Christ Inviting Sinners to Come to Him for Rest, Treatise · Chapter 44
CHAP. XLIV.
Sheweth that a beleever hath Reſt in Chriſt in all troubles he can meet with in the world, which is laid out in four Particulars, 1. All afflictions are at his diſpoſal. 2. In him the curſe is taken away. 3. They ſtand with Gods love. 4. They are meaſured by God.
NOw we come to the fifth Burden: you may remember the fifth Burden was, The Burden of outward affliction, come to me, ſaith Chriſt, you that are burdened with the guilt of your ſins, you that are burdened with Legal performances, you that are burdened with remaining corruption that is in you, come to me and I will give you Reſt; Now what Reſt have been from all thoſe you have heard. Now Laſtly, come to me, you that are under the burden of afflictions, for that is a Yoak as we opened when we handled the point of being Laden, the Burden of affliction, bodily afflictions, or ſpiritual afflictions: come to me, and you ſhal have Reſt. Now the ſpiritual afflictions have been ſpake of much in the handling of the former burden, and yet may be ſomwhat more afterwards when I ſhal come to ſpeak about ſpiritual deſertions, thoſe kind of afflictions, that many times are upon Chriſtians, and there is Reſt unto their Souls in regard of them. But for the preſent all that I ſhall ſay now is, about outward afflictions, come to me, and you ſhall have Reſt, The afflictions of ſickneſs and poverty, and perſecution, and diſhonor, and trouble here in this world. For we are to know, that there is Reſt in Chriſt even in regard of this, and abundance of Reſt. Thoſe that are acquainted with the myſtery of godlineſs, and the way of Gods Grace in Chriſt, though they may meet with much trouble in this world, yet they find abundance of Reſt of ſpirit in Chriſt, in regard of thoſe troubles.
Indeed, Chriſt did not ſay, come to me, and I will preſently free you from all trouble, that you cannot expect, but come to me, and this I will promiſe you, that you ſhall have Reſt in your ſpirits, your condition may be as troubleſome in regard of outward things here in this world as any, but this I wil promiſe, I will ingage my ſelf for, that you ſhall have Reſt unto your ſouls in all conditions whatſoever that you ſhall be put into. And is not this a bleſſed Reſt? Eſpecially in regard of theſe times, ſuch times as theſe, ſo ful of diſtractions when men are ſpoiled of their goods, and perſecuted, and ſtill we are afraid every day when all theſe outward comforts may be wreſted from us. This point, perhaps, may be to ſome more ſeaſonable than to others, what, to tel ſome of the burden of the Law, this is a ſpiritual thing, and they have no Skil of it, to have Reſt from the trouble of the Guilt of ſin, this is ſpiritual, and they have little Skil of that, to have Reſt from the remaining corruption in their hearts this is ſpiritual ſtill, and they have no skil of that neither. I but now I come to ſpeak of that which all of you will be ſenſible of, in regard of outward afflictions, I, that is ſomwhat, that the Hearts of all men wil ſay, it were a good thing to be in Chriſt, to have Reſt in regard of outward afflictions. Now it is the way of God to draw men to his Son in their own way, to ſhew the good that is in his Son in that way which themſelves are ſenſible of, and thoſe that are ſtrangers to Chriſt may be ſenſible of this, as to think, that if that be made out, that is here promiſed, that indeed i… a bleſſed thing to be in Chriſt, now that I ſhal open to you, only I will give you one Scripture more for i…, and then proceed to the opening of it. It is in the 16. of John and the 33. Theſe things have I ſpoken to you, that in me ye might have peace, in the world you ſhal have tribulation, but be of good chear I have overcome the world. This is a ful text, Chriſt foreſaw that his diſciples ſhould have a great deal of affliction in this world, and this is ſpoken to them but a little before Chriſts death, a little before Chriſt was to die and go from them, he tels them of a great deal of affliction they ſhould have in the world. But ſaith Chriſt theſe things have I ſpoken, in me ye ſhal have peace, though ye have trouble in the world, I will not free you from trouble, but I wil give you peace to your Souls in thoſe troubles, in me ye ſhal have peace, though in the world you have trouble, and be of good chear I have overcome the world, though you ſhall have troubles in the world, yet I will give you Reſt, for I have overcome the world, and therefore be of good chear, for all the troubles that you ſhal meet withal, ſhall not take away the peace of your ſpirits, the Reſt of your Souls.
