Christ Inviting Sinners to Come to Him for Rest, Treatise · Chapter 48
CHAP. XLVIII.
Containeth Seven Directions how a beleever may get Reſt from Chriſt in ſpiritual Deſertions. Firſt, Look upon Chriſt as once in the ſame condition. Secondly. Look to Chriſt as ful of Grace and Goodneſs. Thirdly, Look to Chriſt as an advocate at the right hand of God. Fourthly, Look to Chriſt for fulfilling the promiſe of ſending the Comforter. Fifthly, Go to Chriſt as at firſt in thy Converſion. Sixthly, Keep good thoughts of God. Seventhly, Reſolve never to take Reſt in any thing elſe beſide Chriſt.
WELL but now though thy condition be as bad as his, yet there is Reſt in Chriſt to be had for thee, and Chriſt cals thee to come to him that he may give thee Reſt. I ſhal not need to ſpend time in opening what this reſt is in Chriſt in this particular, becauſe it is contained in what was ſaid before, as in deliverance from the guilt of ſin, the burden of the Law, and the remainer of corruption, and the like, thoſe things if they were made good to the ſoul they might give reſt. But now al that I intend to ſhew ſhal be, what courſe the laden ſinner muſt take in this caſe to have reſt in Chriſt, for the ſoul it is delivered from the guilt of ſin, and the wrath of God, though it cannot apprehend the love of God, and the pardon of the guilt of ſin, yet it hath it already, but now to help ſuch a deſerted ſoul in this caſe, that it might begin to have the uſe of the good that there is to be had in Chriſt, therefore by way of direction to have eaſe in that greivous condition.
Firſt, Labor to exerciſe thy faith upon Chriſt, as one that was once in the ſame condition in ſome degree and ſome meaſure as thou thy ſelf art in, that is a good way for one that hath ſpiritual deſertions. I ſay, to look upon Chriſt as one that for the preſent was in this affliction, for Chriſt was deſerted, and this breeds a great deale of reſt to the ſoul in outward afflictions. If one that is in poverty exerciſe faith upon Chriſt who was poor, as I told you before, The Foxes have holes and the birds have neſts but the ſon of man hath not where to lay his head. To exerciſe faith upon Chriſt as poor, doth help to give eaſe and reſt unto the ſoul, under the burden of the affliction of poverty? ſo when a ſoul feels the burden and trouble of ſpiritual deſertions the ſoul ſhould look up to Chriſt as one that was under ſuch deſertion, as when he was in the garden, and profeſſeth that his ſoul was heavy to the very death, and that he began to be amazed with the apprehenſion of the wrath of God. Now when thou art in a combate and ſtrife in thy ſpirit with temptation, know that Chriſt was in ſuch a combate and ſtrife, he ſweat drops of blood. It may be the ſoul is in combate, and in trouble and gets to prayer, and the ſoul is in a ſweat, remember what a ſweat Chriſt was in when God withdrew himſelf from him, and eſpecially, when he was upon the croſs, there he tels you plainly that he was forſaken My God My God why haſt thou forſaken mee? Thou thinkeſt that God hath withdrawn himſelf from thee, no he wil not withdraw himſelf from thee ſo much as from his ſon in one regard, that is, thou haſt not ſuch a dreadful apprehenſion of Gods withdrawing from thee as Chriſt had, for Chriſt would never have cryed out elſe. My God My God why haſt thou forſaken mee? This was a real thing, Chriſt did not ſpeak at uncertainties, he did feel a withdrawing of the influence, ſweetneſs, and comfort of the Lord; though ſtil he had union with him by Nature and he was his Father as before, but the Human Nature did not feel the influence of the Grace, and ſweetneſs, and the ſhine of the Favor of God as at other