A Trial of Faith, Sermons · Sermon 15
Matth. 15. 24.
But he anſwered and ſaid, I am not ſent, but unto the loſt ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael.
SERMON XV.
I Come now to lay down ſome general Rules for the ſilencing and overcoming of all Temptations of this Nature concerning Election.Rules to ſilence thoſe Temptations Gods people may meet withall concerning their Election.
And the firſt Rule is this;Rule 1. Take heed that we do not give way to carnal reaſon: that we do not ſet carnal Reaſon on work to finde out this great and wonderful Myſterie; take heed of the very beginnings of carnal reaſon; when you begin to reaſon concerning Election, as to the cauſer of it, why God ſhould chuſe one, and refuſe another; Seek not to ſatisfie Carnal Reaſon in this; for know, that there is an infinite diſtance between God and the creature.
And therefore for the ſilencing of Carnal Reaſon;
Conſider firſt of all, That he is God, and thou art man; therefore do not quarrel and contend with God, and ſeek to bring down God to ſatisfie thy reaſon in this; Rom. 9. 20. Nay but, O man, Who art thou that replyeſt againſt God? Shall the thing formed, ſay to him that formed it, why haſt thou made me thus? The Apoſtle he brings in this for the ſilencing of carnal reaſon, that is too buſie in prying into God's Election, and will not be ſatiſfied unleſs he hath a reaſon; Man, Who art thou? conſider that thou art man, that thou art but a child of Adam; and remember that as thou art man, ſo he is God, he is Jehovah; he is an infinite incomprehenſible Being, he is abſolute, he is Independent, he doth not depend upon any creature; his will it is the rule of all goodneſs and righteouſneſs, he is God; it is not the will of man, nor the reaſon of man that muſt be righteous; that muſt not be good which we will, and which we comprehend; no, that is not the rule of goodneſs, but the will of God; and therefore remember that he is God, and not man.
Secondly, To ſilence carnal reaſon, Remember that He is thy Maker. Shall the thing formed ſay to him that formed it, Rom. 9. 20.Why haſt thou made me thus? Why, he made thee, he faſhioned thee, and is it fit for the creature to contend with his Maker? Should the Potſherd go and ſtrive with his Maker? There is as great a diſtance betwixt God and the creature, as between the Potter and the clay, nay, a greater diſtance between God and us; Of the ſame lump he maketh one a veſſel of honour, another of diſhonour; were this remembred, we would not be ſo bold to call God to accompt.
Thirdly, For to ſilence carnal reaſon, conſider, That the more a man wades into this myſterie with his own reaſon, the further he is and ſhall be from ſatisfaction: for it is juſt as if a man ſhould attempt to go and wade over the Sea on foot, when a man ſets the firſt ſtep into the Sea, it may be he is up to the knees, the next ſtep up to the loyns, next ſtep up to the neck, and the next ſtep over head and ears, and can feel no bottome.
It is true, by faith we may go down into this great deep, and ſee the wonders of God; by faith a man may go upon this great depth of the love of God, and wonder at it, and cry out, O! the depth of the love of God! But if we go with carnal reaſon, we ſhall be over head and ears; and the more reaſon, the further from ſatisfaction, and he will confound his reaſon; If a man gaze upon the Sun to know the nature of the Sun, and think to comprehend the Sun, the more he gazeth upon the Sun, the more will the Sun confound the eye, that he will not be able to comprehend the Sun; and ſo when the dim eye of carnal reaſon ſhall gaze upon this glorious myſterie of God, the eye will ſoon be confounded, and we ſhall be further from ſatisfaction.
Fourthly, Conſider for the ſilencing of carnal reaſon, That it is not poſſible that a man ſhould go about to ſatisfie his reaſon, but he ſhall daſh againſt many dangerous Rocks that will ſplit him all to pieces: Many a man of learning have thought to comprehend this myſterie by reaſon, and ſo they have ſplit againſt many dangerous rocks of error, and made ſhipwrack of Faith; many have come to reaſon againſt Rom. 9. and have wiſhed that it had been torn out of the Book of God: O dangerous Rocks that men ſplit themſelves againſt, that will have their reaſon ſatisfied in this deep myſterie! I have known ſome (I hope gracious) that have been miſerably ſhattered this way, that would needs call God to account, why God let Adam fall, and why God did not ſave all the world, and why God ſhould take one, and not another; and they have reaſoned thus, until they have reaſoned themſelves out of good thoughts of God, and out of acts of Faith and Hope; and have reaſoned themſelves out of their duty to God, and have been as poor creatures in the midſt of an Ocean, and have found no ground to ſet their foot upon.
