Helps for Faith and Patience in Times of Affliction, Treatise
The Reverend Author having preached many profitable Sermons on the 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your ſelves, whether you be in the Faith, &c. in which he induſtriouſly and clearly ſhewed the neceſſity of Self-examination, the nature of the Duty conſiſting in a ſecret Debate of our eternal eſtate and conditions within our own Boſoms, wherein the Mind of a man ponders and weighs all that makes for him or againſt him, in an even Ballance. The Object-matter of this Debate is things eternal, the eternal concernments of his Soul, as likewiſe the manner of the performance of this Duty, with greateſt ſeriouſneſs and ſolemnity ſetting the perfect Law of God before us, and humbly imploring the ſpecial Aſſiſtance of the Holy Spirit. Men are to debate theſe two things; 1ſt, Whether they are in Chriſt, or in the ſtate of Nature: a great Queſtion indeed, upon which hang all our Hopes of Heaven, Chriſt in you the hope of glory, Col. 1. 27. 2dly, If we be in Chriſt, what condition we are in, whether thriving in Grace, or decaying. In the firſt of theſe Queſtions the painful Author ſpent many Exerciſes in the reſolving of, in laying down, opening and anſwering eight ſeveral diſtinct Rules of Tryal of a Saving Intereſt in Chriſt, with the ſeveral Objections that poor doubting Souls might make againſt themſelves; things highly worth the publication, as I perceive by ſome imperfect Notes taken from him, which, becauſe I cannot attain to a more exact Copy of them, I muſt omit them, the more is the pity: But for the ninth and laſt Mark, I find more full and perfect, and therefore only offer this one to your conſideration, concerning which hear his own words.
As to this ninth Mark, of a Saving Intereſt in Chriſt, I have this to ſay, That if the Lord ſhall clear but this one Tryal, I do not value whatever Objections you have againſt any of the former: This will undoubtedly ſpeak your Souls Intereſt in the Lord Jeſus, without any more ado; and as far as the Lord ſhall clear it to you, you may venture your Souls into Eternity upon it.
And therefore try your ſelves by this, if any of you be ſincerely and fully reſolved upon full conviction of your ſinful and miſerable ſtate by Nature, and the anſwerableneſs of Chriſt to all your Wants; to let go all that hinders the enjoyment of him, and embrace all that furthers the enjoyment of him. You need not make any Doubt or Queſtion after this, Whether Chriſt be yours, or you be his: Conſent is eſſential to Marriage; there can be no Spiritual Marriage to Chriſt, but by conſent of the Will. Knowledge is eſſential to Conſent; he that doth not think and know, cannot conſent. If you be therefore conſenting and willing to be Chriſt's upon his own terms, there remains no Doubt whether Chriſt be yours after that Conſent. Hoſ. 3. 3. Thou ſhalt be for me, ſo alſo will I be for thee. Chriſt is for vou if you be for him: And when the great Work of Converſion is expreſt in Scripture, you find it expreſt under the Act of the Wills Conſent, in the 110th Pſalm 3. Thy people ſhall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holineſs, from the womb of the morning: thou haſt the dew of thy youth. That is, of thy Spiritual Off-ſpring; and this is brought about by conſenting to take Chriſt upon his own terms. But Beloved, don't miſtake your ſelves, I am not about to ſhuffle over ſo great a concernment as this is raſhly; I am well aware my own and your Salvation too is carried in the matter I am to diſcourſe, and therefore I reſolve, in the Strength of Jeſus Chriſt, to be impartially faithful between God and us, in this great matter. I would not for ten thouſand Worlds a word ſhould drop from my Lips, to the ruine of any Soul, nor yet to diſturb the Peace of any gracious Soul, and therefore let me explain what I have to ſay clearly. There are three things of abſolute neceſſity for the gaining of a ſolid Scriptural Intereſt in Chriſt, the two firſt I hope will paſs current with moſt of us, yet ſome may ſtumble there.
