Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 1 · Sermon 7
SERMON VII.
Containing Remedies against carnal Confidence with Directions to the Godly that mourns under the ſenſe of Gods favour.
2 COR. 13. 5.
Examine your ſelves, whether ye be in the Faith.
THe differences between carnal Preſumption and godly Aſſurance have been at large declared. Let us in the next place conſider what are the fit engines to batter down thoſe ſtrong holds, That the carnal-confident man runneth into, what way may be taken to undeceive ſuch a man, and to put him in a way of Salvation.
And in the firſt place, This may be laid down as a moſt certain truth, That there What way may be taken to undeceive the carnal confident.are none more indiſpoſed for Chriſt, none have higher mountains and hils in the way, then the falſly perſwaded Chriſtian. Chriſt told the Phariſees, That the Publicans and Harlots got to heaven before them. Ille morbus vix eſt ſanabilis, qui ſanitatem imitatur, ſaith one, That diſeaſe is hardly curable that is like unto health: and the task muſt be great to remove ſuch an one from his ſtedfaſtneſs, becauſe two things are to be done; the former to make known his falſe righteouſneſs he is perſwaded of, and the latter the true righteouſneſs he is to be aſſured of. As the Philoſopher who was to teach one that was infected with falſe opinions, required a double fee, becauſe his work was double, dedocere, to unteach, and docere to teach. This was the great labour the Prophets of God were put upon; and Chriſt who had the tongue of the learned, preached many Parables to make the full hungry, and the rich empty in themſelves. What the Heretick is in matter of Doctrine, the ſame is a carnal preſumer in matter of practice and converſation. Now as the former is ſeldom reduced, becauſe there is obſtinacy and contumacy in him againſt all admonitions; ſo is the latter ſcarce ever truly debaſed and humbled, becauſe of the ſelf-love that cleaveth to him.
But if ever any thing be able to overrule and conquer him, theſe remedies following are likely to do it.
Firſt, A powerfull and ſoul-ſearching Miniſtry, that will ſo pierce into, and diſcover Remedies againſt carnal confidence.the hidden things of the heart, that thereby he may come to be made known to himſelf. The Miniſtery of the Word is like the Sunne in the firmament, from whoſe light nothing is hidden. Thus the Prophets, the Apoſtles, they were lights. And what conviction might the Jews have had of all their ſelf-fulneſs and hypocriſies, if they had not ſhut their eyes againſt the light, 2 Cor. 10. 4, 5. The weapons of the Miniſtry, though they be not carnal, yet are mighty to the pulling down of ſtrong-holds, and every thing that exalteth it ſelf, by this is meant all kinde of oppoſition. What the woman of Samaria ſaid concerning Chriſt, that he diſcovered Whatſoever ſhe had done: So ſometimes may we ſay, Come and hear a Sermon that hath laid open all the vilenes and inward filthines, all the poverty and wretchedneſs that is within me.
A ſecond Remedy is, A particular opening and applying of the Law in the purity 2.and rigidity of it. Matth. 5. What an excellent courſe did our Saviour there take, to make his hearers afraid of themſelves, and to ſee more ſins in themſelves then ever they thought of! He makes the Law ſo ſpiritual, reaching ſo deeply into all the motions and luſts of the ſoul, that they muſt needs be as foul as Blackmoors in Gods eyes, while they did admire their own beauty. Thou bleſſeſt thy ſlf becauſe of the innocency in thy outward converſation and freedom from all groſs ſins, but no dunghill is fuller of Snakes and Worms then thy heart is of filthy luſts. Thus Rom. 7. Paul, as good as he was in his own eyes, when he looked into the glaſſe of Gods word, his holy Law, he found ſo many blots and blemiſhes in himſelf, that he had no longer life or hope within him. Hence it is that men to keep themſelves from appearing ſo deformed as they are, limit the ſenſe of the Law, as if it were not ſo exact as it is, like the Elephant bemudding the water, that it may not ſee its own deformity.