times, and therefore he cries out, My God, My God, why haſt thou forſaken me? Exerciſe thy Faith upon Chriſt as one that was in ſpiritual deſertions. It is true, perhaps that Chriſt did not come to determin himſelf that he was utterly forſaken as thou doſt, but Chriſt was apprehenſive of Gods withdrawing himſelf, and therefore this may bring eaſe and Reſt unto thy Soul, and the rather becauſe that his being ſo forſaken it was to Sanctifie thy being forſaken, it was to take away the curſe of thoſe deſertions that thou haſt in thy ſelf. Such deſertions as are in any afflictions materially, they are a curſe, they are ſuch things as in their own Nature are a curſe, Chriſt being ſo forſaken by the Father doth take away the curſe, that is in ſpiritual deſertions, and there is no ſuch way for the ſoul that is in ſpiritual deſertions, as to look up to Chriſt, and to conſider that Chriſt was forſaken for my ſake, Chriſt was forſaken for mee, that I might not be eternally forſaken. So there is theſe three things in looking up to Chriſt as forſaken. Firſt thou ſeeſt that the Lord that is the beloved ſon of God was forſaken, forſaken by God. Secondly, here thou maiſt ſee the merit of this that it was to ſanctifie thy forſaking, that thy forſaking might not be a curſe to thee. Thirdly, It was that thou mighteſt not be eternally forſaken by God, ſo that by exerciſing of thy Faith thus upon him thou maiſt get a great deal of Reſt and eaſe unto thy ſoul. A carnal Heart when he finds this terror of ſpirit he runs to his company, Muſick, good chear, and buſineſs of the world, but a gracious Heart runs to Chriſt, and goes to him that was thus forſaken of the Lord for him.
Secondly, If thou beeſt under the burden of ſpiritual deſertions, then look up to Chriſt as being ſuch a Mediator, as is ful of Grace and goodneſs, there being ſuch a fulneſs of the Grace of God in him, as makes him a ſufficient object for the Faith of adherence, when he cannot be unto me an object of the Faith of evidence. I ſay, we are to exerciſe Faith upon Chriſt when we are under this Burden of ſpiritual deſertions, thus, we are to look upon Chriſt as being the fulneſs of the Godhead, of all the treaſure of Grace and goodneſs, having ſo much of the Grace and mercy of God in him, as ſhal make him a fit object of the Faith of adherence, though he is not now to me an object of the Faith of evidence.
Queſt. You will ſay, What is the meaning of that.
I mean by the Faith of evidence, that I am able to ſay that Chriſt is mine and I have an argument to perſwade my conſcience, that he is mine, that is the Faith of evidence, but yet there is enough in Chriſt to draw forth the Soul to Re…t upon him from the Faith of adherence, that is thus: Though I cannot draw arguments to rely upon Chriſt as mine, yet I wil cleave to him, and adhere to him, I know there is no help but here, and therefore here I will cleave and cling, here now is the Faith of adherence. Now becauſe there is ſo much Grace in it therefore Chriſt may be a great object of thy Faith of adherence, when thou canſt not ſee him to be an object of the Faith of evidence, and that is a way to help the Soul in time of ſpiritual deſertion. When many poor ſouls are under ſpiritual afflictions and deſertions, they think of no other Faith to reſt upon Chriſt, but barely upon the faith of evidence and when they have evidence to their Souls, that Chriſt is theirs, and that from ſome fruits of Grace in them, then they rely upon him, but now learn that there is ſuch a Faith, the Faith of adherence, and Chriſt may appear to a Soul as a fit object to the Soul for the Faith of adherence, when he cannot be to it an object of the Faith of evidence.