1. The firſt is this: There muſt of neceſſity be a full and ſerious conviction of Sin and Miſery without Chriſt; there's not a Soul that comes to him without ſuch a conviction: The Spirit, when he cometh, he ſhall convince the World of Sin and of Righteouſneſs, John 16. 9. that's the Spirit's firſt Work, and 'tis fundamental to all his After-works: And therefore you ſhall find in all the Converts in Scripture, the Lord has been dealing with their Underſtandings firſt, to convince them of their ſinful and miſerable ſtate by nature. And the Lord Jeſus profeſſedly tells us, He came not to call the righteous, but ſinners, to repentance. Convinced Sinners, not thoſe that think they have Righteouſneſs of their own; and that the whole have no need of a Phyſician, but they that are ſick: And it muſt needs be ſo, that Chriſt muſt take his courſe, becauſe his Commiſſion leads to it; Iſa. 61. 1, 2. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, becauſe he hath ſent me to preach glad tydings to the meek, to bind up the broken in heart, and proclaim liberty to the captives. Theſe are the perſons upon whom Chriſt is to act the great work of Salvation; they are ſaid to be ſuch as are bound with the ſence of Sin, ſuch as are broken hearted through the ſence of their Sin and Miſery: And when he invites Men and Women to come to him, ſee how he doth it, in the 11. Matth. 28. Come unto me all that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you reſt: Theſe are the perſons Chriſt beſtows himſelf upon. So that there muſt be ſuch a conviction of Sin and Miſery by Nature, as leaves us without Hope, without Chriſt. I don't ſpeak of the degrees of ſpiritual Trouble, but I take this to be an unqueſtionable Truth, that ſo much Conviction as unbottoms the Soul from Selfrighteouſneſs and Falſe hopes, is abſolutely neceſſary; and before this is, there can be no Match between Chriſt and the Soul. If any man be married to his own Righteouſneſs, Duties, and Performances, that Soul hath nothing to do at all with Chriſt; nor can that Soul be married to Chriſt, for 'tis married to the Law, another Huſband; as you may ſee in the Sixth of the Romans, the Apoſtle in that Chapter proves to us, that we can have nothing to do with Chriſt until we are divorced from our own Self-righteouſneſs. That's the firſt thing, and this, I hope, the Lord hath wrought upon many that are here before him: The Spirit of Illumination hath been upon us, ſhewing us what miſerable Wretches we were, and ſtruck down the Foundation upon which our Hopes were built before.
II. The ſecond thing that is to paſs upon every Soul, in order to his Union with Chriſt, is a full Conviction of the Anſwerableneſs and Fulneſs that is in Jeſus Chriſt, to all the wants and ſpiritual neceſſities of the Soul. This you muſt ſee, or you will never conſent to take Chriſt for your Lord: Acts 4. 12. Neither is there ſalvation in any other, for there is none other name given under Heaven, whereby we may be ſaved. Here's your Refuge; Chriſt, and none but Chriſt, can anſwer the Neceſſities of my poor Soul. I am full of Guilt, and there is no Righteouſneſs but in Chriſt to juſtifie me; I am full of Filth, and there is no Holineſs but in Chriſt to ſanctifie me. To this Refuge therefore in Chriſt, God ſhuts up every Soul as to his laſt Hopes: Therefore you find in the 3d of Galat. 23. we are ſaid to be ſhut up unto the Faith: So that we ſee no other way in the World to eſcape Hell, but at this Door, the Lord Jeſus. This alſo, I truſt, the Lord hath made evident to ſo many Souls of you as are in Chriſt. You ſee your abſolute need of him, and you ſee in Chriſt a compleat fulneſs to anſwer all the wants of your Souls; that you are ſhut up to him, and have not the leaſt hopes hanging upon any other Object beſides Chriſt. Well, that's the ſecond thing.