The third Remedy is, To diſcover the fulneſſe and neceſſity of Chriſt. And indeed 3.if Chriſt be ſo neceſſary, as the Scripture ſaith, and that in ſuch a way, as that his Righteouſneſs muſt be all in all; Then thereby is demonſtrated, that all which we have is nothing but ſinne and weakneſs. If Chriſt be commended unto us under the titles of a Saviour, Phyſician, Redeemer, then certainly we are ſick, in bondage and utterly undone in our own ſelves. Why doſt thou then (O vain man) boaſt ſo in thy own ſelf! Why art thou ſo ſtrongly perſwaded of thy own ſufficiency? If it be ſo, What needs a Chriſt? Was not he incarnated? Did he not ſuffer in vain? If a Starre were able to give light to the world, and to diſpel all darkneſs, what need is there of a Sunne? If the ſtream hath enough to refreſh, what uſe is there of the Ocean? Wouldſt thou then come to be poor and miſerable in thy own eyes? Conſider in what glory, riches, fulneſs and abſolute neceſſity the Scripture ſets Chriſt forth, and then thou maieſt quickly abhor thy ſelf.
A fourth Remedy are Outward and ſad afflictions accompanying the Word. For 4.when God ſhall thus by his Word thunder in their ears and hearts; When he ſhall alſo outwardly ſcourge and afflict, then is a man many times taken off from his lofty imaginations. That as we deal with mad men, who have falſe conceits of their outward happineſs, throw them into Dungeons, uſe them hardly, and that is the way to bring them to the knowledge of themſelves; thus God when he would have a man reject all his carnal preſumptions, abhorre all high thoughts of himſelf, he hangs many clogs upon him, cauſing many thorns to run into his ſide. How much better were it for many men to be kept by God in darkneſs, and ſad plunges of their own ſpirit, then to be ſet alwaies upon the pinacle of the Temple (as it were.) Be therefore awakened out of thy ſecurity, fear leſt thou haſt lived thus many years in a meer dream of thy holineſs and intereſt in Chriſt.
Fifthly, The examples of ſuch who have made great progreſſe (as might be 5.thought) in the wayes of Religion, and have had high thoughts of themſelves, whoſe ends notwithſtanding have been very dreadfull and terrible, is, or may be a ſpecial help to rouſe us out of falſe preſumptions. How ſhould that place be like a ſword in our bowels, Heb. 6. where ſome had illumination, yea and a ſavoury taſting in ſome degree of the goodneſs of God and his Word, yet had not things accompanying Salvation! So likewiſe the inſtance of the fooliſh Virgins, who were ſo bold and confident in their preparation for the Bridegroom, how wofully were they deluded! Now look over theſe examples, and conſider again and again, leſt their caſes and thine be alike. Think and tremble leſt the time be coming when thou ſhalt cry for oil, becauſe all thine is ſpent, and there is none to help thee. Our Saviour by many Parables to this purpoſe would teach us how prone all are to be thus abuſed.
Sixthly, Let a preſumptuous man conſider how apt he is to miſtake in other things, and therefore fear leſt he do alſo in this of the greateſt concernment. Every man is 6.full of blindeneſs, ſtupidity, ignorance, how often is he deceived even in natural and moral things? How often in truths ſupernatural? And is it any wonder then, if in the workings of his own heart, wherein he is commonly carried by ſelf-love? If a natural man doth not perceive many times natural things, how can he perceive the things of God? As our Saviour ſaid, If you underſtand not earthly things, how the things of Heaven? If a godly man, out of whoſe heart guile and hypocriſie is in a great meaſure removed, do yet cry out, Who can underſtand his errors, Cleanſe me from ſecret ſins, How much more is this true of him who is wholly in the leaven of hypocriſie? If David hath much unknown pride and corruption in his heart, how much hath a Phariſee or an unregenerate man? It is a good ſpeech of Ameſius, Praeſumentes ſunt eo magis deſperati, quo minus ſunt deſperantes; Preſumers are therefore in the more deſperate condition, by how much they are the leſſe deſpairing.