So that then here the point that now we are to enter upon, is, That in Chriſt there is Reſt in the midſt of all afflictions, of all troubles that we can meet withal in this world. For,
Firſt, A beleever coming to Chriſt, muſt needs have Reſt whatſoever afflictions he meets withal, for when he is come to Chriſt, he may in him come to know that there is no affliction either doth or can befal him, but is at the diſpoſe of him that is his Father, and the Father of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and is not this a great deal of Reſt? To know that what comes unto me, though there be ſuch and ſuch inſtruments, evil inſtruments to bring trouble upon my eſtate, or name, or otherwiſe, yet I know that all this is by the wiſe ordering and diſpoſing of that God that is the Father of Jeſus Chriſt, and in him is now my Father. Were it that you could be all aſſured of this now, that you ſhould never hence forward, have any loſs in your eſtate, any ſickneſs in your body, any trouble in your family any way, or ſhould have no affliction ever befal you, but it ſhould be at the diſpoſe of your owne father, he ſhould diſpoſe of it, and your Father a wiſe, and Loving Father; or take the de… reſt Friend that ever was in the world, and if I ſay, you ſhould be made ſure of this from heaven that you ſhal never have any affliction in this world, but it ſhal be by his diſpoſe, would not this bring reſt into your hearts, though you had a diſquiet heart before? Would there not be a great deal of calme, quiet, and reſt upon your ſpirits? I make no queſtion, but if ſuch a voice ſhould come from heaven, and you ſhould know it were a voice from heaven, and not a deluſion, ſaying, be of good comfort, you that are ſo troubled, for feare of loſſe and outward afflictions, be of good comfort, thou ſhalt never have any one minute of an hour of trouble and affliction more than thy tender father or mother ſhal be willing unto, would not this give reſt and quiet unto thy ſpirit? Certainly, hadſt thou faith to know, that al comes from thy father in Chriſt, for when we are come to him he is our father in Chriſt, and al that comes to us is from him through Chriſt, thou couldſt not but have reſt and peace.
Secondly, By comming to Chriſt, there is reſt from outward afflictions, for in him there is the taking away of the curſe▪ it is Chriſt that hath taken away the curſe of al afflictions, and therefore there muſt needs be reſt unto the ſoul t…rough Chriſt. Faith in Chriſt …eacheth beleevers to worme afflictions (as I may ſo ſay) to worm them, that is to get out the worm that is there. The trouble that eates the heart in affliction, it is the worm of the Curſe, for al afflictions are part of the curſe in themſelves, in their owne nature, as they come unto us, if out of Chriſt, I ſay, they are part of the curſe. Now the main trouble and burden of an affliction, it is the curſe the ſecret curſe that is in them, but now, when thou art come to Chriſt, though the outward bulk of affliction may be as big as it was before, yet the curſe ſhal be taken away, the worm, the trouble that did eat thy heart▪ that ſhal be taken away, and therefore there muſt be reſt in that way. Suppoſe there were a Snake that ſhould wind about thine arm, that would affright thee; but if thou didſt come to know certainly, that the ſting were taken out, thou wouldeſt be quiet if thou wert a wiſe man, though perhaps a child, or a weak woman, might be affrighted, but a wiſe man, that underſtands what he doth if he knew that the ſting is out, would not be affraid, now know O thou beleever, that upon thy comming to Chriſt the ſting of al affliction is taken out, there is nothing of the ſting in it. Affliction may make a noiſe, as the Bee doth when the ſting is out, though there were never ſo many bees about your eares, if you knew the ſtings were out, you might be quiet. The core of affliction is taken out as ſoon as thou art come to Chriſt. As ſome ſoares in the body do put the body to a great deal of pain, there is ſome core in a wound, ſome malignant humor that runs in a wound, that puts a man or woman to a great deal of pain: But now if this core, this malignant humor, be taken out by the Chyrurgeon, there wil be eaſe and reſt. So I ſay by thy coming to Chriſt, the core, the malignant humor of affliction is taken out, the ſting, the curſe is taken away, and thou muſt exerciſe faith for the taking away of this, and the way to exerciſe faith to take away the ſting and core of every affliction is this, to look upon Chriſt under al his afflictions, as being made a curſe for thee, for that indeed may trouble, thoſe paines that were upon Chriſt, that were in his body, and the poverty that he endured, and the diſhonor that he ſuffered, there was a curſe in them, and Chriſt he takes away the curſe by bearing the curſe. As you know, when a Bee ſtings, many times it leaves its ſting behind it, ſo the curſes of the Law, the Law came to ſting Chriſt, as it were, and left the curſe behind it upon him, ſo that now the curſe is removed from beleevers. It is a good obſervation that one hath about the burnt offering in the Law, we read of the burnt offering, that it was to continue burning al night. So now beleevers in the night of their affliction, they ſhould exerciſe their faith upon Chriſt for burnt offering. Oh conſider, though thou haſt ſad nights, ſad and very greivous nights, and thou lieſt toſſing and tumbling, canſt not ſleep, art in pain and trouble, what ſhal give thee reſt? Now if thou couldſt but exerciſe faith in Chriſt, who typified out the burnt offering that was to burn al night, I ſay, this was typified, that Chriſt is to be looked upon as burning under the wrath of God al the night of thy affliction, to take away Gods wrath in thy afflictions, and there's no ſuch reſt as this.