III. To come to the main, for all theſe are but previous Works, and may ſignifie ſomething or nothing; the third thing that gives an Intereſt in Chriſt, is a deliberate Conſent to part with all things that hinders the enjoyment of him, and to embrace all things that promote and further the enjoyment of the Lord Jeſus. Such a Conſent as this is, will put your Salvation quite out of doubt, if there be any in the World, in Chriſt, 'tis the Soul that deliberately conſents. Now therefore to open this, remember,
1. Firſt, That here muſt be a deliberate Conſent; it is not a Work to be done Hand over Head, as we ſay, raſhly, and ſo to repent afterwards, to retreat, and call back our Conſent afterwards; when we ſhall meet with ſomething in Religion that we did not look for, there muſt be a deliberation of the Will. There be many men that hang between willing and unwilling, they do and they do not conſent: In ſome things they can, and in other things they cannot come up to the terms of the Goſpel, when the Mind and Judgment of a poor Chriſtian hangs in a doubtful ſuſpence. I would, and I would not; This I could cloſe with, and That I cannot: Here's the undoing of Men. And this was the caſe of Agrippa, Almoſt thou perſwadeſt me to be a Chriſtian. I could go a great way to be a Chriſtian, but I cannot come off roundly to all the Terms of Jeſus Chriſt: What ſhall we do in ſuch a caſe as this is? Thy Soul ſees Sin and Miſery upon one ſide, and Salvation in Chriſt upon the other ſide; willing thou art to ſuffer a little for him, but there be ſome things in Religion they cannot come up to. Now if a Man will be a thorough Chriſtian, he muſt deliberate the Terms, and heartily reſolve to embrace all the Terms of the Goſpel, that are made neceſſary to his Salvation by Chriſt; it muſt be a thorough Reſolution, expreſt in the 119th Pſalm, I have ſworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. And this is called, a counting of the Coſt. Such a Conſent as this is abſolutely neceſſary; and the want of this is the cauſe of ſo many Half-chriſtians, which is called, a Cake not turn'd; which doth but make Hypocrites in Religion. That's the firſt thing in Conſent, Deliberation in the Judgment, pondering the Terms of Chriſt throughly.
2. The ſecond thing in this Conſent is, that a Chriſtian muſt heartily reſolve to let go all thoſe things that hinder the enjoyment of Jeſus Chriſt, and bleſſed be he of the Lord, whoſe will is brought to this, that there is nothing ſo dear in the World, but he is reſolved it ſhall go; for I muſt tell you, Brethren, there be ſome things of which Chriſt ſaith, If ye ſeek me, let theſe go their way. So if you ſeek Chriſt, there be ſome things that muſt go, and ſome things that may go. Now, thoſe things that are to be parted with in order to the enjoyment of Chriſt, are of two ſorts, firſt, ſome things are abſolutely neceſſary to be caſt off without any more ado; and there are ſome things conditionally neceſſary to be parted with; that is, if God's Glory, Truth, and Honour require our parting with them.
Firſt. To begin with the firſt, there are ſome things abſolutely neceſſary to be renounced without any Conditions; there muſt be no Scruple as to theſe things; and they are ſuch as theſe:
(1.) Firſt of all, Sinful Self, and all beloved Luſts of our Hearts and Natures: Theſe muſt be renounced, or we can have nothing to do with Chriſt: The profitable and pleaſant Sins, that are as right Hands and right Eyes, you muſt part with them, Chriſtians, if you will have Chriſt, for Chriſt and Sin cannot reign together. Pray look into Rom. 6. 19, 20, 21. and you ſhall ſee the neceſſity of this; As you have yielded your members ſervants to uncleanneſs, ſo now yield them up to God, as Inſtruments of Righteouſneſs, unto holineſs. You ſee the abſolute neceſſity of giving Sin a diſcharg from all further Obedience, or elſe we cannot be the Servants of the Lord Jeſus. Chriſtian, I do not ſay, when thou receiveſt Chriſt, thou ſhalt never commit a Sin more; no, no, but that which I mean is this, That thou muſt from henceforth provide for Sin no more, indulge Sin by the conſent of the Will no more; you muſt not continue the actings of it deliberately; you muſt hate every …alſe way, and the conſent of your Wills muſt be to Chriſt; that's the firſt thing to be let …, or you cannot have an intereſt in the Lord Jeſus.