And again conſider, That the Divel will make uſe of carnal Reaſon in this Myſterie of God, to keep a poor ſoul in a dark and perplexed condition; there is many a poor ſoul is kept in the dark, and led into a labyrinth that they can finde no path; they are kept in a fruitleſs condition many dayes and years, an uſeleſs condition; they are kept from their preſent work and duty, by giving way to their carnal reaſon in this great myſterie.
And conſider laſt of all, for the ſilencing of carnal reaſon, That it is an impoſſible thing to attain to ſatisfie it, and therefore it is a vain attempt, time is ſpent in vain, and thou layeſt out thy ſelf in vain; while a ſoul ſeeks that which cannot be, to know their Election in the firſt place, before they come to Chriſt, and be found believing and obeying, and walking with God, I ſay, it is an impoſſible thing for you to know your Election, before you believe in Chriſt, and be a new creature: It is true, you are put upon it to make your Election ſure, ay but he does not ſay, finde it out by reaſon, have an account of it in the firſt place; no, make it ſure by getting faith in Chriſt, believing in Chriſt, fetch grace and ſtrength from Chriſt, more grace from Chriſt, adding grace to grace, and that is the way to make your Election ſure; that is the firſt general Rule that I ſhall lay down for the ſilencing of this Temptation, Take heed that you do not ſo much as deſire that your carnal reaſon ſhould be ſatisfied in this great myſterie; no, you muſt reſt in the Will, in the good pleaſure of God, or elſe you will never have reſt.
Secondly,Rule 2. a ſecond Rule for the ſilencing of Temptations concerning Election is this, When ever you are troubled in Spirit about your own Election, then flee to the Covenant of Grace, flee to the Promiſes, the free, gracious, abſolute promiſes of the new Covenant; and do not ſay, well, here I will ſtand, and go no further, till I make out my Election; truly that is the way to periſh, to ſtand there, and to go no further; no, when you are in the dark concerning Election, and doubt of the love of God, then immediately flee to the Promiſes, run to Chriſt, run to the free grace of the Father, run to the righteouſneſs of the Son, run to the gracious Promiſes held forth in the word of Reconciliation; look to that which is nigh thee, to the Word, to the tender of grace and reconciliation, look to thoſe things in which you may agree with God, if unbelief do not give him the lye, and if unbelief do not make you to lye againſt the Truth, you may agree with God in thoſe tenders of Grace and Mercy which are before you; and therefore flee to them, look to the Scripture, the Word of God holds forth gracious tenders and invitations for the relief of poor ſouls; Iſa. 45. 22. Look to me all ye ends of the earth, and be ſaved, for I am God, and there is none beſides me: There is a gracious word to flee unto, when you are doubting concerning Election; and ſo, Let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon, Iſa. 55. 7. and ſo, The Son of man came to ſeek and to ſave that which was loſt, Matth. 18. 11. Another gracious word, and Come unto me ye that are weary, and heavie laden, and I will give you reſt, Matth. 11. 18. and God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son; that whoſoever believeth in him ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life, John 3. 16. and ſo in John 6. 37. All that the Father giveth me, ſhall come to me; and him that cometh to me, I will in no wiſe caſt out: Here is another gracious word for poor ſouls to flee unto. And ſo again in 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful ſaying, and worthy of all acceptation, That Chriſt Jeſus came into the world to ſave ſinners, of whom I am chief. O! How many gracious tenders and invitations are there in the Word of God for poor ſouls to flee unto? And O that God would teach his people who are tempted about their Election, and cannot make out their Election, preſently to flee to ſome free promiſe of the Lord held forth that is before you; and in that you and God may agree, if unbelief hinder not.