Perhaps in the time of affliction, ſickneſs, loſſe of eſtate, and ſpoil of goods, there comes one friend, and another, and ſaith, you muſt be content, and it is the hand of God, and others are afflicted as wel as you, and it is the portion of Gods children, theſe are ſome things to quiet the heart. I but theſe are but poor, cold conſolations, to tel them they muſt be content, and it muſt be ſo, and they muſt endure it, theſe can never give reſt to the ſoul, except you can put your friend upon exerciſing of faith in Jeſus Chriſt, here is the way to comfort your friends when you go to viſit them in ſickneſs, loſs of eſtate, or ſpoiling of goods, to put them upon this, to exerciſe faith upon Chriſt, that hath born affliction, and by his death hath taken away the curſe of al afflictions. It is true, there is a night of affliction now upon you, I but there is Chriſt that is the burnt offering that burnes al night to take away the wrath of God in thy afflictions. There is no ſuch way to worm your affliction, to take away the ſting of affliction, as to exerciſe faith upon Chriſt, in whom the curſe of affliction is taken away, and when that is gone, now there is reſt to the ſoul. A ſick man that lies toſſing and tambling and cannot Reſt, and is in ſuch diſtemper in his fleſh, and hath ſuch a Malignant humor in his body, when the Chyru…geon comes and applies any ſalve to take away that malignant humor, he ſayes, when the Chyrurgeon comes again, Oh Sir, now I can Reſt: And ſo ſaith a Chriſtian, when he hath been vexed with ſuch and ſuch afflictions, and he hath gone and excerciſed faith in Jeſus Chriſt, for he ſees he was under the curſe of the Law, and Chriſt hath taken away the curſe of al afflictions, when he hath thus acted faith upon Chriſt, now he can be at reſt, and he can ſay, now I ſee the ſting taken away. As I ſaid in the reſt of ſanctification, Chriſt was appointed as the Braſen ſerpent was, the great ordinance of God for the healing of them that were ſtung by the fiery ſerpents, that if they did but look upon it, they were healed, thoſe that were ſtung with the fiery ſerpents, the very looking upon the Braſen Serpent were healed, it being the ordinante of God appointed for that end. So I may apply it here, thoſe that are ſtung with affliction, Chriſt is ſet up as the ordinance, as the Braſen ſerpent to take away the venom of the ſting of thy affliction. No queſtion but thoſe that were ſtung with the fiery ſerpents, they felt an intolerable pain, and when they looked upon the braſen ſerpent, they had reſt, and they could ſay, now I have eaſe, now I have reſt; So the curſe of God in affliction is the venom, and thoſe that are ready to rave, and are almoſt mad in affliction, and are ſo extreamly diſcontented, it is to be ſuſpected concerning them, that the curſe of God is upon them.
But now another that is under as great an affliction as thou art, can lie ſweetly, and contentfully, and bleſſing God under any affliction, thou wonderſt at it that he can lie ſo joyfull, bleſſing of God under ſo much affliction, the Lord hath taught him a way to worm his affliction, the Lord hath taught him a way to deliver his ſoul from the curſe of the affliction, the curſe is gone and he by exerciſing faith upon Chriſt hath comfort in removing of the curſe, and this gives him Reſt in time of affliction.
