Christ Inviting Sinners to Come to Him for Rest, Treatise · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Why the Saints feel theſe things ſo burdenſome, Namely. 1. Becauſe the Life of Grace is a tender and delicate thing. 2. Becauſe Grace keeps the Soul in continual acting. And why God ſuffers Corruption notwithſtanding the burdenſomneſs thereof to remain in the Saints, Namely. 1. That hereby he may ſhew forth his own power. 2. Hereby their Faith be exerciſed. 3. Hereby they are driven unto Prayer. 4. Hereby Stirred up unto Repentance. 5. Hereby make known his Wiſdome. 6. Hereby manifeſt his juſtice in laying a ſtumbling block before the wicked. 7. Hereby the Saints may be induced to long more after Heaven. With two Conſequences iſſuing from hence. 1. The differences between the Sins of the godly, and the wicked. 2. Why the Saints go on ſo ſadly in their waies.
NOw it muſt needs be that a gracious heart muſt feel theſe things to be very burdenſome.
Firſt, Becauſe the life of Grace, whereſoever it is, is a very tender and delicate thing; nothing is ſo delicate and tender as the life of Grace, and therefore it muſt needs be ſenſible of this burden of Corruption according to what degree it doth remain in the Soul. As thus, you know a man or Woman, the more delicate and tender they are in their fleſh, having had very curious bringing up, or it may be their natural Spirits are very delicate more then other men, ſome men their natural ſpirits are more groſs, and can bear burdens with leſs ſenſe, but now thoſe that are more finer and delicate, if you lay a burden upon them, Oh! How burdenſome is it unto them, now Grace makes the conſtitution to be delicate, fine, and pure; a pure conſtitution, it puts the Hearts into a moſt pure conſtitution, and therefore it muſt needs be ſenſible of the evil of ſin according to the remainers of it.
Secondly, Where Grace is, Corruption muſt needs be very burdenſome in this regard alſo, becauſe that Grace keeps the Soul in continual action and ſtirring, now look as a man that hath a Leg that is broken, if he could lie ſtil, and never ſtir, it would not be ſo grievous and burdenſome to him, the pain and breaking of his Leg would not be ſo burdenſome if he could lie ſtil, but if this man, whoſe Leg is broken, muſt be ſtirring, walking, and going up and down, Oh! how burdenſome is it that his Leg is broke. So it is with the Soul, it is true, if the Soul might be ſtil a ſleep, and doing nothing, then, though there be Corruption in them, it would not be ſo grievous, I but Grace whereever it is puts the Soul unto action; and therefore it is called, the divine Nature, becauſe it is active, it puts the Soul on to be acting for God, and in the waies of life, now Grace putting the Soul to be acting, and Corruption that being as the breaking of the bones, it muſt needs be very burdenſome, that which moſt hinders their activity of Grace muſt needs be very burdenſome. You had need therefore take heed what you do when temptation to ſin comes, take heed you do not break your bones, and your Leggs, Why? Becauſe when you have broken them you muſt be ſtil ſtirring and acting for God. A poor man, it is a great deal worſe for him, if he break his Leg, then a Rich man; a Rich man may ſit by the fire, or lie in his bed a month together, but a poor man, if he break his Legg he doth not know what to do, he muſt to work, perhaps he cannot have that harbor that a Rich man may have, ſo I ſay, thoſe that are of ſluggiſh ſpirits, though Corruption prevaile it is not ſo grievous unto them, but thoſe that are of active ſpirits and have Grace, and the more Grace that any man or Woman hath, the more burdenſome their Corruptions are, becauſe the more Grace there is in the Soul, the more active it wil be for God.
Queſt. But you wil ſay, Seeing the remaining of Corruption in the Heurts of the Saints is ſo burdenſom, why doth God ſo order things in his providence, as his own dear Saints ſhould be ſo troubled with their Corruptions while they live in this world? God could deliver them from their Corruptions, why wil God make them cry out, O Wreched man that I am, who ſhal deliver me from this Body of Death? God could as wel perfect our Sanctification, as our Juſtification: why doth God thus order things in his providence, that his own dear Saints ſhould groan under ſuch a burden of Corruption al their daies?
Anſw. For that breifly thus, Though it is true, that God could preſently take all our Corruptions; as ſoon as ever we come to Jeſus Chriſt, God could deliver us from our Corruptions, but the Lord wil not, he hath many holy ends why he doth ſuffer his own people to be under this burden while they live here in the fleſh, As.
