The Way of Life, Treatises 1 · Treatise 3
ZACH. 12.10.
And I will poure upon the house of David, &c.
COme we now to the third Effect of the spirit of Grace, where ever it is bestowed.
Doct. 3 When the spirit of grace openeth our eyes to behold Christ, whom we have pierced, it pierceth our hearts with godly sorrow.
So saith the Text; They shall looke upon him, (meaning, when this spirit of grace, and of prayer, is poured forth upon them) it shall not be a wandring looke, or a sleight beholding; but such a wist, and serious beholding him whom they have pierced, as shall make them mourne exceedingly, as a man for the losse of his onelyonly sonne; or as the commonwealth of Israel, for the losse of Iosiah. They shall mourne for him, or over him: it is not therefore a worldly sorrow, for it is set upon a spirituall object, Christ; nor is it meerely such a sorrow, as a spirit of bondage, or despaire may worke. For a man in hell may mourne for sinne; but it is not here said, they shall mourne for themselves, but for him, their mourning shall be chiefely conversant about Christ; so that a gracious looking upon Christ pierced for us, and by us, pierceth our hearts with godly sorrow, pierced by us; They shall looke upon him, whom they have pierced, and not meerely by us, but for us, whom they have pierced; not onelyonly to the shame, and confusion of their owne faces, but pierced also to the shedding of his blood, whereby our selves are healed; such a looke upon Christ, when ever it is wrought by the spirit of grace, there it pierceth the heart with godly sorrow. Acts 2.36, 37. where this Scripture is literally accomplished, Peter convinces them, that he whom they had pierced with the sorrowes of death, was the Lord Christ. VponUpon the hearing of this, they were pricked in their hearts, they that had pierced him by their sinnes against him, now feele their hearts pierced for him. Againe, Acts 5.3. there was added to the Church two thousand more, but how were they brought on? By this very argument, I know that through ignorance you have crucified him, you have denied the Holy, and Iust one, and killed the Prince of Life, and Glory, Acts 3.14▪ 15. And thus he goes on to convince them, that how ever, of ignorance they had killed him; yet, he whom they had killed, was the Prince of Life: and how ever the high Priest tooke it offensively, Chap. 4.3. yet, they that heard the word beleeved, and still more was added to the Church; So that it comes to this issue, that the two first Sermons, that did shew unto the people of God, that by their wicked hands, they had crucified Christ, they prevailed to bring five thousand to godly sorrow.
Now for opening this point, I said, this godly sorrow, by which men are brought on to Christ, springs from beholding of Christ pierced by us, and for us: See these opened.
Pierced by us: This implies two things. First, that we looke at all our sinnes, as piercing Christ; a man that is led by a spirit of grace, to a penitentiall, and godly sorrow, is brought on to consider thus much: That all his sinnes he hath committed, have beene a piercing, and crucifying of Christ; the sinne of his nature, the vanitie of his childe-hood, the rebellions of his youth, and sins of riper times, what ever they be, whether against nature, or the morall law of God; this is one worke, which the spirit of grace effects, in the hearts of all Gods people: It opens their eyes to see, that all their sinnes in conclusion, have reflected upon Christ, the burthen, and smart of them, have fallen upon him, for Rom. 6. ult. The wages of sinne is death; either we must dye for every one of our sinnes, or else, the Lord Jesus Christ must die for every one of us; every sinne must either pierce us, or him to the death; and therefore when we see that there is life, and hope of life in us, it makes us see, that by his stripes we are healed, Esay 53.17. There is not any sin we commit, but brings with it Gods wrath and curse upon our souls, Gal. 3.10. so that if there be any work of the Law that wee have not continually performed, we are accursed; and either we must beare the curse and wrath of God, or else the Lord Jesus must suffer for us. Look at all our sins, as so many nailes that fastned him to the crosse, as so many venemous darts in his soule, as so many vials of the fierce wrath of the Lord; had not he born the insupportable burden of the wrath of God for our sins, we had every soule of us perished everlastingly. Now this doth not a little melt and afflict a gracious heart.
Secondly, but yet there is more in the point then that; for by the spirit of Grace a man looks at Christ as pierced not onelyonly by our sinnes, but especially in this respect, that the greatest sins that we have committed, have been sins against Christ himselfe, and that makes them most grievous, as being committed against Christ; and by this means we come to mourn bitterly. It is no small anguish to see so many of his sins like so many darts in his heart; but that we should personally sinne against him that hath done so much for us, this wounds so much the more; that when a man sees any sinne against Christ, whether against his person, or against any ordinance of his, it is so much the more grievous, by how much the more neerly it concerns Christ.