The next Queſtion ſhall be, What ought a man to do, who hath indeed the truth of Grace in him, but he knoweth it not? Though God hath wrought ſupernatural cures upon his ſoul, yet he doth not believe any ſuch mercy is done for him. And as when a man hath Aſſurance of the truth of grace in his ſoul, there is alſo a complication of the Aſſurance of Election, Juſtification, Perſeverance and Glorification; ſo when the ſoul is in darkneſs about the former, and hath no knowledge How ſad a condition it is for a truly godly man to want the ſenſe of Gods favour.of that, it is alſo involved in ignorance about the other things. Now howſoever carnal men know not the ſadneſs of ſuch an eſtate, yet Davids Pſalms make mention of the heavineſs of ſuch a condition, expreſſing it by all thoſe ſimilitudes which may make it to appear very horrid, He compareth it to broken bones, not one broken bone, but all his bones broken, What intolerable pain was that? Chriſt who wanted the light of Gods favour in his Agony, though no corporall bone was broken, yet was full of theſe broken bones.
Firſt, Let him conſider whether ſome ſin, unreformed of, that he liveth in, knowing it to be ſinne, doth not eclipſe all his certainty. Davids Adultery drave away the 1. What a godly man ſhould do that mourns under the ſenſe of the want of Gods favour.ſpirit of gladneſs and joy from his ſoul. Oh that is a curſed joy and confidence, which is not expelled by the committing of known groſſe ſins! How can there be Aſſurance and Peace, as if grace were in thee, when thou demonſtrateſt ſuch works of the fleſh and Satan in thee? Is it any wonder then to ſee men who take upon them the profeſſion of Religion, and yet live looſly, tumbling now and then into foul ſins, if they have often an hell upon their conſciences, and frequent terrors upon their ſoul? As when vapours are gathered together in the bowels of the earth, it cannot but make an Earthquake; ſo ſinne gathered together in the heart, will one time or other make an heartquake. That place Epheſ. 4. Grieve not the Spirit of God, ſuppoſeth ſin doth grieve him, and how juſt is it then that Gods Spirit ſhould grieve us?
Secondly, Suppoſe no grievous ſin fallen into make ſuch a great gulf between him and Aſſurance, that he can neither come to that, or that to him, yet negligent, and 2.careleſſe uſe of the means of grace, will much weaken a mans Certainty. You heard that place, Give all diligence to make your Calling ſure; So that without conſtant Diligence this Aſſurance cannot be obtained; for although ſincere and zealous endeavours after godlineſſe be not the cauſe, yet they are the ſign and teſtimony of Gods love; and ſo without theſe there cannot be any comfort at all. Ferven… and gracious performances of holy Duties are the Oil, without which this Lamp would not ſhine. When the Apoſtle exhorted to Prayer, That we ſhould make our requeſts known, he addeth, And the peace of God ſhall rule in your hearts. It is therefore an unworthy thing to ſpeak of doubting, and complain of the loſſe of Gods favour, and that thou haſt no Aſſurance, when all thy Duties and Performances are careleſs and withered.
Thirdly, If yet thou haſt no Aſſurance, then know that it is a free and arbitrary 3.Priviledge, which God beſtoweth when and where he liſteth. We did briefly, and ſhall more at large ſhew, that it is the Spirit of Adoption, which doth work that filial affection, and inable to cry Abba Father. It is the Spirit of God that doth ſeal unto us; ſo that Aſſurance doth not flow from the workings of grace in us by a natural and neceſſary conſequence, but by the immediate diſpenſation of Gods love unto us. Hence 2 Cor. 1. God is called, The God of all conſolation who comforteth us; For God doth not as a Chriſtian friend or Miniſter may do to one tempted about ſin, outwardly propound comfort, and give him arguments of conſolation, but cannot inwardly turn and change his heart; but God he doth ſo outwardly command his people to be aſſured and comforted, that he doth inwardly faſhion and form their hearts to receive it. That ſame power of God in converting grace, which is called by the Father vorticordium, is ſeen alſo in this of conſolation. God therefore would by this teach us, That Aſſurance is not a flower that will grow of it ſelf in the garden of our hearts.
