Defensive Armor Against Four of Satans Most Fiery Darts, Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
Further Directions for Souls thus tempted. The avoiding of Solitude. The Study and Meditation of the Nature of the Covenant of Grace, in the Matter of it, the freeneſs of it, the ſureneſs of it, the well ordering of it in all things.
3. Dir. AVoid Solitudes and Solitary Places; I mentioned this before as a means to prevent prevailings of Melancholy, but let me a little farther inlarge upon that Argument. Indeed exceſſes of Solitude are by no means to be affected by Chriſtians, under the greateſt freedom of Body and Mind, tho nothing more conduceth to a Souls Health and Freedom in communion with God, then ſome juſt Meaſures and Proportions of it; yet nothing is more dangerous in this hour of Temptation. I obſerve Elijah was alone when he prayed God in a fit of Diſcontent, to take away his Life; and Jonah, ch. 4. 5, 8. was in a Booth alone, out of the City, when he ſaid, It is better for me to die than to live. And our bleſſed Lord was alone when Matth. 4. 6. the Tempter ſaid unto him, ſet upon the Pinacle of the Temple, If thou be the Son of God caſt thy ſelf down. Of Souls under theſe circumſtances, it is eminently true that Solomon ſaith, Ecc. 4. 11. Two are better than one, and woe to him that is alone when he falleth, for he hath none other to help him up. Theſe Acts are committed uſually by Perſons that are alone. It is therefore highly adviſable to Perſons under theſe Impreſſions, to avoid giving this advantage to the Adverſary, and to thoſe who are nearly concerned in, and about Perſons under theſe Temptations to be watchful, as to this thing, eſpecially when they diſcern the Impreſſions are moſt ſtrong upon them. But having touched upon this before, I ſhall add no more to it now.
4. Dir. Fourthly, There is nothing more proper for Souls under theſe circumſtances, Than to be much in the Study and Meditation of the Nature of the Covenant of Grace. I told you before, that ſuppoſing a Man or Woman under the conduct and government of Reaſon, it is very hard to imagine what Motive ſhould poſſibly prevail upon them, to put an end unto their Lives, but the freeing of themſelves from ſo eminent Evils, which they ſuffer to that degree, that they conclude it is better for them to die than to live. Now theſe Evils I told you were either External, Afflictions and Croſſes; or ſuch as are Internals, Horrors of Mind, Terrors of Conſcience. If the Motive be a freedom from Evils of the firſt ſort, I adviſed before what I judged proper, viz. The Conſideration, whether the determination of our Lives in that manner, would indeed free us, or rather make our Condition much worſe. And Secondly, Whether there be not an eaſier and ſafer way to procure our ſelves ſuch an Immunity. But now, Suppoſe the Evils be of the ſecond ſort, viz. The Horrors and Terrors of Conſcience, from the guilt of ſin. If this be the Motive, the force of it lieth in our Ignorance or Miſtake about the Covenant of Grace, and look as under a Temptation, to which External Miſery is the great Motive. There is nothing more proper than a juſt underſtanding of the ſtate of the Damned, and the miſery of Impenitent and Unpardoned Souls in the World to come: So ſuppoſing the Motive to be Horrors and Terrors of Conſcience, upon our Reflections upon Sin, there is nothing more proper for a Soul than rightly to underſtand the Covenant of Grace, and the reading of ſuch Books, and whetting upon our Hearts ſuch Portions of Gods revealed Will in his Word, as are moſt fully expreſſive of it. Truly, to underſtand this, That there is no Sinner run into ſuch an arrear with Gods Juſtice, no Soul ſo guilty, but by vertue of a gracious Covenant of Redemption and Grace, which God the Father hath from Eternity contracted with the Son of his Love; the Redeemers part in which Covenant is alſo fulfilled by Jeſus Chriſt: may find Mercy with God, repenting of his Sin, and caſting it ſelf upon the free Mercy and Grace of God, in and through the Merits and Satisfaction of Chriſt. Such is this Covenant of Grace, that the moſt guilty Soul fulfilling his part in it, and accepting of it, may be aſſured, that although its paſt ſins, cannot be made never to have been, yet they ſhall be as if they never had been. That is, they ſhall no more condemn the Soul, then if they never had been; they ſhall not be mentioned, they ſhall be ſought for and not found; the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt ſhall be reckoned unto the Soul, as if it were its Righteouſneſs. It is impoſſible that a Soul knowing and believing this, and living in the view of this gracious Covenant, ſhould ever be frighted out of its Life, from the Horrors of Conſcience by its Reflections upon its guilt of Sin. Though an ignorant Perſon, that knoweth not this, or an unbelieving Soul; which though it may have received