The Scripture Directory for Church Officers and People, Exposition 2 · Part 2 · Section 2
A Conſideration of ſome falſe Grounds, of a Perſwaſion of Gods Love.
We have declared already the Characters of ſuch who can truly eſteem the light of Gods favour; let us now conſider the condition of ſuch who are miſtaken herein, and take that for Gods favour which is not. And
Firſt, There is the rich, earthly, or great man of the world. I. Riches.He who aboundeth in all Proſperity, and needeth nothing, this man thinketh that Gods face is towards him in mercy. They gather from all the mercies they enjoy, that therefore God loveth them, but this is a very dangerous miſtake. For
1. In the Scripture, we read, That chaſtiſements and afflictions, are ſometimes an argument of Gods love, and that God is never more angry, then when he lets a mans waies be ſmooth, and proſperous: As it was with Moab, becauſe he was not moved often, therefore he was ſetled upon the Lees. And thus in Hoſea, when God is angry in the higheſt manner, then he threatens, He will not puniſh their ſonnes or daughters any more, Hoſ. 4.14. They therefore have little cauſe to boaſt in this, That they are not afflicted as other men; they are not in ſuch bonds as others are: For David (Pſal. 73.6.) did of old obſerve this, That whereas the wicked of the world, had all encouragements, they had all temporal increaſe, yet the godly were bowed down all the day long; and that in thoſe times when Promiſes of temporal abundance were in a larger way propoſed to them. If then the godly man had this meaſure in the Old Teſtamant, no wonder if he meet with it much more in the New Teſtament; where tribulations are made the Red Sea to go through, into the Land of Canaan. Hence the Apoſtle doth directly argue from Gods love, to chaſtiſements, Heb. 12.6. which is again mentioned, Rom. 3.19. Inſomuch, that thou who art never afflicted, haſt greater cauſe to fear leſt Gods wrath be upon thee. The Phyſician adminiſters no Phyſick to ſuch who are incurable. Oh the wonderfull and bleſſed effects which the godly find by afflictions, when ſanctified! Doth not David ſay, Before he was afflicted, he went aſtray, Pſal. 119.67.?
2. If it ſhould be granted, that theſe temporal mercies thou aboundeſt with, come from the light of his countenance, yet it is only in temporal things. If we do ſuppoſe that they from Gods love to thee, yet this is but a common and general love: It doth not at all make to thy peculiar happineſſe, neither doth it tend to the ſpecial favour of God. It may not be denied, but God from a common love to men, who have been juſt and diligent in their waies, may beſtow ſome outward mercies, as a temporal reward. Thus Auſtin thought the Romanes had that great Dominion given them, becauſe of their juſtice. And ſo the Scripture ſaith, A diligent hand maketh rich, Prov. 10.4. But what is this common love without a ſpecial? What is it for God ſo to love thee, as to make thee ſtrong, healthy, wealthy, and not to give Chriſt and Heaven to thee? Oh, therefore reſt not in the enjoying of theſe outward mercies, but look to that which is the chiefeſt of all! If thou haſt grace, pardon of ſinne, and Chriſt, thou canſt not be damned; but if thou have the great things of this world, thou maieſt have alſo the great torments of Hell hereafter. As Iſmael had of Abraham, ſome rich gifts, but not the Inheritance: As Luther ſaid, of the great Turkiſh Empire, which God hath given to wicked and ungodly men, it's but mica canis, a crum that the dog may have, but not the Childrens Bread.