There have been ſome Parliaments in England in which many good things have been propounded for the welfare of the people; but all the Members have not been ſatisfied in ſome things propounded; Now had they laid aſide thoſe things in which all were not ſatisfied, and fallen upon thoſe things in which all might have agreed, a good work might have been carried on by them, and in due time all might have been ſatisfied, but ſtanding upon thoſe things concerning which all were not ſatisfied, it broke all to pieces; and ſo I may ſay of this buſineſs of Election; it may be the Lord he is ſatisfied concerning thy Election, it is clear to him, The foundation of the Lord ſtandeth ſure, having this ſeal, the Lord knoweth them that are his, 2 Tim. 2. 19. But thou art not ſatisfied, & thou reſolveſt to meddle with nothing till God ſatisfie thee concerning thy Election; why that's the way to break all to pieces: Look to that in wch thou mayeſt agree with God, the word of grace that is before thee, thoſe Promiſes in which God and thy ſoul may meet, O fall upon them, and cloſe with God in them, and afterwards in God's due time he will clear up thy Election, and ſatiſfie thee that thou art one that he hath loved and choſen. Only remember that is the ſecond Rule, when we are ſtumbled about Election, Run preſently to the free Grace of God in Chriſt, and to the gracious promiſes held forth in the Goſpel.
A third Rule for the ſilencing of theſe Temptations,Rule 3. when-ever thou art in the dark concerning Election, puſled either about the Doctrine of Election, or thine own Election in particular, Reſolve to juſtifie God, to clear the Lord however it be, and ſay he is righteous: Lay that down for a certain concluſion, Lord, thou art righteous, and thou haſt no iniquity in thee, and canſt do no wrong, whether I underſtand thy way or not; the Apoſtle in Rom. 9. 13. ſpeaketh of God's taking one, and leaving another; As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Eſau have I hated: and at verſ. 14. What ſhall we ſay then? Is there unrighteouſneſs with God? God forbid. Is there unrighteouſneſs with God? It ſeems ſo, that God ſhould deal thus unequally with perſons that are equal, that are in the ſame condition, Is this righteous? That God ſhould take one, and leave another, when both in the ſame condition, is not this unrighteouſneſs? It ſeems ſo, but it is not ſo, God forbid, ſaith he, that we ſhould have the leaſt thought that God ſhould be unrighteous; no, that cannot be; for God to take one, and leave another, it is no injuſtice; and it is no act of God's Juſtice to take and leave, but an act of his Soveraignty: For a Prince to pardon one Malefactor, and leave another to the righteous cenſure of the Law, there is no injuſtice in it: for a man, when two perſons ſtand before him, and both in the ſame condition, to make one his boſome friend and nor another, it's no injuſtice; this is the caſe with God; God will chuſe boſome friends, chuſe one, and not another, it is the act of his Soveraignty, and no injuſtice.
Indeed if God ſhould condemn the innocent, there would be ſome colour to charge God with unrighteouſneſs; if God ſhould condemn a man or woman meerly becauſe they are not elected, although that man or woman ſhould believe and repent, there were unfaithfulneſs in God; but God never did ſo, God never condemned the believer, he never condemned the ſoul that returned to him by Chriſt, therefore God cannot be charged with unfaithfulneſs: Therefore let us reſolve upon it, God is righteous: Juſtifie God, though thou art in the dark, and perplexed and troubled in Spirit about thine own Election, or the Election of friends, yet do thou reſolve and ſay, I wil juſtifie God, though God hath not choſen me, and my children, & though God hath not choſen my friends, yet no unrighteouſneſs in him. Truly this is the way to overcome the Temptation; and till a ſoul be brought to this, a ſoul that is troubled about his Election, will never finde reſt, till he come to juſtifie God, and lye at the feet of the Lord, and ſay, Lord, though thou condemneſt me, and all my children and friends, thou art righteous; till we juſtifie God, we ſhall have no peace in our ſelves: What a reſtleſs condition was Job in when he ſtood quarrelling with God's Decree? He never had peace till he came to Juſtifie God, Job 42. 2. I know that thou canſt do every thing, I will contend no more: When Job came thus to juſtifie God, then Job's Temptation vaniſhed, and then the Lord turned unto Job, and Turned again his Captivity, and doubled the mercies he had taken away. That's the third Rule.
Fourthly,Rule 4. For the Overcoming and Silencing of theſe Temptations about Election; Remember this, that when-ever we are tempted about Election, that we preſently fall to worſhip the Lord Jeſus: ſo it was with this woman in the Text, when ſhe met with this Temptation about Election; Chriſt ſaid, I am not ſent but to the loſt ſheep of the Houſe of Iſrael. What follows? She came and worſhipped him: She ſpake not a word of Diſcontent, but falls down, and worſhipped him. This is the way to overcome the Temptation, when you are doubting concerining the love of God, perplexed about Election, preſently fall to worſhip the Lord, worſhip him. Worſhip him, How?