Fourthly, Is there the truth of Grace in thee, and thou art not aware of it? Is it 4.with thee, as with Hagar, who had a fountain of water by her, and ſhe did not ſee it? yet ſtill go on in the conſtant exerciſe of thy graces. Thou art bound to love God, truſt in him, perform all Duties, though thy heart ſhould never feel Gods love to thee; for although the Aſſurance of Gods favour be like coals of fire poured upon the ſoul to melt it, yet we ſtand obliged to the ſpiritual exerciſe of holy Duties, though God ſhould not give us this encouragement thereunto, To him that overcometh, I will give the white ſtone, and the hidden Manna. This priviledge of Aſſurance is given to thoſe who have a long time been acquainted with God, much exerciſed in his wayes, and enduring much for him. Not but that God doth to new Converts alſo many times diſcover the love of his Eſpouſals to them, becauſe they are moſt tender and need it, being much oppreſſed with ſinne. As Ariſtotle obſerveth it a ſpecial inſtinct of nature, whereby Parents are moſt tender of the youngeſt childe, becauſe that can leaſt take care for it ſelfe.
The third Queſtion, Why doth God when he hath wrought Grace in us, not preſently Why God doth not give Aſſurance preſently to thoſe that have true grace wrought in them.enable us to believe, and ſee it in our ſouls? David, though the Prophet told him his ſinne was taken away, yet in that Pſal. 51. how importunately and earneſtly doth he pray for pardon and joy. Which implieth, that though God cauſed this outwardly to be declared to him, yet he did not by his almighty power effectually perſwade him of it, and the Queſtion ſeemeth the greater, becauſe this Aſſurance would be wings and legs in a mans ſervice to God. It would enflame him more to promote Gods glory: And beſides, God loſeth much of his glory and honour; for how can the ſoul rejoyce to give God the praiſe for that mercy which he knoweth not that he hath received? ſo that not to know our pardon, and not to have it, are all one, as to the matter of thankfulneſs: yet for all theſe reaſons, how frequently doth God keep his own people in darkneſs? How many times are they ready (with Zion) to ſay, God hath forſaken us!
But for all this there are divers good reaſons, why God, though he hath put grace in our ſouls, may yet not publiſh it in our conſciences.
Firſt, That hereby we may taſte and ſee how bitter ſinne is. The longer that guilt 1.with the conſequents of it is upon our ſoul, the greater cauſe have we to bewail it and abominate it. If grace or the Aſſurance of it were in our power to have it when and as ſoon as we would, how ſleighty and perfunctory would our thoughts be about ſinne? Davids length of time under the guilt of murder and adultery, wrought in him greater hatred and diſlike of thoſe ſins. And howſoever it may ſeem to be a ſervile low ſpirit to awe ſinne, becauſe of the bitterneſs of it, and not only becauſe of love of God, and delight in him; yet no better …is the frame of the moſt refined and reformed godly man that is. Be therefore content under thoſe black deſertions, though thou knoweſt not how it is with thee, yet Gods end is good, to keep thee low and weary of ſin.
Secondly, Hereby God would keep us low and humble in our ſelves. We many times upon the diſcoveries of Gods works on our hearts are apt to grow high and 2.contemn others; we are apt to think God hath raiſed us up above others, that we know and feel more of God then other men do. Now that all ſuch worms of pride may be killed in us, God hides his face from us, and thereby we ſee nothing but ſin and weakneſſes in us; all our whole life appeareth to us nothing, but as Anſelms did to him, Aut peccatum, aut ſterilitas, either ſin or barrenneſs. When thy heart ſeeth nothing but ſinne round about thee, then thou canſt lie before the throne of God who is rich in grace, like Lazarus before the rich mans gate full of ſores; and as Chryſologus ſaid of him, that he had Tot clamantia ora, quot vulnera, as many mouths crying for help, as he had ſores, ſo wilt thou have as many mouths begging for pardon, as thou haſt ſins and infirmities. It is ſaid of Moſes his face, that it did ſhine ſo, as the people of Iſrael were not able to behold it, and yet he knew not of it. How excellent is it when others can behold and admire the graces of God in thee, yet thou apprehend none of theſe in thy own ſelf! It was Gregories expreſſion, That a man ought Neſciendo ſcire, & ſciendo neſcire, by not knowing to know, and by knowing not to know the graces of God in him.