Thirdly, Another help to the Soul that is under ſpiritual deſertions is this, the ſoul in this caſe is to exerciſe Faith upon Chriſt, as an advocate, that is at the right hand of the Father to plead the cauſe of his people. That Scripture you have often named to you, in 1 John, 2.1. If any man ſin, we have an advocate with the Father. Chriſt is at the right hand of the Father as an advocate for you, as we ſhewed when we ſpake of the Reſt of the ſoul from the guilt of ſin: So now when thou haſt not the ſenſe of the Love of God to thee, exerciſe thy Faith upon Chriſt, that he is at the right Hand of the Father to plead for poor ſinners. In Jer. 50.34. Saith the Text there. Their Redeemer is ſtrong, the Lord of Hoſtes is his name, he ſhall throughly plead their cauſe, that he may give Reſt to the Land. It is true, this is meant literally, of an outward Reſt unto the people of God, to deliver them from the Captivity of Babilon, and here is a promiſe, that the redeemer is ſtrong, and the Lord of hoſts, that he ſhall throughly plead their cauſe; they were carried into Babilon, and they were ſcorned, and contemned, and deſpiſed, and they ſaid, where is their Lord of hoſts? Now here is a promiſe, that their redeemer will come, and that he ſhal throughly plead their cauſe, and give them reſt in their land, and diſquiet the inhabitants of Babilon. This promiſe we are to make uſe of in regard of our outward troubles at this day, in regard of our adverſaries, and though the Lord let them prevaile ſomtimes, yet the Lord hath ſhewed himſelf at hand to plead his cauſe and no queſtion he hath throughly pleaded the cauſe of his people, when the adverſaries began to lift up their hands againſt them, when they inſulted in regard of the late blow that God gave us, the Lord hath begun already to give them a blow, and I hope we ſhal hear further of it. But now that which is true here literally, is true ſpiritually, the Lord wil redeem them from ſpiritual captivity, and this redeemer is the Lord of hoſts, he will give them reſt, he is at the right hand of the Father throughly to plead the cauſe of his poor Servants; when accuſation comes up to the Father againſt the Soul, then the Lord Chriſt ſtands at the right hand of the Father, and throughly pleads their cauſe.
Fourthly, In thy ſpiritual deſertion, thou muſt look up to Chriſt, to ſeek the fulfilling of that promiſe of his, that he makes to his diſciples, to ſend to them the comforter, When Chriſt was to leave his diſciples (he ſaith) Be of good cheer; I will ſend the comforter to you, and therefore be of good cheer. Chriſt doth comfort his diſciples againſt his abſence, he was to go from them, and leave them in regard of his bodily preſence. Now Chriſt was ſo careful of his poor Servants, that when he was to leave them in regard of his bodily preſence he tels them he wil ſend the comforter to them, that is, the Holy Ghoſt ſhal come ſo much the more fully, and he ſhal manifeſt me unto you. Now plead this promiſe of the Lord Chriſt, in the times of ſpiritual deſertion, and ſay, Oh bleſſed Redeemer, wert thou careful of thy diſciples, that when thou wert to leave them in regard of bodily preſence, that thou wouldſt ſend the Holy Ghoſt, that ſhould come to teſtifie of thee, and reveal thee to them, and bring things to remembrance, Oh, much more wilt thou have compaſſion of a poor Soul, from whom thou art abſent in a ſpiritual way, it is a greater affliction to want thee, O bleſſed Redeemer, in a ſpiritual way, then to want thy bodily preſence, and therefore there is a great deal more need that the comforter ſhould come in now, to ſupply the want of ſpiritual preſence, then bodily preſence.
Fifthly, In the time of ſpiritual deſertion, if thou canſt find no evidence at all, nothing at all to ſatisfie thy Soul, then go to Chriſt in the very ſame way that thou wenteſt to him at firſt, better to do ſo then to lie groveling and ſinking under thy Burden. If thou thinkeſt that yet thou haſt nothing, that all is nothing, all is loſt, and the like, go again in the ſame way that thou wenteſt at firſt unto Chriſt, thou art not in a worſe condition then thou waſt then, when thou wert an enemy, and thou foundeſt eaſe and reſt in him at firſt, now renew that work that there was in thy Soul at the very firſt. There are many people, in the time of ſpiritual afflictions and deſertions, they ſpend ſo much time in looking after old evidences, whereas the truth is they might get new ones ſooner then the old ones. As ſomtimes a man may ſpend a great deal more time in looking after an old Key of a Box then in making a new one, he might make a new Key with a great deal leſs trouble, and it would not be ſo much prejudice to him to have a new Key made, as to look the old one. He may look up and down, and ſpend a great deal of time, that may be more worth then to make a new one. So it is with the Soul in time of trouble, and under ſpiritual deſertion, it is looking about for its old evidence, and to ſuch and ſuch works of Grace and cannot find them, and is poring and cannot be at quiet til it can find thoſe former ſigns and marks that he had before, I ſay, ſuch and ſuch may ſooner get new ones, then find the old ones. If a man have writings, perhaps he cannot find ſuch a writing, he may be at leſs charge to have new ones writ over again, then to look the old ones: ſo thou wanteſt the evidences of thy Grace, and canſt not find them, I ſay, renew thy Grace upon Chriſt again, and thou maiſt get thy evidence new writ over again, and have it with leſs coſt, then to look after the old ones.