(2.) The ſecond thing that is abſolutely neceſſary to be renounced and parted with, in order to an Intereſt in Chriſt, is all our own Self-righteouſneſs; you muſt let that go too, elſe Chriſt and you will never agree: That Idol muſt down, Self-righteouſneſs muſt be univerſally and heartily renounced and abhorred. 'Tis plain from Phil. 3. 8, 9. Yea doubtleſs, and I count all things but loſs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord: for whom I have ſuffered the loſs of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Chriſt, and be found in him, not having my own righteouſneſs. You ſee Self-righteouſneſs muſt go to the Dunghil, all our own Duties muſt be renounced, all natural and acquired gifts muſt be renounced, never to look at Self in whole or in part, in point of juſtification; if you do, you can have nothing to do with the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt; Rom. 10. 3. the Jews being ignorant of God's Righteouſneſs, went about to eſtabliſh their own Righteouſneſs. Here you ſee a perfect oppoſition between a Man's eſtabliſhing his own Righteouſneſs, and getting an intereſt in Chriſt. Friends, you muſt not think of two Righteouſneſſes, one in Chriſt, and another in your ſelves: I will make mention of thy righteouſneſs, even of thine only. Down with all Self-righteouſneſs, or you can have nothing to do with Chriſt.
(3.) The third thing that is to be let go for the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, are all Companions in Sin: How much Delight ſoever you have formerly had in them, you muſt henceforth make them no more your delightful choſen Aſſociates. Here's the parting Point between wicked Men and the Saints of Jeſus Chriſt. I don't ſpeak of Civil Commerce, as Men in the World, there we muſt have to do with wicked Men, but I ſpeak of choſen delightful Companions in Sin, when 'tis an Act of the Will; 1 Pet. 4. 3, 4. Wherein they wonder that ye run not with them to the ſame exceſs of riot, ſpeaking evil of you. Ay, here's the breach made, when we come to Chriſt, between us and the wicked World; Pſal. 15. 4.—and ſo you ſhall find in Pſal. 119. 63. I am a companion of all them that fear thee. Beloved, Chriſt requires you to caſt off the delightful company of wicked ones; Chriſtians are a company of themſelves, and none but ſuch ſhould be choſen: All my delight is in the Saints, ſaith David. Whatever Tyes there be, unleſs it be thoſe of natural and civil Relations, they muſt not tye us to wicked men, but we muſt be the Companions of the Servants of Chriſt, if we will have Chriſt.
Secondly, There are ſome things that may be let go, or may not; that is according as God calls, or calls not for them: If the Glory of God ſhall require it, then we are to part with them; and theſe are all Earthly Comforts, if ſo be they come to be inconſiſtent with the Truths or Glory of Chriſt, rather than deny the Truths of Chriſt; when his Glory or Enjoyment comes in competition, then Chriſt requires us to part with them. Such are our eſtates, when the Glory of the Lord Jeſus ſhall call us to deny them, as the believing Hebrews were. Such are our Liberty, when we cannot keep it without the eclipſing the Honour of the Lord Jeſus: Yea, ſuch is alſo our natural Life, if that be laid in ballance with the Truths of Chriſt. He would not have his People reckon their Lives dear upon his account; either I muſt deny the known Truth, or my Liberty, Life, or Eſtate muſt go: And now, if any of theſe come in competition with Chriſt, they muſt all go: Luke 14. 33. Whoſoever he be of you, that forſaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my Diſciple. This includes Eſtate, Liberty, and Life, Now, here is the ſtick in the caſe, How far a poor Soul can come up to Chriſt's Terms, upon this Conditional Neceſſity. I do not doubt, but there be many Souls in Chriſt that have many Fears about it, what their Heart will do; many ſhaking Fears what they will do in an hour of Temptation; yet Chriſt hath the conſent of their Hearts, that all ſhall go; they will forſake Father, Mother, Wife, Children. Why, Lord, ſaith a poor Chriſtian, if I cannot enjoy theſe without the deſtruction of my poor Soul; in thy Strength I reſolve to follow thee in the deepeſt paths of Self-denyal, to the laſt breath. And without this you cannot be Chriſt's Diſciples.