the Notion of it, yet cannot believe it may from this Motive be induced to a yielding to this Temptation; yet to ſpeak the truth, admiting a Soul ſure of its Damnation, and that its Sins were ſo great as they could never be forgiven; it ſhould in reaſon rather be an Argument to a Soul, if it were poſſible, by all means imaginable to lengthen out its days to the years of Meth…ſ…lah, then to cut off an inch of that time which God will allow him. For what reaſon can prompt any Man to think the Horrors and Torments of a wounded Conſcience more intollerable than the Pains that are ſuffered by damned Souls? Or what Reaſon will guid any Man to endeavour to be tormented before his time? How earneſt do we find condemned Malefactors, ſometimes (tho out of all hope to be pardoned) but to be reprieved for a time; but I ſay, by reaſon of the Covenant of Grace, this is not the caſe of any one poor Soul, to advantage this Temptation. There is no Soul that can in judgement ſay (though ſometimes they ſay ſo in their Fits and Paſſions) I know I ſhall be damned, and there is nothing can give a …iſe for Satan in this Temptation, but Perſons Ignorance, or Unbelief of the Covenant of Grace. O therefore, let all Souls, but eſpecially ſuch as are thus tempted, ſtudy this: Conſider,
1. What it is that God hath Covenanted for, for pardon of Sin: For power and ſtrength againſt Sin, for Eternal Life and Salvation, for ſtrength againſt Temptations. Every Spiritual Promiſe is a branch of the Covenant, and the Promiſes are of thoſe various Natures, that there is no Spiritual Evil of which we can have any preſent ſenſe, or any fear as to time to come, for which God hath not in one Promiſe or an other provided us an Antidote. Is it the guilt o… Sin already committed? God hath promiſed to pardon it. Is it the fear of guilt not yet contracted, God hath ſaid, I will heal your Backſlidings and love you freely▪ He hath ſaid, Sin ſhall not have Dominion over your Mortal Bodies. So as tho… haſt no reaſon to deſtroy thy ſelf, eithe… becauſe thou haſt ſinned, or becauſe… thou feareſt thou ſhalt ſin againſt God, to an irremiſſible degree. Art thou afrai… that Temptations ſhall prevail againſt thee… He hath aſſured thee, that Chriſt wa… therefore tempted, that he might be able t… ſuccour the tempted; that with the temptation he will give thee an happy iſſue, that he will bruiſe Sathan under thy Feet ſhortly. In ſhort, There is no Spiritual Incumbrance, as to which there is not ſome proviſion made in the Covenant of Grace, and declared in ſome Goſpel Promiſe.
2. Conſider again, the freeneſs of the Covenant. It is called a Covenant of Grace, Grace ſignifieth Free Love. I will (ſaith God) heal your Backslidings, and love you freely. There is nothing to be paid for thy Pardon, all that is, is finiſhed, the utmoſt Farthing that the Juſtice of God could exact, is already paid by the Hand of Chriſt. There is nothing required of thee but an acknowledgement of thy Guilt, an hatred of thy former Ways, a reſolution joyned with an endeavour to forſake them, with an acceptance of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as thy Redeemer and Saviour. Oh this, this is that, which could a Soul, under Temptations of this Nature believe, theſe Temptations would certainly abate. We in diſtreſſes of Conſcience ſtick too much in a Righteouſneſs of our own. Let me here give you the Copy of a ſhort Letter wrote by that Eminent Servant of God Luther, to an Hermite, v. Luther. Ep. t. 1. I (ſaith he) deſire to know what thy Soul doth, whether at laſt being weary of its own Righteouſneſs, it hath learned to breath after, and to truſt in the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt. For in our Age a Temptation of Preſumption too much prevaileth, and particularly in them, who by all means ſtudy to approve themſelves Righteous and good Men, being ignorant of the Righteouſneſs of God, plentifully and freely given unto us, by and through Chriſt. They ſo long ſtudy to work well, until they arrive at a confidence of ſtanding before God, as it were, upon their own Legs, and by their own Merits, which is a thing impoſſible. You and I have both been once of that Opinion, or rather in that Error, but now I ſet my ſelf againſt it, but have not yet conquered my ſelf as to it. Therefore (my dear Brother) learn Chriſt, and him crucified; learn to ſing Praiſe to him, and deſpairing of your ſelf, to ſay to him, Lord Jeſus thou art my Righteouſneſs, I am thy Sin: Thou haſt taken upon thee what was mine, and given unto me what was thine. Thou haſt taken what thou wert not, and given unto me what I was not. Take heed (ſaith he) of aiming at ſuch a degree of purity, as to appear to thy ſelf no Sinner, for Chriſt dwelleth in the Hearts of none but Sinners. He therefore came down from Heaven when he dwelled in his Saints, that he might dwell in Sinners. O meditate of his Love, and you will feel