3. Let it be given to wicked men thus, from a common love, yet it is withall from Gods anger and hatred, if you do regard them in a ſpiritual conſideration. For, they are not ſanctified to them; they are not thereby made more holy, or drawn nearer to God. They do become ſnares and occaſions of ſinnes to them: ſo that they will at the Day of Judgment, even curſe the day that ever they had ſuch abundance. They will cry out, Oh that they had been poor, miſerable, deformed! That they had been under any calamity, then that they had ſuch abundance; for that hath made Hell ſeven times hotter: That hath been like oyl poured into the flame, which hath made the fire burn more terribly. That which Solomon obſerved of wealth, (Eccl. 5.13.) is true of all other outward mercies, Beauty, Strength, Honours; How often are they given to the hurt of them that have them? Thus David's imprecation is fulfilled in them, Let their Table become a ſnare unto them. As too much blood indangers the body: eſpecially theſe outward mercies, are ſure to be a ſnare to them; becauſe they hinder and oppoſe all thoſe Chriſtian Qualifications which are abſolutely neceſſary to every Diſciple of Chriſt. Thus it's required, that a man muſt love Chriſt more then Father or Mother, or life it ſelf; that he muſt deny himſelf, and take up his Croſſe. All which cannot be, becauſe of immoderate love to theſe outward mercies. This is the Camels bunch; This is that which choakes the Word. The Phariſees, becauſe they were covetous, derided Chriſt. If then, you comfort your ſelves, becauſe God hath given you all outward fulneſſe; examine how theſe are ſanctified to you. What ſpirituall effects do theſe mercies bring upon you? Do you not pray the worſe, hear the worſe? Are not your hearts the more diſtracted and divided? Doth not the earth make you forget Heaven? Oh then, be afraid and tremble at theſe things, rather then confidently rejoyce in them! Did not Abraham tell Dives, He had received good things in this life? but for eternity, he was not to receive ſo much, as a drop of water. Pray unto God, that all thy good things be not given thee here, and thou have nothing hereafter.
II. An untroubled Conſcience, is no Argument of Gods countenance.A ſecond ſort of perſons, who miſtake about the light of Gods countenance, is, Such who have a quiet, untroubled, and eaſed Conſcience. They commonly argue thus; God loveth them, for they have no trouble in their hearts; they have no fear or diſquietneſſe in their ſouls, but they put their whole truſt in Chriſt. Such as theſe, that die as a Lamb, (ſo people expreſſe it) they make no doubt but this is the favour of God. They thank God, God loveth them, and they love God: They never doubted of Gods love to them: They are fully aſſured of it. Thus they take a ſecure, and ſometimes a ſcared conſcience, for that which is quieted, and made peaceable through the blood of Chriſt. And this is the condition of very many; they do even rejoyce in this, That they never doubted. They think, the godly, who have often fears and doubts, who are in ſad temptations, to be the worſt of men; and that it is for their wickedneſſe they are ſo. Even as the wicked thought Chriſt to be ſmitten for his own ſinnes; and that God did in ſuch a peculiar manner, bring him to that accurſed death, for his high impiety. Thus do the prophane men of the world, cenſure the generation of the godly, who have many times ſad dejections of ſpirit, and walk without any ſenſe of Gods favour at all: yea, ready to cry out, They are damned, and that God hath forſaken them.
But to ſearch into the bottom of this Diſeaſe, which is Epidemicall:
Firſt, Conſider, There is a great difference between a ſtupid ſenſleſſe conſcience,1. An untroubled Conſcience, may be a ſtupid ſeared Conſcience. and a ſerene conſcience made ſo by the light of Gods countenance ſhining upon it. This is not a quieted conſcience by the Promiſe, and through Chriſt, but a ſtupified one; which the Apoſtle calls a ſeared one, that cannot feel; that cannot apprehend. It is with thee as mad men, that conceit ſuch and ſuch great things to themſelves, when (alas) it's for want of their wits and ſobriety, that they have ſuch fooliſh imaginations. Thus when thou preſumeſt of Heaven, and ſalvation: Oh thou art ſure thou ſhalt go thither! Whence is all this, but becauſe thou haſt no ſpiritual life or feeling within thee? Oh, if thou wert in thy ſpiritual ſenſes; if thou didſt underſtand aright, thou wouldſt quickly cry out, and tremble at that curſed condition thou art in! Who were more abominable to God then the Phariſees, yet who juſtified themſelves more? Who put more truſt and confidence in the workes they did? Therefore do thou ſearch into thy heart more. Whence comeſt thou to be thus ſecure and confident? Is it not becauſe thou art delivered up to a reprobate ſenſe? Is it not becauſe thou art dead in ſinne? And as dead men cannot feel any pain or torment, ſo neither canſt thou. Therefore if you ſee men that lived wickedly, yet die peaceably and confidently, this is not the light of Gods favour upon them; it is their ſenſleſneſſe; It's their ſtupidity. You cannot ſee a more miſerable object then ſuch are.