My Friends, the Lord Jeſus hath ſet down the Terms, and he will not come lower, and if you cannot come up to his Terms, Chriſt and you muſt part, he will not come down for the ſake of any man; therefore conſider of thoſe things. Now, he that is contented to part with all, rather than part with Chriſt, that Soul is for Chriſt, and Chriſt is for that Soul. But there is the laſt thing, and that is, the embracing of all thoſe things that may help you to enjoy Chriſt: Theſe are deep tryals of the Heart, and therefore it concerns us to make deep ſearches here. Well then, there be four things that do further a man's Soul in the way to Chriſt, and are you contented, and that deliberately, Chriſtians, to embrace them all to help you to Chriſt?
1. Firſt, Are you contented to embrace and welcome all the Ordinances of God and Duties of Religion, both publick and private, without exception of one of them? Can you turn your feet to all his Ordinances? I know ſome Chriſtians have a Zeal for ſome Duties, and not for others; but publick and private Duties, Heart-duties, and Life-duties, all that have the Stamp of Chriſt's Inſtitution upon them, muſt be embraced; as in Pſal. 119. 6. Then ſhall I not be aſhamed, when I have reſpect unto all thy commandments. When you dare not neglect a Duty, but bring a ſerious Heart to every Duty, if you be Chriſt's, you muſt come under the Law of his Houſe.
2. Secondly, Are you contented to embrace all Fatherly Corrections from the hand of God, for the killing of the Remainders of Sin in you? If you will be for Chriſt, you muſt ſubmit to Chriſi's Method: It is in vain to ſay, If I can travel to Heaven without meeting a Storm in the way, I am willing to go; thou muſt be contented with all Afflictions, to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Paul could ſay, in 2 Cor. 12. 10. Therefore I take pleaſure in infirmities, in perſecutions, for Chriſt's ſake, for when I am weak, then am I ſtrong. Ay, that was a high frame; I will not ſtrain up your Experiences to Paul's; But, can you conſent to endure them? Can you bear a Rod from God when it is to purge your Corruptions? Can you bear a Perſecution from God, without ſtarting from your Duty?
3. Thirdly, If you will be Chriſt's, you muſt ſubmit to all thoſe means Chriſt hath appointed, for the mortification of your Corruptions, be they never ſo hard, Rebukes from GOD, Rebukes from Men, by Afflictions, and by the Word, for the mortification of Sin? Can you ſay, Chriſtians, that you are willing to have your Miſtakes detected by GOD or Men, your Corruptions diſcovered, any thing that helps to the pulling up the Roots of Corruption? Surely thus it muſt be, if you will be for Chriſt, all faithful Admonitions, all neceſſary Afflictions.
4. Fourthly, and laſtly, If you will be for Chriſt, and be his, you muſt embrace all pains, watchings, and labourings after Holineſs, to the end of your days: Holineſs will coſt a Chriſtian abundance of Labour, but this you muſt do, or you cannot be Chriſtians. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having theſe promiſes, let us cleanſe ourſelves from all ſilthineſs of fleſh and ſpirit, perfecting holineſs in the fear of God. Here's the Work of a Chriſtian, cleanſing Work and perfecting Work in the fear of God, to the end of our Lives. You muſt take the pains that other Chriſtians do if you will have Chriſt for your Portion. Now mark what I ſay: He that is willing to part with all that hinders the enjoyment of Chriſt, as ſinful Self and righteous Self; and he that reſolves to embrace all things that may help him forward to the enjoyment of Chriſt, as all the Ordinances of God, all Fatherly correction from the hand of God, all means of mortification from GOD or Men, and all pains for Holineſs; he that is contented with theſe terms is as ſurely Chriſt's as ever was any Soul. I have not made the terms in one point higher than Chriſt hath made them.
And thus I have ſhewed you Chriſtians what the Terms are, in which you are allowed to enroll your ſelves in the Catalogue of Chriſtians. And, oh that the Lord would ſet home this one tryal to the ſatisfaction of our Souls, then we may ſay, The Lord is my God, and My beloved is mine, and I am his.
FINIS.
End of the text · James Burdwood, Helps for Faith and Patience in Times of Affliction (1693)