Thirdly, Come to Chriſt and thou ſhalt have Reſt in thy affliction, becauſe that then not only the curſe ſhal be removed, but there ſhal be this bleſſing upon it, that there is no affliction ſhal befal thee; but ſuch as may ſtand with Gods love, yea, ſuch as ſhal come out of Gods love, and from Gods love, love ſhal be the great principle, not only of thy affliction, but from thy affliction, to know this, that though there are theſe and theſe afflictions upon me, yet I thank God there is no want of Gods love upon me, for I would not know any thing of Gods love then, if any ſpiritual judgment were upon me, but theſe are no other but what may ſtand with the love of God. Yea, but that is not ſo much, that they may poſsibly ſtand with the love of God, but this, that they come out of Gods love, and come from Gods love, they come as really from the love of God, as any thing that thou doſt injoy in this world. Thou thinkeſt, if thou haſt a proſperous voyage, that God loves thee, if thou beeſt recovered out of an affliction that God loves thee, but I ſay, that the Lords bringing thee into affliction, may ſtand with greater love to thee than deliverance out of affliction to another. The afflictions that are upon the Saints now, they do not come out of revenge, as they do upon the wicked, the ſame, affliction that comes from the principle of love to thee, may come from the principle of hatred to another, and although therfore in the outward view they be the ſame yet they are infinitely different in the principle. It is not ſo much what we ſee, or what wee feel, but from whence that comes that we ſee or feel, and indeed, a gracious heart is ever ſollicitous about the principles of thoſe things that do befal it, if it be an outward mercy, I but, what is the root of it? is the root of it the love of Chriſt to my ſoul? there is an affliction upon me, but what is the root of it? is the root of it Gods diſpleaſure, Gods wrath, Gods hatred? Oh that were dreadful. Although the affliction were vaſt, if there were a hundred temptations, if the root of it were Gods diſpleaſure, Oh that were terrible: I but then when he ſhal come to know that the root of it were not from Gods wrath, but his love, that is joyful.
You wil ſay, doth not God ſometimes chaſtiſe his people for their ſins? what if the affliction comes to me for my ſin, can I have reſt then? It is true, if the affliction come to me for my tryal, then the root may be from his love, but I have ſinned againſt God, I have abuſed my eſtate, my conſcience tels me, I have not honored God with my eſtate and therefore the Lord hath taken it from me, and ſpoiled me of al, and can I look upon this as the root of Gods love?
Now to that I anſwer, though this be a certain thing, and will and muſt hold, notwithſtanding all the late, wanton conceits of men, and all the vanities of their thoughts which ſhal come to nothing, yet this ſhal hold, that God doth chaſtiſe his people for ſins and offences, that is not a part for me to enter upon, yet ſtil it holds forth this, That at that time when God chaſtiſeth for ſin, at that time their afflictions come out of love, from a principle of Love, even when God chaſtiſeth them for their ſins.
But you wil ſay, hath not Chriſt ſuffered? This derogates from the ſufferings of Chriſt, when he hath ſuffered.
For this, it is true, Chriſt hath ſuffered, and ſo hath ſwallowed up al Gods revenging wrath, and the curſe, I but, doth Gods wrath hinder me from having the fruit of Gods Love. You wil ſay, it comes from Love, therefore God chaſtiſeth not for ſin, No? Why all Gods revenging wrath may be gone, and yet God may chaſtiſe for ſin and chaſtiſe out of Love too, at the ſame inſtant. You know it is ſaid of Zachary, becauſe he did not beleeve, the Scripture ſaith in Luke, 1. For this Cauſe thou ſhalt be Dumb, For this Cauſe, becauſe thou didſt not beleeve: And ſo, therefore, becauſe of their ſin they may be chaſtiſed. Cannot a Father chaſtiſe his Child and yet do it out of Love? not only it may ſtand with his Love, but becauſe of Love; he would not meddle with him, but let him go, if he did not love him. Certainly, affliction may come out of Love, though for ſin, but for God not at all to chaſtiſe them, would be an argument of hatred, therefore for him to chaſtiſe is an argument of Love rather than hatred.