Firſt, That hereby he may ſhew forth his own power, the power of Jeſus Chriſt is exceeding magnified in this, that it can uphold little ſparks of Grace in the midſt of an Ocean of Corruption, that it can uphold poor weak Creatures under ſuch burdens, and carry them on notwithſtanding, and bring them to eternal Life; the power and Grace of Jeſus Chriſt, and the power of God, is as much manifeſted in this thing, as it is in keeping Heaven and Earth upon the Frame, or keeping it in being; the Lord doth not appear more to be an almighty God, in keeping Heaven and Earth in being, then he doth appeare to be an Almighty God in keeping grace alive in the heart notwithſtanding al the remainder of Corruption, ſo that in this God hath Glory in another way then he hath from the Angels in heaven; the power of God appeares in upholding of the Angels, for if he did not uphold them, they would fal into evil, as Adam and the other Angels did, but therein appeares Gods glorious power to uphold the Angels: but the glorious power in upholding the Angels, doth not ſo much appeare, as the glorious power of God in upholding the hearts of the Saints in the midſt of their corruptions; this ſhal be a ſpecial argument that the Saints ſhal praiſe God for, to al eternity, when they ſhal look back, and ſee what a condition they were in before their converſion, yea, in their converſion, that though God granted them ſome grace, yet what abundance of Corruption was in their hearts al that time, and what a deal of ſtir they had to maintain that little grace; they wil ſtand and admire to conſider, that it ſhould be kept alive in the midſt of ſin, that a little ſparke ſhould be kept alive in the midſt of the Sea, not only in the midſt of the Sea, but when the ſea is tempeſtuous, you yil ſay it is no great wonder that the fire be kept burning when the ſea is calme; but when al is in a ſtorme, and yet a ſpark of fire ſhal be kept alive in the midſt of al the toſſings of the waves, you wil grant here is a mighty power: now the keeping alive of grace in thy heart in the midſt of ſo much corruption: doth argue as mighty a power in God.
2. The Lord doth ſo order it that ſtil his own people ſhal be under the burden of much coruption in this regard, becauſe that hereby the Lord draweth forth the exerciſe of faith in his ſon, in which his ſoul takes infinite delight, the ſoule of God takes infinite delight in beholding the working of the glorious grace of faith in Jeſus Chriſt.
But you wil ſay wherein doth it appeare to be ſo glorious in regard of our corruption? Thus, for the Angels in heaven to believe in God, that he wil be eternally good to them, it is not ſo much, as for a poor ſoul in the midſt of al his corruptions, yet to be able to Triumph in the free grace of God in Jeſus Chriſt; notwithſtanding I am ſo vild, filthy, loathſome, and abominable to myſelf, and juſtly God and his Saints may count me a burden to them and caſt me off for ever, yet for al this, my ſoul ſhal cling to him, I wil caſt my ſelf upon him, and look upon him as a gracious father, a merciful God, a God that loves me, a God that rejoyceth in doing Good to me; for the ſoul to exerciſe faith in the Grace of God in Chriſt, it is a glorious thing, only take heed you do not miſtake it for preſumption.
Object. You wil ſay, For men notwithſtanding al their ſin to beleeve in Gods mercy this is rather preſumption then faith.
Anſw. True, it is preſumpion in many, they miſtake themſelves, but in others it is true faith, and God delights in it, and you ſhal know it by this; it doth draw the heart to God and the ſoul never finds ſuch a prevalent way to overcome thoſe corruptions that are in it, as to exerciſe their faith in the grace of God in Chriſt. I beſeech you, mark the difference between preſumption and faith in Chriſt, preſumption wil truſt in Gods mercy notwithſtanding their ſin, but that doth indeed foment their ſin and makes them ſecure in their ſin, makes them the more ſecure in their ſin, but now when the ſoul ſhal by the true geminine act of faith reſt in the free grace of God notwithſtanding corruption, if it be right, ſuch a ſoul feels no means in the world of greater efficacy to cure and prevail againſt corruption then this, to truſt in the free grace of God notwithſtanding corruption: and if thou findeſt it thus, thou haſt no cauſe to feare, truſt in Gods grace with confidence, for it is that which is wel pleaſing unto God, and that which the Lord delights in, and that which gives as much content to Gods heart as the exerciſe of any grace whatſoever, and in that regard, becauſe the Saints ſhal never exerciſe ſuch an act of Faith in Heaven …s this, God wil have this in this world.
3. This is that that God ſees doth drive his own people to him in prayer, nothing drives the Saints to God with more earneſtneſs in prayer, then the feeling of the weight of Corruption upon them, then they goe to God above al, God never heares ſuch ſtrong cryes come up to heaven in regard of any affliction as this; and by the way, you may find by this how your hearts are, when the hand of God is upon you in afflictions, then you wil cry to God, but I put this to you, hath there not come as ſtrong cryes to heaven upon the ſence of your Corruptions as upon the ſence of any Affliction whatſoever.
4. The Lord hath glory in this, in the exerciſe of the work of repentance, and humility; the keeping the Souls of his people in humility, and the contrition of their Spirits, that is exceeding pleaſing to God, the Lord is neer to a broken contrite heart, a melting mourning ſpirit, the Lord doth delight in the evangelical workings of repentance, this pleaſeth the Lord; the work of humiliation, mourning and ſorrow for ſin in an evangelical way, is a grace that is acceptable to God; God ſhal have none of that in heaven, and he hath it therefore here.