Sixtly, Be ſure in time of thy deſertion to keep good thoughts of God, though thou haſt no comfort in them for the preſent, yet beleeve it there is comfort in Chriſt, and whatever becomes of thee, acknowledg Chriſt to be faithful, Chriſt is to be thy Lord, and thy king and let thy Heart Love him, and ſtrive (at the leaſt) …o do ſo. It is true, the ſence of his Love wil inflame Love again, yet at that time when thou canſt not have the ſence of his Love, yet reſolve to Love him, and Love his waies. You know Chriſt, when God ſeemed to forſake him, yet at that time, when he was upon the Croſs, when human Nature could not but ſee he had need of Gods preſence, but then he cryed out, My God, My God. And ſo in Pſalme, 88. The example of Heman. O God of my Salvation. He ſpeaks yet ſtil wel of God, and cals God the God of his Salvation· O God of my Salvation, he ſpeaks yet ſtil wel of God, and cals God the God of his Salvation. O God of my Salvation, ſtil keeps good thoughts of God. And ſo the Church in the Canticles, when Chriſt had withdrawn himſelf from her, yet ſhe would cal him her beloved, and go up and down asking for her beloved, and where her beloved was, ſo let the ſoul in time of deſertion. Keep good thoughts of God.
Seventhly, And Laſtly, If thou canſt not have Reſt in Chriſt reſolve thou wilt never find reſt in nothing elſe, that thy Heart ſhal be reſtleſs til thou haſt reſt in Chriſt. Perhaps in the time of deſertion there comes one to thee, and ſaith, Chriſt hath forſaken thee, go and have comfort elſwhere, look for it other where; or may be, the tempter wil come, to a poor deſerted Soul, as he did to Chriſt, in Matth. 4. When Chriſt was a hungry, then comes the tempter to him; and ſaies, Command that theſe ſtones be made Bread, As if the tempter ſhould ſay thus, do do not you ſee how your Father hath forſaken you, that he will not afford you bread take a courſe for your ſelf. So here, juſt thus it is for all the world with a troubled Soul, the Soul is troubled, the Lord is withdrawn from the Soul, and now comes the tempter, and ſaith, you ſee you cannot have comfort, you have praied all this while and you cannot get comfort, Peace, and Reſt, now therefore ſeek for Reſt elſwhere. Oh take heed of this, a deſerted Soul ſhould abandon ſuch temptations, and reſolve that it wil be content to be in a reſtleſs condition to al eternity, if it cannot have Reſt here. As it is with thoſe that do ill offices, if there be any breaches between Father and Child, or one freind and another, they take the advantage of that and ſay, do not you ſee your Father regards you not, though you be in ſuch need, he wil not regard you, nor help you, come therefore and take my counſel, I will ſhew you how you ſhal live a better life; and ſo when they would withdraw one friend from another, thoſe that would do ill offices, they go and take advantage of the breach; ſo doth the Devil, when the Lord is withdrawn from the ſoul, and the ſoul is in a deſerted condition, then comes the Devil to draw the ſoul to unlawful waies, he wil be ſure to take the advantage to do al ill offices between God and the ſoul, and therefore let ſuch as are in ſuch a condition take heed of ſuch temptations. And theſe now are the helps to thoſe that are under the burden of ſpiritual deſertions, there is enough in Chriſt to help them, and theſe being obſerved, they may come to have reſt in Jeſus Chriſt.