faith, Assurance, Sanctification, and the Spirit and Fervency of Prayer? If so, be comforted: For as the Solar Eclipse, and Descension of Light towards us, can be discerned by no Lustre, but its own; so neither can the want of Grace be possibly discerned by any thing but Grace. Hast thou a hearty desire to have these wants of Grace supplyed? Then that very holy Ambition is Grace it self; without which thou couldst not desire it: Our blessed Lord in his Sermon on the Mount, Math. 5.6. pronounces, Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after Righteousness; for they shall be filled: God will never desert that Soul which desireth him, and his saving health: None can hunger but the Living; and none hungers for Grace, but he that subsisteth by it: But then thy desire of that Seed must be ardent, not languid, such as cannot rest unsatisfied with any thing else in the World.
8. THERE may be an Enervate, and Oblique appetite of Salvation in Balaam, for fear of Damnation; but he more loved the Wages of Unrighteousness: The happiest thirsts for the Waters of Life, and afflicteth the Soul till it be obtained; and enjoys no rest, or peace without it: So that indeed this very State which so much afflicteth thee is the most secure and happy; and thou shalt once know, that which one said in the happy Event of his unhappy Shipwrack, We had perished, if we had not thus perished. And when thou hast received the Spirit of God in such a measure as thereby to discern the things that are freely given thee of God; then thou shalt find, That Blessed is the Man whom the Lord chasteneth and teacheth in his Law, that he may give him rest from his days of adversity, Psal. 94.12, 13.
9. MAKE that inquest with thy Soul, whether ever thou wert possest of that, which thou art now sensible thou wantest? If so, be assured it shall revive again, and finally overcome; For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the World; and this is the Victory that overcometh the World, even our Faith, 1 John 5.4. And this sense and sorrow is a signal of the recovery of the health of thy most precious part, thy Soul; as the seven times Neezing of the Shunamite's Child presaged his reviving, 2 Kings 4.35. If thou never yet enjoyd'st the Grace which thou now beginnest to be sensible of, it now evidently is apparent thou shalt acquire it; for this internal perplexity, is but as the motion of the Waters of Bethesda, a certain Prognostick of a healing Power descending on thee.
10. NEXT ask thy self, according to that saying of the Prophet, Jer. 2.17. Hast thou not procured this unto thy self? Even this which thou now complainest of? Hast thou not neglected the appointed means? If want of Faith perplex thee; hast thou not negligently heard the Gospel? Hast thou laid it up in a Solicitous Heart? Hast thou valued it, and begged it fervently and frequently of God, above all things in the World? Thou art querulous for want of the Spirit of Prayer; Hast thou not neglected this Duty formerly; and dost thou now duly prepare thy self for that holy Office? Dost thou use that vigilancy which Christ enjoyn'd, of Watch and Pray; by recalling thy profane and wandring Thoughts from their Extravagancies, and all attention of Spirit, fixing them on the Holy Jesus? Thou art sensible thy Heart, Tongue, nor Actions are not Sanctimonious: Appeal to thy own Conscience, and then tell me, if thou hast not heretofore us'd all Arts, and sollicited all things to appear in the throng, to drown the loud checks of that voice within thee, and hast looked upon it as thy utter Enemy? Now if thou wouldst cease the Effect, remove the Occasion; duly observe God's holy Ordinances, and he will infallibly perform his Promises.
11. ENQUIRE whether thou dost not persevere in some habitual sin? It is a great folly to cry out of the Heat, and still cast oyl on the Fire: If it be an Achan's Wedge hidden, search for the Cursed thing, Josh. 7.25, 26. and the Plague in thine own heart, 1 Kings 8.38. And by removing the Impediment and Obstruction, thou shalt be Comforted: If it be a sleeping Jonah, cast him over-board: And as Eliphaz said to Job, If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put iniquity far from thy Tabernacles: The Almighty shall be thy defence; then shalt thou have delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God: Thou shalt make thy Prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, Job 22.23. &c.
12. TO reduce what has been said into practice, follow these Rules; Give an audit to God's Word preparedly, that is, renew thy Repentance, and Invocate the Father of Lights to Illuminate thee, that thou mayst be a Reverend and an Attentive Auditor: Faith comes by Hearing; so doth Sanctification, God's Spirit operating upon his own Ordinance to make it Active: The occasion why so many hear, so often; and so few so seldom practise and receive true Comfort by it, is for want of a due preparation; resembling them that sow among Thorns: Let Faith and all Christian Graces be valuable to thee for his sake who is the Author of all our Happiness. How few set a right Estimate on Heavenly things till it be too late? Mundane Vanities, are Rated high, and often purchased at a dear Rate; but where are those that rise Early, rest Late, Eat the Bread of Carefulness, venture Sea, and Land to obtain the holy City, even the New Jerusalem? Be eager in the pursuit of these things thou standst in need of, and the Almighty will not with-hold them from thee.
13. OUR Saviour affirms to us, John 7.38, 39. He that believeth in me, out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of Living Waters: That is, fluency of Graces proceeding from the Holy Ghost. If thou wilt labour, and endeavour to attain unto this Faith, chase away all Obstructions that do oppose thee: For a Resolution to persevere in any known Sin, and True Faith▪ are inconsistent. An obdurate Heart is like the great stone on the mouth of the Well at Padan-Aram, which kept Men back from the Waters of Refreshment: These Impediments, I say, must first be removed; for sin in the Affections, is like a venomous Toad in the Mouth of the Fountain, obstructing the Waters of Life.