For first, a man considers he hath sinned against the bloud of Christ, against the value and the virtue of it. The Apostle mightily prefers the bloud of Christ above the bloud of buls and goats, Heb. 10.4. and yet there is not any gracious heart but is sensible that he hath despised the bloud of Christ more then he would have done the bloud of a bull, or a goat, or a ram. Take this instance in particular. Suppose thou shouldst never sweare an oath, or tell a lye, or broken the Sabbath at any time, but it would have cost thee a bullock for a sin-offering, and a ram for a trespasse-offering, and fine flowre, and wine, and oyle for a meat-offering, wouldst not thou by this time have left all thy oathes, and lyes, and profaning of Gods Sabbaths? should every transgression in this kinde have cost thee but a bullock, or a ram, or a lambe, thou wouldst ere now have growne very chary of committing these sins; and yet this was the expresse Law of God in former times, a man might not commit any sinne, and look for the pardon of it, but so much must goe for a sin-offering, and so much for a trespasse-offering, &c. And hence it came to passe, that generally scarce any of these vices were found amongst them, especially when the people of God sought after God in any measure of truth, because they knew no pardon, unlesse it cost them something.
Now if this prevailed to the working of an universall reformation, but when a man now shall know that it is not the bloud of buls and goats that can free him from such sins, but now he must have his soule sprinkled with the bloud of the Lord Jesus, and without that there is no peace nor healing to his conscience. Why then, do but consider whether we doe not vilifie the bloud of Christ, when we that know there is no redemption from sin, but by the bloud of Christ, and yet live in open sins, blaspheming God, cursing, swearing, &c. for the least of which had we been to pay the bloud of a bullock, we had left such wickednesse many a day agoe. And though we know the bloud of Christ is far more precious then the bloud of all the bullocks in the world, yet we goe on to multiply our sins against God, and our brethren; have not we thereby sinned against the value of Christs bloud, as if it were of lesse value then the bloud of a goat, when as we make no more conscience of swearing, and lying, &c. no not so much as we would, if it were to cost us a sheep or a lamb. Yet though you know the bloud of Christ must goe for every sinne, else it cannot be healed, yet we make no conscience of any sin, and so also we sin against the virtue of Christs bloud; For when a man shall consider he hath been sprinkled with the bloud of Christ, and his heart yet defiled with hypocrisie, and uncleannesse, &c. what is there no virtue in the bloud of Christ? is it spent in vaine? the bloud of buls and goats could have left us no worse: If the bloud of Christ leave us thus, is not the bloud of Christ shed in vain, when it cleanseth neither the inward nor outward man? Now the sight and consideration of this, helps us to some measure of godly sorrow for sin.
Secondly, a sinne against Christ, is not onelyonly sinning against his bloud, but when we sin against the word of his grace; for it is the word sprinkled by the bloud of Christ, by which it hath any efficacie in our hearts, Acts 20.32. There is no man that sees Christ by a spirit of Grace, but he begins to see that he hath sinned against the Gospel of Christ, and this is to pierce Christ: and this afflicts him deeply, that the word of his grace which he hath caused to be sent forth for my conversion and salvation, and for me to stand out against that, this much afflicts me. Prov 5.11, 12, 13. speaking of a man turning to God, Thou shalt mourne in the end, he shall say, in sense of his sin, How is it that I have hated instruction, and despised reproofe? I was almost in all evill, &c. Thus will a man mourne and lament for his sin, when he comes to see how vaine his course is; it will vexe his soule, and pierce him to the heart, to consider how many wayes God hath spoken to him, how many sweet reproofs and counsels have been tendered to him, what sweet offers have been made him, if hee would turne to God, and how have I made a shift to despise them all? Thus will a mans heart bleed within him, to consider that he should thus sinne against the word of Gods grace.
Thirdly, we sin against Christ, when the spirit of Grace opens our eyes to see that we have sinned against the seales of the covenant of grace, as Baptisme, and the Lords Supper. In Baptisme he promised to renounce the devill the world, and the flesh, and there gave up himselfe unto the family of Christ, to become a servant to him: And in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, we receive the Lord Jesus to be not onelyonly our Saviour, but our Governor; and now comes to consider how vainly we have abused both these Ordinances, it much afflicts him: to have lived a baptized Christian, twenty, forty, or sixty yeares, and not more washed from sin then a Turk or a Jew, considering he hath been baptized, and received the Sacraments, and his heart as vain, and life profane as ever, this makes his soule to bleed within him.