his moſt ſweet Conſolation. For to what purpoſe hath he died, if we could arrive at a tranquility of Conſcience by our own Endeavours, and Tormenting of our ſelves? You will never therefore find Peace, but by deſpairing of your Selves, and your own Works, and a fiducial dependance on him. You will further learn by this, That as he took thy Nature, and made thy Sins (as it were) his, ſo he hath made his Righteouſneſs thine. An hour of Temptation, either of this Nature, or to deſpair of Gods Mercy, as to the pardon of Sin, and the Eternal Salvation of the Soul, will diſcover the value of thoſe Phyſicians, who have found out another way to relieve afflicted Conſciences, in the ſenſe of their own Unrighteouſneſs, then by preſſing the great Doctrine of the Goſpel of the Juſtification of the Soul, by the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, reckoned to the believing Soul for Righteouſneſs. And certainly, Gods Abſolution or Acquittance of a Soul from its Debts to Divine Juſtice, by the Righteouſneſs of the Son of God, reckoned, accounted, or (which is the ſame) imputed to it, as if performed by it, is of no more difficult Conception (whatever ſome pretend in the caſe) than a Creditors Diſcharge, and giving Acquittance to a Debtor upon his Friend or Sureties payment of the Debt; upon which the Principal is Diſcharged, as if he had perſonally paid it. Believe it, other Notions may afford matter of Diſcourſe in a calm time, but nothing but the Notion of Free Grace and Chriſts Righteouſneſs reckoned to us, will ſerve us in an hour of Temptation. Let us therefore rather chuſe to part with the Sun in the Firmament, or with the Light of our Eyes, than to part with this great Truth. Let ſome truſt in Charriots, ſome in Horſes. Let ſome truſt in the Works of others, ſome in their own Fancies; but let us remember the Name of the Lord of God, and let us remember that his Name is the Lord our Righteouſneſs. When a Soul is under great Horror and Terrors of Conſcience, becauſe of its Guiltineſs, its former guilt of Sin, let the Sin be what, and of what Nature it will. Oh let it remember that Chriſt was given for a Covenant for the People; he was by his Father called in Righteouſneſs, and his Hand was held, and he was kept and given for a Covenant of the People, for a Light of the Gentles, to open the blind Eyes, to to bring the Priſoners from the Priſon, and them that ſit in Darkneſs, out of the Priſon Houſe; Iſaiah 42. 6, 7. Let him remember that he is to ſay, Iſaiah 45. 24. Surely in the Lord I have Righteouſneſs and Strength. That if he had never committed thoſe Sins, which now ſo lie upon and load his Conſcience, yet he could never have ſtood before God in his own Works, and in a legal Righteouſneſs; but what the Law could not do becauſe it was weak through our Fleſh, that God himſelf hath done, ſending his Son in the likeneſs of ſinful Fleſh, and for Sin condemning Sin in the Fleſh, that the Righteouſneſs of the Law might be fulfilled in us; Rom. 8. 3. And let him conſider, that being he muſt be ſaved by Chriſt, and ſtand before God, as found in him, not having his own Righteouſneſs, though his Nakedneſs hath been more than the Nakedneſs of ſome other Men, yet that long white Robe is large enough to cover it; for the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, his Merits, are of vaſt and infinite Vertue; as the Schoolmen ſay of Gods Eſſence, that it filleth Heaven and Earth, and an infinite ſpace beyond both. So the Merits of Chriſt have expiated for the Sins of all that ſhall be ſaved, and have an infinite Vertue beyond. Therefore there is no reaſon for a Soul to concluds its Sins ſhall not be forgiven, or its Horrors of Conſcience for them never ceaſe: thoſe ceaſe of courſe upon the ſenſe of pardon, or a good hope through Grace. It is but a Relique of Popery that tortureth Mens Conſciences paſt cure, I mean an Opinion lurking in us, that we muſt our ſelves ſatisfie the Juſtice of God; and that upon the price paid, and ſatisfaction given by Chriſt, pardon doth not proceed freely; for all Sin, and all Blaſphemy, to a Soul ſeeking for it, by earneſt Prayer, true Sorrow for Sin, and reſolution againſt it, and a true adherence to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
3. Again, Study the Sureneſs of this Covenant. It is a Covenant of Salt, as well as a Covenant of Peace. Gods Covenant with Day and Night, ſhall ſooner ceaſe; it containeth the ſure Mercies of David. It cannot fail, God cannot ſuffer his Faithfulneſs to fail, he cannot alter the thing that hath gone out of his Lips. The failure of Covenants amongſt Men, is rooted in their Variableneſs and Mutability, their want of Fore-ſight and Knowledge of future Contingencies, &c. no ſuch thing can be as to this Covenant. He is the Lord that changeth not, his Name is, I am, he had a perfect and certain Proſpect and Fore-ſight of all that could happen.