Thirdly, God may therefore keep Aſſurance from our knowledge, that ſo when we have it, we may the more eſteem it, and the more prize it, taking the greater heed how 3.we loſe it. We ſee the Church in the Canticles, when ſhe had deſpiſed her Spouſes love, how earneſt ſhe was to get it again, but it coſt her much ere ſhe could have it. Sol niſi cum deficit ſpectatorem non habet, ſaid Seneca, No body admires the Sun unleſſe when eclipſed, ſo neither do any highly eſteem the favour and love of God, unleſſe when in the loſſe of it. As it is in temporal mercies, ſo in ſpiritual, they are prized Carendo magis, quam habendo, by the wanting of them, more then the having of them: Doſt thou therefore pray, and again pray for Aſſurance, yet can…t not obtain it? then think this delay may be to encreaſe my appetite the more after it, the more to bleſſe God when my ſoul ſhall enjoy it.
Fourthly, God doth it that thou mayeſt demonſtrate thy obedience unto him, and give the greater honour to him. For to relie upon God by faith, when thou haſt 4.no ſenſible teſtimonies of his love to thee, is the pureſt and meereſt act of obedience that can be. Such faith of adherence did Chriſt put forth in his agonies. A man may deſire Aſſurance, as it breeds peace and eaſe to his ſoul, but to depend upon God in ſpiritual deſertions, is wholly to give all to God and nothing to himſelf; ſuch a faith is a kinde of a ſpiritual Martyrdom. The way of Aſſurance brings more comfort to thy ſelf, but the way of believing gives more glory to God. When Abraham did not ſtagger in his Faith, though Sarahs womb was a dead womb, this was giving glory to God No leſſe is thy action, when thou overlookeſt all thy own ſenſe, feeling and ſad temptations, truſting in God for acceptance. To walk by Aſſurance is a kinde of walking by ſenſe, and it ſuppoſeth us children, if we cannot be quiet unleſſe in the mothers boſom.
Fifthly, God withholdeth the ſenſe of pardon, that thou mayeſt be an experienced Chriſtian able to comfort others in their diſtreſſe. This is true of Chriſt himſelf, that 5.he was tempted about the wrath of God, that ſo he might have a ſympathy and fellow-feeling with thoſe who are in the like manner exerciſed. Paul makes this end of Gods comforts in his tribulations, that they might comfort others in the like caſe. He that is not tempted about the pardon of ſin, wonders at thoſe who are ſo afflicted, and therefore is altogether unskilful to apply fit remedies. We ſee carnal and natural people judge ſuch mad and diſtracted, they bid them go to merry company, feaſt and recreate themſelves, thinking this carnal plaiſter will heal their ſpiritual ſore. Job 33. 23. Elihu deſcribing the condition of a man chaſtened for ſin, ſo that he utterly refuſeth all comforts, makes it a great mercy to have a meſſenger that can ſhew to ſuch a man his uprightneſs. This meſſenger he cals one of a thouſand: make therefore this good uſe of ſuch temptations, God hereby would raiſe me up to be a Joſeph to my brethren in their need.
Let the Uſe be to raze up the foundations of all carnal preſumers. This is a Uſe.common ſin and damneth thouſands, inſomuch that preſumption is made a more grievous ſin then deſpair, for in deſpair a man is weary of himſelf, abhorreth his own eſtate, would if he could admit better counſel; but a preſumer pleaſeth himſelf, and ſo will not hearken to any good admonitions; Oh how ſadly art thou deluded, how fruſtrated will thy expectations be, when thou ſhalt ſee nothing but hell and confuſion in ſtead of all that joy and comfort thou didſt promiſe to thy own ſelf! The fooliſh Virgins ſaw their undone condition, when it was too late to help themſelves: do thou fear leaſt thou be plunged into ſuch horrid extremities. The nearer the haven thou art, if thou ſuffer ſhipwrack, the more lamentable it is. The Church made this an aggravation of miſery, We looked for peace, but behold trouble.