5. God hereby exerciſeth his wiſdome exceedingly, in bringing light out of darkeneſs; God doth many times turne, not only the afflictions of his people to their good, but he workes good many times out of ſin, not that hereby we ſhould be bold and preſumptuous in our ſins, we muſt take head of tempting God, yet know this, that God doth many times work exceeding much good unto the Saints, even out of their ſins, by occaſion of ſin, though their ſin hath no efficacy in this, but God takes occaſion in this, in otherwaies of his providences and workings of his grace to work good unto them.
6. There is Gods juſtice in it alſo, to lay a ſtumbling block before wicked and ungodly men, for when they ſhal ſee, that the godly that have the moſt grace they have much corruption in them ſtil, they rejoyce perhaps in it, and they little think that God aimes at the execution of his juſt judgment upon them that it ſhould harden their hearts, many wicked men, they think their condition to be very good, becauſe they ſee ſo much corruption in the hearts of the godly, and they are hardened therby, but they little think that God aymes at the execution of his juſt judgment upon them thereby.
7. God doth it for this reaſon, that the Saints may long more after heaven, therefore it is that the Lord in the ordering of his providence workes ſo, that they ſhould be kept under the burden of Corruption in this world, that they might long to be in heaven with their father, and that when they come to heaven they might know the difference between heaven and earth, between their ſtate there in heaven, and their ſtate here on earth. Thus though corruption may be a great burden to us while we live here in this world, yet the Lord hath many great ends and purpoſes to ſuffer thee, a poor creature, to be under remaining corruption, and therefore thou canſt not draw any ſuch argument, God loves me not, for if he loved me he would deliver me from this corruption, I have been praying a longtime to be delivered, and yet I am not delivered, do not gather any ſuch arguments from it, you know Paul prayed once and again, and al the anſwer he had was, my grace ſhal be ſufficient for thee: ſo though thou prayeſt under the burden of corruption again and again, yet if once God ſay thus to thy ſoul, my grace ſhal be ſufficient for thee, thy corruption ſhal not cruſh thee and undo thee, but I wil ſſtrengthen thee, this wil be ſufficient.
Now from al this that hath been ſaid, you may by way of conſequence ſee.
Firſt, a great deal of difference between the ſins of the Godly and the ſins of the Wicked: the wicked they ſin, and the godly ſin too, we uſe to ſay we are al ſinners, but it is to the one a burden, to the other a delight.
Secondly, You may ſee from hence alſo one reaſon why the Saints of God go on ſometimes ſo ſadly in their wayes, thou doſt not know what burdens they are under.
But you wil ſay, we are better we do not feele it. No, they have not ſo much ſin as thou haſt, they have got ſome grace, thou haſt none, they have in ſome degrees mortified their ſins, thou haſt not; yea, they have their ſins pardoned, thou haſt not; but yet though they have ſome aſſurance, that the guilt of their Sin is removed, yet the very remaining of the Corruptions of their hearts is their burden.
Object. You wil ſay Why ſhould it be ſo burdenſome if they know the guilt of their Sin to be forgiven.
Anſw. I beſeech you obſerve it, there is a deale of difference between a carnal heart, and a Godly heart; one that hath a carnal heart, if he can be eaſed from the burden of conſcience, he is no more troubled; but now a gracious heart, though he be firſt burdened with the apprehenſion of the guilt of ſin, & that burden be removed, yet there remaining a body of death, there is another burden ſtil upon him: ſo that the very remaining of ſome corruption is a greater burden unto him, then al thy corruption that is in the ful ſtrength of it, and together with thy corruption al the guilt that is upon thee; only thou art dead in ſin and doſt not feel it, if a whole building fal down, thoſe that are buried in the grave they would not feel it, but al you that are alive, if it ſhould fal down would feele it: ſo the wicked have the burden of their corruption in the ful ſtrength of it; in the guilt of it upon them and they feel it not, for they are dead; but the Godly, though they have the guilt of Sin removed, yet the very leaſt ſin remaining in them is a burden, though they have mortified their ſin, and do it every day, yet the remaining of ſin is a great burden to them. And hence you may ſee the reaſon of the watchfulneſs of the Saints over their ſpirits, why they ſpend ſo much time, and riſe ſo early to heare the word, what is the reaſon you wil ſay, they know that if they do not Labor under the burden of their Corruptions to a void ſin, it wil be a greater burden to Labor under the burden of ſin afterwards. Now you do not watch over ſin, becauſe you do not know what a grievous burden ſin is when they Labor under it, but ſuch a one as feels the Burden of Sin, the Lord be merciful to me, I had thought (ſaith he) my Back would have broke under the Burden of ſin. And therefore David Praies, for the healing of the bones that were broken: and that is the Reaſon of the watchfulneſs and carefulneſs of the Saints under this burden.
Now the maine thing that hath been intended in al that I have ſaid about this Burden is this, That I might point out thoſe whom Chriſt cals to himſelf, that you might be prepared to hearken to the invitation of Chriſt to come to him for Reſt (though we are not come to that) yet take notice that there is Reſt in Chriſt for all theſe, from under all theſe Burdens. And ſo much for the Burden of the remaining part of Corruption in the Hearts of the Saints.