4. Finally, Meditate of it as a well ordered Covenant. It is true, The Covenant of Grace hath its Conditions to be fulfilled on our part. Such as are the taking hold of it, mentioned Iſ. 56. 6. which cannot be without ſeeking the Lord while he may be found, calling upon him while he is near; the wicked Man forſaking his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and his returning to the Lord; Iſaiah 55. 6, 7. and perſeverance in the ways of God, is another condition to be performed. But as to thoſe, it is in this well ordered. That there are Branches in the ſame Covenant, wherein God hath promiſed: 1. To work thoſe Conditions in us; that is, we doing what in us lies by Vertue of that Common Grace, which he denieth to none, or by Vertue of thoſe ſpecial Habits, which he will pleaſe to work in us, not to be wanting in thoſe further Aids and Aſſiſtances of his Grace, by which we ſhall be inabled to do whatſoever he hath required of us: in order to the obtaining the promiſed end of our Hopes in the Salvation of our Souls. 2. That that thoſe Failings which we ſhall be guilty of through Humane Infirmity, though they may cauſe us ſorrow in the Fleſh, yet they ſhall not fruſtrate the Promiſe and Covenant of God, he will yet heal our Backſlidings and love us freely. Now the Covenant of Grace being thus rightly underſtood and apprehended, I would fain underſtand what room can poſſibly be left in a Sinner for Satan to faſten this fiery Dart, with any effect upon the Soul. I will ſuppoſe a Soul under the greateſt Terror imaginable, for Sins of the higheſt nature. Why ſhould he deſtroy himſelf, if there be hope in the God of Heaven, concerning ſuch Sinners? If all Sin and Blaſphemy, whereby a Man ſhall Blaſpheme, may be forgiven him? Is God a Righteous God that loveth Righteouſneſs, and can by no means clear the guilty? Why yet ſhould he do it, if he hath provided the Soul a Righteouſneſs, whereby it may ſtand Righteous before God, acquitted form all manner of Guilt, and out of all danger of Condemnation? What if it hath formerly been without Righteouſneſs, and be yet without Strength or Ability to any Act of Righteouſneſs; if the Righteouſneſs wherein it muſt ſtand before God, be not any perſonal Righteouſneſs of its own, but the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt reckoned to it for Righteouſneſs? Is it tormented through fear of future Sinnings, the prevailings of Temptations, or its own Corruptions? Yet why ſhould the poor Creature run himſelf out of the World upon this fright, when the Covenant of Grace is ſo well ordered, as there is in it a ſufficient Proviſion made for it, both for Aſſiſtance againſt the prevailings and dominion of Sin, to that degree, as to ruin the Soul to Eternity, and as to that degree of Guilt, which every Soul through Ignorance, Infirmity, pure or mixt, runs into, for the healings of its Backſlidings. What is here left for a ſinful Soul to do, but to uſe the means of Grace, to apply it ſelf unto God by Faſting and Prayer, to conſider its ways, and what in it lies to turn to the Lord, to be ſenſible of its Sins, and to truſt in the Lords Mercies, taking heed to it ſelf that it ſin no more preſumptuouſly; abſtaining from all appearances of Evil, ſtudying to perfect Holineſs in the fear of God; and daily to renew its Repentance and Faith in Chriſt, as it diſcerneth its Sins are renewing every day. To what purpoſe doth a Soul under ſuch gracious and hopeful Circumſtances think of deſtroying it ſelf, and aſſerting its own Eternal Condemnation, or at leaſt making its Salvation very uncertain, which it ſhould rather deſign to make ſure, by an Holy Life and Converſation. So that, I ſay, admit Horror of Conſcience for Sin to be the Argument Satan makes uſe of to inforce this Temptation, nothing can be more proper for a Soul exerciſed under the Temptation, than to ſtudy, underſtand, lay hold on, make application of, and improve the Covenant of Grace; and often to repeat to it ſelf that of St. Paul, Rom. 8. 34, 35. Who is he that condemneth? Or what ſin is that which can condemn me? It is Chriſt that died, yea rather that is riſen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who alſo maketh interceſſion for us, who ſhall ſeparate us from the Love of Chriſt? But this is enough to have ſpoken upon this Argument.