14. CONSIDER the Operation of the Almighty in thee, and compare thy misfortunes with others: If thou art not heard by the Great Being, perhaps thy Supplication is not consonant to his Will: For his design is to save thee, and infallibly to bless thee; and if he performs that by a means suitable to Omnipotency, wilt thou be impatient, with Naaman, if thou art not healed according to thy way which thou proposest? Is not it enough that he will effect that which is properest and best for thee and canst thou pretend to outvie his Wisdom? Perhaps he thinks it requisite to try thy perseverance and patience, whereof I confess, I know no severe object, than an opinion of his not hearing our Prayers. It was no small tryal, when David cryed out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the Words of my Roaring? Psal. 22.1. But the Acclamation on the Cross, carryed a louder sound, Mat. 27.46. Moses was denied entrance into Canaan, but was received into Heaven: The Cup did not pass away from Christ, but God's Will was perform'd in the operation of Man's Redemption; and so, he was heard, Heb. 5.7.
15. DOTH thy Faith endure many sharp encounters of the Tempter? Then observe the Almighty by this means doth more confirm it. Is not every Temptation as the shaking of Trees, which loosing the ground, Engrafts them the deeper? Thou art sensible of thy great defects in Sanctity, and of many dubious conflicts between the Flesh and the Spirit, provoking thy Soul to cry with Rebecca, when perplex'd with her wrestling Twins, Why am I thus? Gen. 25.22. Despond not, but consider the work of him, with whom we have to do: Thus he chaseth thee often to fly to him, and to Consult his Oracles: Thus he exerciseth thee to humility, without which the most Excellent Graces could not save thee. He that Prayed for St. Peter's falling, could have prevented him from falling into that Sin: But in so doing he kept him from presumption, and fitted him to confirm his Brethren.
16. IN all Humility beg Holiness of God, who hath expresly said, ask and ye shall have: And to consider that God is perfect Holiness, is a vehement Motive conducing to it; and certainly he cannot chuse but love his own Image in us, and freely give us that which he loveth: It pleased the Author of our Being, that Solomon, before Riches, Revenge, and Life it self, should petition him for Wisdom; upon which, he did not only grant his request, but additionally gave him Riches and Honour: And undoubtedly it doth so much please God, that any of his Servants doth in the sense of their wants, before all things give Grace the Preferrence; and they that in the sincerity of their heart Petition to him for Sanctity of Life, he will not deny them, but will insert to their grant, more than we are able to ask or think of.
The Prayer.
O Almighty God, Infinite in Mercy, and perfect Verity, who delightest not in the destruction of Wretched Creatures, nor despisest the Groans of a Troubled Spirit; Lord, I am poor and afflicted, and do in bitterness of Soul acknowledge my vileness and vacancy of Grace, the Corruption of my sinful nature, the misery which I have procured my self by my wilful disobedience to thy Holy Laws, and my Impotency to any thing that is good: Lord, I am as that wretched Traveller, wounded and cast down; only sensible of my Wounds, but utterly unable to move, or help my self: The Priest and Levite pass by and afford me no relief; neither is it in the power of the Creature to assist me: Nay, even thy just and holy Law, which wholsomely instructs, Do this and live, is so far from aiding me, or administring Comfort, that my sins make it appear to me a killing Letter; or at best resembling the Prophets Staff, sent before by the Ministry of thy Servant, not able to give Life, but a Prospect of my Sins, and rendring me guilty, before thy dreadful Tribunal, and at the Bar of my terrified Conscience.
2. BUT, O Lord, let the good Samaritan, the Prophet himself, Christ Jesus, thy dear Son, and my alone Saviour, inspire me with his Holy Spirit; for he only can bind up my wounded Soul and heal it: Thou hast wounded me by an heavy apprehension of thy Justice; O now heal me by the assurance of thy Mercy: Strengthen my Faith in Christ, who freely justifieth Sinners: And as thou hast in thine Eternal Love, given him to Death for my Redemption, so give me an infallible assurance that he is my Saviour and Deliverer: That according to thine own Gracious Promise in him, I may live with thee.
3. AND O thou, who art the Saviour of all the World, who sentest the Holy Ghost the Comforter of all thy Servants, to thy Afflicted Disciples to strengthen them, send him to my Enervated and Wretched Soul: It is neither of him that Willeth, nor of him that Runneth, but of thine own Infinite Goodness, shewing Mercy: Thy Omnipotence is effectual in the Operation of thy good Will and Pleasure. O, be Graciously pleased to Sanctifie my Corrupted will and affections: And as thou hast freely given me a will and a hearts desire to serve and please thee, that I might be saved; so perfect thine own work in me, and establish what thou hast begun: Give me, O Lord, true Holiness, and repair thine own Image in me, that thou mayst own me for thine; and then manifest thine own work in me, and unto me.
4. LET not the good Spirit which has possession of me, remain any longer in obscurity; but blessed Lord, manifest thy self unto my Soul: And let the Illumination of thy Spirit break out in full assurance of Faith, that I may no more doubt of thy Mercies: Grant me an entire Victory over Sin and Despair, by the apparent presence of the Comforter: My afflicted Soul, O Lord, knoweth no Sanctuary to flie unto, but thy infinite mercy: Unto thee, alone it Gaspeth as a thirsty Land; O shower down such a plentiful Dew of thy Grace, which may refresh my wearied Spirit, and fill me with the Fruits of Righteousness, which may evidently appear in my Life and Conversation, to thy Glory, and the assurance of my Election, Vocation, Sanctification, Perseverance and Salvation in thy beloved Son, and my alone Saviour, to whom with thee and the Holy Spirit, Three Persons, one Immortal, Incomprehensible, Omnipotent, only Wise God, be rendred all Honour and Glory, in Heaven and Earth, now and to all Eternity.
Amen.