If ye be not chaſtiſed, you are baſtards and not Sons, ſo that you are to look upon him, though God be diſpleaſed, yet ſtil it is out of love. Theſe two may ſtand together, he may be diſpleaſed with thy ſin and with thee, and yet he may love thee in the very act wherein he manifeſts his diſpleaſure againſt thy ſin, and he may manifeſt his diſpleaſure againſt thee and againſt thy ſin out of love to thee. And therefore the people of God may have Reſt in all their afflictions, becauſe it is out of Love. Here is an affliction, but from whence doth it come? It comes from Love, now I am at Reſt. If thou canſt exerciſe Faith in Chriſt in thy affliction, that I know that through Chriſt God Loves me, and this is the efficacy of the merit of Chriſt, that in al thy afflictions thou ſhouldſt injoy the Love of God, this wil give Reſt unto thy Soul, and until this be, al the arguments in the world will never do it. Come to thoſe that are afflicted and ſeek to pacifie and quiet them with any argument in the world, it will not do it, until they exerciſe Faith upon Chriſt, and that makes them to know, here is the love of God to my Soul in this affliction, and then it is no matter whether I be in proſperity or adverſity. If God give me an eſtate there is love in that, if he take it away, there is Love in that, if he give me health, there is Love in that, if he caſt me into ſickneſs, there is Love in that, and this indeed is the great myſtery of godlineſs, that the heathens were not acquainted with this Myſtery of godlineſs.
Fourthly, We have Reſt in all afflictions through Chriſt, becauſe in his merit it is that al afflictions are proportioned both for the time of coming, and the time of continuing, and the meaſure and the manner of them, they are proportioned by the infinite wiſdome of God for the good of a beleever, God proportions all ſo as ſhal be ſuitable to the condition that thou art in. As a wiſe Phyſitian knows the ful condition of thee that art his patient at all times, therefore he doth weigh every dram, and take care that there be not one drop put into thy cup that he gives thee to drink, more than ſhal ſuit with thy condition, for thy good, and takes care it ſhal be given at a ſeaſonable time, and that it ſhall not abide one moment longer than it hath wrought out the Corruption, wrought out evil, and brought good unto thee, now this is a mighty Reſt unto thy ſpirit. If ſo be a patient is to deal with a Phyſitian that is learned, and wiſe, and experienced, that I know he underſtands the ſtate of my body, to the ful, to a hair in every thing, and I know that what he gives he is very careful about, and what he gives he doth it himſelf, doth not truſt the Apothecary, but goes himſelf and ſees how many drams is put into it, and hath it weighed before his Face, truſts not others but weighs it himſelf, and ſo obſerves every circumſtance that is ſuitable to his patient; now would not this be quietneſs unto thee? Perhaps the potion may be bitter, but if thou knoweſt that it comes from the hand of ſuch a Phyſitian, that is thus careful, and thus skilful, and thus experienced, this cauſeth Reſt and quietneſs in thy Spirit. So truly, by the Eye of Faith thou mayſt behold God; though God uſeth creatures as inſtruments, yet the Lord will not truſt them, but ſtands by and looks upon every dram that is put into the cup. If a man ſhould give that which is Poyſonous or ratsbane to a dog, he cares not how he gives it: but now if there ſhould any venemous thing be put into Phyſick, then the Phyſitian needs to look to every dram, that it be proportionable to the ſtate of the Body. So I ſay, when God diſtributes his afflictions to the wicked he cares not for any proportion, he cares not for doing them good by it. But now when he comes to beleevers in Chriſt, God is careful to proportion every dram, for the time of it, that it ſhal come but juſt when God would have it, and continue not one moment longer than God would have it. That Scripture is enough to quiet the ſoul in regard of any affliction, Which you have in Peter 1.6. Wherein ye rejoyce, though now for a ſeaſon, if need require, ye are in heavineſs through manifold temptations. Though now for a ſeaſon, for a little time now, ſo the words are, though for a little time now, it is but now and it is but a little time, and then too if need be, Mark what a bleſſed parentheſis this is, it is worth Gold, this very Parentheſis is, wherein ye greatly rejoyce, though now for a ſeaſon you are in heavineſs, it will not be much it ſhal be but for a little time, and that if need be, as if God ſhould ſay, were there not need, you ſhould not be for one inſtant of time in heavineſs, this is that you muſt learn from this Scripture. Would it not be Reſt to your Soul if you could hear God out of his word this day, ſpeak to every one of you, and ſay, did not I ſee th…re was need, you ſhould never have any minute of ſickneſs in all your life, this were enough to give Reſt unto the Soul, and though there be need, it is but for now, for a little time. I do not find in the original that the word ſignifies ſeaſon, but a little now, and if need be, ſo that you ſhall not be in heavineſs, no not for a little now, unleſs there be need, this is a great deal of Reſt.