Fourthly, we sin against Christ, when the spirit of Grace opens our eyes to let us see that we have sinned against himself, Eph. 4.30. and herein we see we have sinned above all our other sins, and it will come to a mans minde not onelyonly how many good counsels he hath despised, but how many checks of conscience he hath resisted, the good motions that he hath smothered, then he begins to conceive that he hath sinned against the holy Ghost, thinks he shall never be forgiven. And though it be not that unpardonable sin, yet it works him to much anguish and sorrow.
Fiftly, the spirit of Grace opens a mans eyes to see that he hath sinned against the members of Christ: We pierce Christ in piercing his members, Act. 9.4, 5, 6. When he comes to consider that he hath compelled the members of Christ to blaspheme, this vexes and anguishes his heart; for every thing of Christ is Christ himselfe, you cannot pierce any one of his members, but you pierce him.
Sixtly, you will see it to be a sin against Christ, in that you have sinned against the fatherly chastisements of God, sometimes sicknesse, sometimes losse of goods, many sweet and wholsome afflictions, and yet we are never a whit the better; this pierces a soule to consider that God hath done all this about him, and yet still he as unprofitable as ever, this will make a man mourn exceedingly, Ier. 31.18.
Seventhly, the spirit of Grace helps us to see how much we have despised the gracious blessings God hath multiplyed upon us; he hath filled our basket and our store, and hath blessed our goings out and our commings in, in all that we have set our hearts or hands unto. Now when he considers that God hath done all this for me, and that yet after all this I should neither addresse my self, nor traine up mine to feare him, but still live as if all this had sprung out of the earth, and not meerly from the bounteous goodnesse of God himselfe, this will so pierce an heart with shame and griefe, to think that these come not onelyonly from Gods bounteous hands, but they are given us by vertue of Christs death; for us to sin against him that hath done so many great things for us, this will pierce the heart of any man. Doe you thus requite the Lord, oh ye foolish people and unwise? Deut. 32.6.
But secondly, the spirit of Grace opens our eyes to look at Christ pierced for us, so as now we begin to consider that in Christ there is plenteous redemption, there is in his bloud remission for the sins of all that will come unto him, and hence we come to hope on Christ for salvation. And then to consider that all this the Lord Jesus hath done for me, had there been no more sinners but my selfe, his bloud had been spilt for me; now that Christ should doe this for me, this so afflicts a soule, that now he is willing to set himselfe apart, and goe alone, and bewaile the wretchednesse of his heart before God.
Reas. 1 Taken from the hardnesse of our hearts which is found by nature in every soule, that unlesse the spirit of Grace set all these awork, we shall never mourne for him. Take a naturall man, and tell him that if ever he be saved, it is by Christs blood; tell him how much he hath sinned against the blood of Christ, and the Spirit of grace, the Sacraments, the chastisements, the mercies of God, this no more sinks into him, then raine into the nether milstone. If he grieve for any thing, it is for corn, and wine, and oyle, Hos. 7.14. He makes a mock at sinne, Prov. 14.9. especially of sinnes against Christ. Or suppose we be brought to a little shame and griefe, it is but because they wound our consciences, not because they have pierced Christ. Iudas griefe was not for that hee had wounded Christ, but his owne conscience. Take the best hypocrite that is farthest carried on-end by common grace, and his heart is never so much softned as to lament for piercing Christ. By nature we cannot once cry for any sin, farther then it is burdensome to our consciences.
Reas. 2 Taken from the power of the grace of Christ. It opens our eyes to see sinnes against Grace as our greatest sinnes; no wickednesse like to that. Neh. 9.27. The deliverers of Gods people were called Saviours, and therefore now sinned in this above all our other sins. 1 Sam. 12.13, 19. The spirit of Grace looks at sins against Saviours, as chiefest and greatest; though they had doubtlesse committed many other sins, yet none pierced them so much as this, it was because they grew weary of their Saviour. So Chorazin and Bethsaida were greater sinners then they of Sodome and Gomorrah, Mat. 11.20, 24. and yet the Sodomites defiled with most loathsome abominations, Esay 16.49. yet they had committed greater sins in sleighting Christ and his grace, then the Sodomites had done. Better be a whoremonger, or an Adulterer, then an unprofitable hearer of the Word.