Worſhip him,How to worſhip God. Firſt, With the Inward Worſhip of the Spirit. Fear before him, that is part of his Worſhip: Reverence the Lord greatly in your hearts notwithſtanding all, that's part of his worſhip. Love the Lord, let your ſouls be breathing in love towards him, cleave unto him, purſue after him with your Spirit, that is part of the Inward worſhip; Commit your ſouls unto him, truſt in him, caſt your ſelves upon the Lord, and the word of his grace, that is the Inward Worſhip; Acknowledge your dependance upon him, reſolve there to hang; ſay, Lord, my whole dependance is upon thee, my bleſſedneſs is in thy hand, all that I expect for eternity doth depend upon thee; Go, and cleave, and claſp about the feet of Chriſt, and by faith depend upon Chriſt, and ſay, Lord, here I will hold and ſtay, and will not away, unleſs I be pulled away by violence from the feet of Chriſt. This is Internal Worſhip, and this is that worſhip that gives ſo much glory to God. Abraham believed above hope, and againſt hope, and gave glory to God. When you are tempted about Election, thus worſhip him.
And ſecondly, Worſhip him with External Worſhip; There are two principal parts of this Worſhip that will tend to the ſilencing of all temptations about Election.
The firſt is Prayer. The ſecond is Thanksgiving.
When you are tempted about Election, or doubt of the love of God, fall to prayer; go and pour out a cry before the Lord, go and lament after him; and ſay, though I do not know whether thou wilt accept of me, O Lord, yet I will cry after thee, I will lament after thee; cry after himſelf, his preſence, his face, his favour, his loving kindneſs, go and cry after him; this is the way to be rid of the temptation: And truly, this will be a diſcovery that God hath Elected thee: In Luke 18. you have Chriſt ſpeaking there of the unrighteous Judge, who neither feared God or man, but at verſ. 7. you have him ſpeaking of the righteous Judge, and ſaith he, Shall not God avenge his own Elect, which cry day and night unto him? This is a good diſcovery that God hath choſen that ſoul, though the ſoul knows it not, when as it is crying after the Lord, and reſolves to cry, and not give over; They are his Elect that cry day and night, and he will certainly hear their cry;
God will come in and manifeſt himſelf to the ſoul, and therefore when tempted about Election, go to Prayer.
Another part of External Worſhip is Thankſgiving; an excellent Remedy againſt this Temptation about Election: O! deſire that thy heart may be put into a thankful frame, look up to God for it, and plead with the Lord, that thy heart may be put into a thankful poſture; Conſider what thou haſt to be thankful for: Is there nothing▪ O certainly, if thou art not exceeding ungrateful, thou mayſt ſee ſomthing to be thankful for in the worſt condition; O! the years of patience and goodneſs of the Lord toward thee, think upon the bounty of the Lord toward thee; Hath not the Lord tendred his Chriſt to thee? And hath he not held forth his promiſes to thee? Hath he not been working upon thy heart, to overcome thy heart? Is not this worthy of Thankfulneſs? Thoſe ſupports that thou haſt met withall under affliction, have not everlaſting Arms been under thee? Surely thou muſt ſay it, that everlaſting Armes have been under me, and why doſt thou not bleſs the Lord that he hath put underneath everlaſting Arms? Yea, hath there not been ſome ſecret intimations of love, though thou haſt not received ſo much as another? Yet, hath there not been ſome ſecret hints of grace and love? O! that is worthy of thankfulneſs. Yea, look to all the outward ſalvations that thou haſt met withall; look to all the years of goodneſs, and all the years of mercy; Hath not God come to thee, and to thy Family, with many ſweet refreſhments? What? None of theſe worthy of Thankfulneſs? O that thou wouldeſt learn to creep, if thou canſt not go! and every night when thou lookeſt back, O ſay, here is another day of goodneſs; the Lord might have cut me off, here is another day of patience; and in the morning when thou wakeſt, think of it, the Lord might have cut me off this night; Here is another night of patience; and ſee if this cannot draw forth thy ſoul in thankfulneſs.
I have heard of a young man very lately in the Town of Yarmouth, that being very weak, and nigh to the grave, and under the apprehenſions of the wrath of God, and ſuppoſing that he was preſently going down to the pit, he cries out, O that God would ſpare me but two dayes! He would have accounted it a mercy to be kept out of hell but two dayes: O! God hath given thee more then two dayes, many moneths, many years, in which the Lord hath exerciſed his patience; O! may not all this provoke thee to thankfulneſs? Well, if thou canſt not ſee any thing to be thankful for, of that which God hath done for thee, why then bleſs God for what is in himſelf; O! Think upon the gracious Nature of God, think upon the glorious Majeſty of God, think upon all the Attributes of God, are they not worthy of praiſe? His name it is glorious, and worthy to be exalted, bleſs God for what is in himſelf.