Secondly, This quiet and comfortable conſcience they boaſt of,2. And may be accompanied with groſſe ſinnes. is not from the light of Gods countenance, becauſe it's for the moſt part accompanied with many groſſe and wicked ſinnes. As it was with the Jews, though they committed ſuch abominable practiſes, that even the light of nature did condemn, yet they will come and cry, The Temple of the Lord, The Temple of the Lord. For this the Prophets of old had ſuch great Controverſies with the people, that though they gave themſelves up to all kind of wickedneſſe, yet they would ſtay themſelves upon God; and like the whoriſh woman, would wipe the lip, and be as confident as if they had done no evil thing. Oh then, let ſuch be awakened out of their ſpiritual madneſſe! What? Thou an enemy to God, by all the prophaneneſſe thou art in all the day long? Doeſt thou come boldly to God? Doeſt thou ſay thou putteſt thy truſt in him? Remember, that God is a conſuming fire to ſuch as thou art. It's not for thee to caſt thy eye upon the Promiſe as yet, but upon the terrours and threatnings of the Law: It's for thee to hearken and hear how the Law curſeth thee: That abroad and at home, thou art under the condemnation of it. Conclude therefore this to thy ſelf, that all the confidence thou haſt in Gods mercy, if accompanied with a prophane and impenitent life, is but a rotten poſt; which though it ſhine in a dark night, yet when the Sunne ariſeth, it is diſcovered what it is. The Apoſtle John ſpeakes terribly to this, 1 Joh. 3.20. If our hearts condemn us, God is greater then our heart, and he knoweth all things. If then, thy own natural conſcience accuſe thee for ſuch and ſuch miſcarriages, know that God who is omniſcient, he knoweth more evil by thee, and will much more condemn thee.
3. And without taking Gods way for the obtaining and preſerving of it.Thirdly, This quieted heart is thus lulled aſleep, becauſe it hath not taken Gods way, either to obtain or preſerve quietneſſe. For the light of Gods countenance is not like the light of the Sunne, which ſhineth upon the juſt and unjuſt, and cometh upon all men; even the Thief and the Adulterer, he, hath this light of the Sunne to accompliſh all his wickedneſſe: but the light of Gods favour is with much difficulty obtained, and with as much difficulty preſerved. For in the obtaining of the light of Gods favour, there muſt be a neceſſary Humiliation for ſinne, and ſenſe of our utter periſhing in our ſelves. Come unto me, ye that are heavy laden, (ſaith Chriſt) and you ſhall find reſt for your ſouls. And thus the poor in ſpirit, (Mat. 5.) they are called bleſſed. How did Paul come to triumph ſo confidently in the love of God through Chriſt? Was not this foundation firſt laid, that (Rom. 7.) he perceived the Law to be a killing Meſſenger to him? He ſaw; that made ſinne out of meaſure ſinfull. And thus being undone in himſelf, he is directed to eſteem highly of the grace of Chriſt. So that there is a vaſt difference between Paul's confidence and good perſwaſion, while a Phariſee, and when converted: For while a Phariſee, he was very zealous, and ſaith, He had a good conſcience; he did not walk againſt the checks of that; he had much comfort and conſolation, in purſuing theſe dictates: But when converted, he cryeth out of all theſe; he was a Blaſphemer, a Perſecuter the greateſt of all ſinners. And thus it will be with thee; Thou goeſt on in thy way with all preſumption; thou purſueſt thy ſuperſtitions, thy will-worſhip, and haſt unſpeakable content in thy conſcience for doing thus. But oh, when God ſhall ſhake the foundations of thy ſoul! when he ſhall diſcover thy very originals, then thy ſoul will be in wofull agonies; then the very rottenneſſe of all will begin to appear within thee. The light of Gods countenance: comes after trouble for ſinne. God is known by this property, (2 Cor. 1.) That he bringeth light out of darkneſſe, even as at firſt, out of a Chaos he made light. Thus it is here; From the confuſions and diſorders of the ſoul, becauſe of