Reas. 3 Because it opens our hearts to see and discerne the wonderfull love of Christ in every ordinance of his; by how much the more abundant the mercy of God is to us, so much the more is our hearts confounded within us, that we have sinned against them all. Luke 7.36. to 47. She was reputed for a notorious sinner, a common harlot, yet comes to Christ and weeps over him, and our Saviour renders the reason, she had much kindnesse shewed her in the pardon of many and great sins, and therefore she loved much, much forgiven, and therefore the heart melts much.
Vse 1 A signe of tryall: Take hence a true discerning, whether we have received a spirit of Grace or no; if we have, it will evidence it selfe in this, we shall not onelyonly look at our sins against Christ as great, but we shall see our sins as so many venomous arrows wounding the heart of Christ, wee shall mourne more for wounding Christ, then for any thing. The spirit of Grace lets us see our sins as so many daggers pointing at the heart of Christ, it melts our hearts in regard of the kindnesse of God, that God should forgive us such monstrous and ugly sins. If God therefore have given you to see that you by sin have been injurious to the Lord Jesus, and there is no sin thou hast committed, doth pierce thee more then that thou hast so much sleighted the bloud of Christ, and this troubles thee most that thou hast stood out so long against the word and motions of Gods Spirit, that thou hast grieved Gods children, and despised his counsels and chastisements, if these grieve thee most, it is a good testimony of the saving work of the Spirit of Grace. But on the contrary, if we can onelyonly grieve, because the world is hard, or for sin, because it sends to hell, or wounds thy conscience, then thy heart is not yet right in the sight of God.
Vse 2 To teach every soule that desires to traine up his heart to any measure of brokennesse; then call to mind your grosse sins, they may afflict you, but not melt you, till they be edged and pointed at the heart bloud of Christ. Conscience may afflict a man, and he may weary himselfe with such restlesse discouragements, as to have no quiet, and yet his heart far enough off from Christ; but as soone as we see our sins darting against Christ, then will the heart begin to melt, for that we have crucified the Lord of Life and Glory. If therefore thou wouldst bring thy heart to unfained godly sorrow, then pile thy sins as a sharp arrow shot at Christ, else they will not kindly wound thee. Consider further how you have sleighted Christ, as if it had been a small thing; but know, you had been slockned in your mothers wombe, had it not been for the blood of Christ. And consider that you have been a baptized Christian thus long, and yet many naturall men are as well carriaged men as you are. Consider how often you have refused good counsell, sinned against the afflictions, chastisements, and mercies of God. This is the course the Spirit of God takes to melt our hearts.
Vse 3 A direction to some doubting Christians, how to judge of their humiliations. Some will say, could I be but humbled enough, I should hope of Gods favour towards me; but it is so little, as I feare I have no grace at all. Wouldst thou not be deceived? be it never so little, if it look at Christ, it is a work of the spirit of Grace. To grieve for sin as it is a shame to the world, and a torment to thy conscience, they in hell may doe as much: But dost thou see thy sins setting Christ all on a light flame? If sins of this nature melt thee, it is an evidence of an unfained humiliation.
Vse 4 It may be some ground of allowance to a course questioned, Whether it be lawfull to bring suspected murderers to the person murdered? I think this Text gives some warrant thereunto: For the sight of a man pierced by us, may by a double work discover the murderer, and both from God, and no witchcraft: As first, looking at him whom we have pierced; though we look at it but as a sin against nature, or against the morall Law of God, or against our soules, the sight of him may and often doth work in a man a spirit of bondage, for doing an act so contrary to the Law of God, and of injustice to my brother. So it wrought upon Iudas; it is likely he thought his Master would have got away, as at other times, but when he saw that he was condemned, this so pierced him, that he must needs confesse that he had sinned.
Secondly, but besides a spirit of bondage, it may please God to set it on by a spirit of Grace, as it is in the Text, and that will open an heart in such a case, to see that he hath not onelyonly pierced his brother, but the Lord Jesus Christ, and that wil make him to mourn bitterly, and so may the poor soule come to be saved, though condemned to bodily death in this world. Therefore it is not an unwarrantable course, but a serving of a wise and just providence of God; for Gen. 9.6. the words are first a command to Magistrates, Secondly a threatning to the Murderer, Thirdly, a promise that it shall be found out: Though men should fail, yet God will not faile, (as we many times see) to discover Murders that have long time been buried in the dust.