Or Bleſs God for what he hath done for others, if not for what God hath done for thee; ſee if thou canſt not get up thy heart to bleſs God for what God hath done for others; and look upon the grace that God hath beſtowed upon others; and ſay, though I can ſee little in my ſelf for which I ſhould bleſs God, yet bleſſed be God that God hath given out of his Spirit to others, and manifeſted his love to others, and hath made others fruitful and ſerviceable, and that there are ſo many to lift up the name of Chriſt in the world; and if by any means the Lord will put thy heart into a thankful frame, the temptation will ſoon vaniſh. Endeavour it all thou canſt, wait upon God, and look upon that which is matter of Thankfulneſs, that thy heart may be put into a thankful poſture to bleſs God for ſomthing beſtowed on thee, or ſomthing in himſelf, or others, and the Temptation will ſoon vaniſh.
Fiftly,Rule 5. When thou art tempted about Election, Reſolve ſtill to hold on in God's way; though thou art in the dark, and perplexed in thy ſpirit for want of the knowledge of God's love, yet reſolve in the ſtrength of the Lord to hold on the Lord's way, to keep in his way, and to depart from iniquity; take heed of turning out into crooked wayes, deſire to keep the way of the Lord, which is a ſtreight way; Say, well, though I do not know my Election, I do not know whether I ſhall come into heaven, yet by the Lord's ſtrength I will be found looking toward Chriſt, I will be found looking to him, who is able to ſave to the uttermoſt; This is to keep the Lord's way.
And ſo alſo, Reſolve to be found walking in wayes of Holineſs; though I do not know that I ſhall be ſaved; ſaved, or not ſaved, I will reſolve to walk in wayes of holineſs, and to depart from iniquity, take heed of every ſinful way, every crooked way. The Apoſtle in 2 Tim. 2. 19. ſpeaking about Election, The foundation of the Lord ſtandeth ſure, having this Seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his: Why then ſaith he, Let every one that nameth the name of Chriſt, depart from iniquity. And ſo I ſay, though Election be not ſure to thee, be ſure to depart from iniquity, reſolve to walk with God in his way; All this is come upon us, yet have not we forgotten thee, Pſal. 44. 17. and ſo do thou ſay, though all this darkneſs be upon my ſpirit, I reſolve in the ſtrength of the Lord not to forſake him; though I do not know that the Lord will be for me, I reſolve to be for none elſe, my ſoul ſhall be for no other Saviour, and I will not be for any other way but the way of holineſs, I deſire to depart from every way of iniquity: And as I ſaid before, ſo I ſay again, if God ſhall bring up the heart to this, Surely the Lord will not alwayes ſuffer that ſoul to go on doubting, but he will come and manifeſt his eternal love; if the ſoul ſhall reſolve thus in the ſtrength of the Lord, to be found in the Lord's way, ſaved or not ſaved, I will be looking to the Father through the Son, and walk in every way of the Lord, and depart from iniquity, the Lord will not alwayes ſuffer that ſoul to go on doubting, John 14. 21. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me, ſhall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifeſt my ſelf to him. My Father ſhall love him; that is, my Father ſhall manifeſt love to him; not that God begins then to love, but my Father will come to that ſoul, though that ſoul may walk in darkneſs, though that ſoul may for the preſent be in a ſad condition, and not ſee the face of God, and not know that God hath loved him from everlaſting, yet my Father will manifeſt love to him, my Father will manifeſt that he doth love that ſoul: and ſaith Chriſt, I will love him, and manifeſt my ſelf to him: Chriſt will come to that ſoul, and ſay to it, I ſee that thou loveſt me, and I know thou loveſt me, thou haſt walked in the dark night, yet thou haſt not turned out from me, thou haſt reſolved to cleave to me as to thy Saviour, and haſt reſolved to keep my way, and to depart from iniquity, and now I ſee that thou loveſt me, and I will let thee know that I love thee, that is, that I love thee firſt, that I have loved thee from everlaſting. And thus you have the five general Rules to ſilence all Temptations which may ariſe concerning Election.