ſinne, there ariſeth afterwards the greateſt tranquility of ſpirit. It's true, this trouble about ſinne, is in ſome more, in ſome leſſe; but yet there is an abſolute neceſſity of feeling ſinne ſo farre a burden, that it findeth it ſelf eternally periſhing without this. Again, for the Introduction of this light into the ſoul, there muſt not only be a deep ſenſe of ſinne as a burden, but earneſt hungerings and longings after the righteouſneſſe revealed by the Goſpel. Judas and Cain felt the burden of their ſinnes upon them; they had weight more then they could bear, but they deſpair under this; they have no breathings and deſires after the grace of God. Now Chriſt will not vouchſafe this precious Pearl to ſwine that trample it under their feet; That they ſhall have it, who care not for it. But the ſoul is prepared by many inlargements and ſtrong deſires; Oh, that I might have but a glimpſe of this light! Oh, that I had but a drop to coole, not the tongue, but the whole ſoul, that is ſcorched with the guilt of ſinne! Go then, and conſider thy ſelf; Thou ſpeakeſt much of Gods favour, but hath thy ſoul been in agonies; in breaking of heart for it? Never did a man, weary of the night, more deſire to ſee the day, then thou doeſt the gracious light of his countenance to thee? If upon theſe termes ſalvation hath come to thy Houſe, then there is ſome hope. As the light of God is thus obtained at firſt, ſo it's with no leſſe difficulty preſerved. For
Cauſes of the eclipſe of Gods face to the godly.1. Formal and negligent profeſſion of our love to God, will cauſe a dark night to ariſe. Though thou doeſt not prove a direct Apoſtate; though thou doeſt not give over all praying, and all duties, but keepeſt up the form of them in thy Family, and in the Publique; yet this dulneſſe will Eclip…e the favour of God. The Church in the Canticles, ſhe did not forſake Chriſt her Beloved; ſhe did not become an Adultereſſe, and ſeek out another Husband, only ſhe was lazy and negligent, when Chriſt knocked at the door: And this only was the cauſe of ſo much ſadneſſe to her afterwards.
2. Even the diſtempers of the heart within, though not breaking forth into groſſe evil, may make God withdraw his face. Thoſe glorious Angels, were they not caſt out from Gods face, and chained up in darkneſſe, for nothing but proud and lofty thoughts? Yea, David a good man, he began to have ſome ſecret ſecure thoughts within him, to think his mountain was well ſetled, but God immediately hid his face, and he was troubled. This mountain begins to skip like a Lamb for fear. Take heed then of ſecret, cloſe, and inſinuating thoughts of pride and ſelf-fulneſſe; for this makes God, as the Father to the Child, that is preſuming of it ſelf, to withdraw from thee.
3. Too much inordinate affections and deſires, even to lawfull things; this makes God jealous: And for this thou ſhalt not have the comfortable light of his countenance. The Church appeared with the Moon under her feet. All ſublunary things, ought to be under the heart of a godly man: But as the Sunne is ſometimes eclipſed, by the interpoſition of the Moon; ſo is the favour of God too often obſcured by minding theſe earthly things. You ſee then, how difficult a thing it is, to keep this fire alwaies upon the Altar: To keep this Lamp from going out. Therefore the prophane man, who never watcheth to theſe things, who doth not ſeek the Kingdom of Heaven in the firſt place, cannot have this light of Gods favour.
Laſtly, Thy quiet and peaceable conſcience is not from Gods favour, but becauſe never aſſulted by the Devil; never checked by doubts and oppoſitions from within. David had the comfortable beames of Gods favour ſhining upon him, but he had alſo ſad wreſtling within. How often did he chide and rebuke his ſoul, for being ſo inordinately caſt down within him? It's a ſaying acknowledged by all Divines, He that never doubted, never believed. O Lord, I believe, help my unbelief. Though doubts are not a duty, yet they will be neceſſary companions; as corruptions to our graces.