The Axe at the Root of Professors Miscarriages, Chapter 3
Chap. III. The Miſcarriages, oppoſite to Conſenting to have God to be your God, the third Act of Faith.
1. Againſt reſuſing God.REfuſing God. Beware of ſtill refuſing to have the true God to be a God unto you, and a God over you; to have him to be your Portion and Soveraign. To be God, Gen. 17.1, 7. Rom. 9.5.implies to be enough unto all, to be an all-ſufficient and ſelf-ſufficient good: and to be over all, and above all, to be an all-commanding good. Epheſ. 4.6.To refuſe God, is to refuſe to place our happineſs in him, and to come under his government. Hath not this been your ſin? God hath offered himſelf to be your chief good, and abſolute Soveraign; but have not you refuſed ſuch offers? Yea, do not you ſtill refuſe them? There are many degrees of refuſing (as one well obſerves:) Although we may be free of ſome of them, Ob. Sedgwick's Fountain opened, &c. chap. 6.yet are not we comprized in ſome one or other of them? Are not ſome guilty of refuſing by way of preſumptuous perſecution? Are not others by way of malicious oppoſition? Are not others by way of ſcornful deriſion? Are not others by way of open (though not malicious) reſiſtance? And if we be not guilty of any of theſe refuſings, yet are not we guilty of refuſing by way of diſsent, or unperſwaſion? Are not we yet unperſwaded to accept of God upon his own tearms? Certainly there is no medium 'twixt Faith and Infidelity: 'twixt receiving of God, and refuſing of God. He that is not with me (ſaith Chriſt) is against me. He, that doth not accept of God, doth refuſe him. That Chapman, that will not take your Wares at your price, in ſo doing, he doth refuſe them. That Woman, that diſſents, that will not conſent, that ſuch a man ſhould be her Husband, refuſeth to marry with him. Are not you ſtill unperſwaded to have God himſelf for your Portion, Lam. 3.24. Portio cujuſ que dicitur in quo felicitatem ſuam quiſ que collocat. Calv.to place your happineſs in him, and abſolute Soveraign, to come under his government? Is not this evident in the remaining deafneſs of the ears of your Souls? Not to give ear to, or not to obey the Word of the Lord, is to reject it; and to reject the Word of God, is to reject God himſelf. Pſa. 81.11.My people would not hearken to my voice, and Iſrael would none of me. Were you ever yet effectually called? Did God ever yet ſpeak in ſuch a voice, as could not but be heard, as could not be withſtood? If yet your ears are deaf unto the calls of God, if yet you are able to withſtand the voice of God, certainly you do ſtill refuſe him. Do not your hearts remain obdurate? Do the offers of God make any impreſſion on them? Is any ſavour of God to be found in them? Alas! Gods offers do not move or ſtirr them cordially to defire the enjoyment of him, and ſubjection to him. Do not our worthleſs thoughts of God ſtill continue? Do not we ſtill think, that God is not worth ſo much pains, ſo many prayers, ſo much hearing, ſo much time, ſo many ſighs and tears, &c. Alas! which of us accounts Gods offers the beſt bargains? That which a man counts to be his beſt bargain, O. Sedg. &c. p. 301, 302.he will (ſaith the ſame Author) (1.) Make all things to give way to that (2.) Make that to fill up his deſire. (3.) It will draw forth his choiceſt diligence and pains. (4.) He will be at ſome loſs to gain it. (5.) He is peremptory, and unmoveably earneſt for the enjoyment of it. (6.) The fruition of it preſents unto him the ſweetest joy. Do we thus account cloſing with God beſt, Beſt of all? Where then are our preſent cares to get God himſelf? Where are our ſtrong fears leſt we miſs of God? Where are our full deſires, and peremptory and ſtedfaſt reſolutions to be the Lords, as well as to have God to be ours? … will we part with for God? Whence comes in our ſweeteſt joy? To them that believe, i. e. receive Chriſt, or rather God in Chriſt, He is precious, Chriſt is precious, and God in and through Chriſt is precious. But where is the precious thought? Who are reſtleſs without God? To whom are Goods not good without God, Peace not reſt without God, Life not a beeing without God, all nothing without God? Give me children, or elſe I dye, ſaid Rachel. Doſt thou ſay, Lord, give me thy ſelf, or elſe I dye? O that this may be your ſin no more! Yet conſider, and be wiſe: O! Do not ſtill ſtand out againſt him: Though you refuſe his Miniſters, yet do not any more refuſe their Maſter: Though you like not the meſſengers, yet do not any more diſlike the offers. What ſhall I ſay, to perſwade you; or rather, whereby God himſelf may perſwade you? If you will continue ſtill reſolute, that God ſhall not be a God to, and over you: verily, God will reſolve, that you ſhall not be a people, but he will make an utter end of you: Jer. 3.1, 5. Thou haſt played the ha…lot with many lovers; yet return unto me, ſaith the Lord. — Will he reſerve his anger for ever. Acts 3.19. Hebr. 10.26.yet in the midſt of judgement, he remembers ſo much mercy, as once more to offer himſelf unto you, notwithſtanding all your former refuſals of him; and if now you will but accept of him, all that is paſt ſhall be forgiven you, and God will receive you into his grace and favour, and never any more upbraid you with your often refuſals of him: Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your ſins (your refuſals of God in Chriſt, of ſuch ſins the Apoſtle ſpeaks in that place) may be blotted out: But if you will not, how can you read without trembling, that Word of the Lord, If we ſin wilfully, after w… have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more ſacrifice for ſins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgement, and fiery indignation, Againſt cloſing with God hypocritically.which ſhall devour the Adverſaries?
2. Cloſing with God hypocritically. Beware leſt your willingneſs to have God for your God, ſtill prove a conſent not ſuited to the object of Faith, in its abſolute neceſſary reſpects and nature. It is eſſential to God, as the object of mans Faith, (ſaith a Worthy) to be his ſupreme Lord and Rector; Baxter's Apology, p. 62, 63.and his ultimate end, and chiefeſt good: and ſo muſt be apprehended and willed by all, that indeed take him for their God: As alſo to be perfect in Beeing, Wiſdome, Goodneſs, and Power, and of perfect Veracity: yea, it is eſſential to the object of our Faith, as ſuch, to be conſidered comparatively: As that God be taken, not only as our Good, but our chief good, to be prefer…'d before every creature: that he be taken, not only as our Lord, but as Soveraign Lord, to be obeyed before all other. — Where theſe eſſentials are not in the apprehenſion of the object, there is not truly Conſent, or Faith. — Conſent hath relation to the Offer: and if it be not the offered thing, that is conſented to, but ſomewhat elſe, under that name, then it is not indeed Conſent; for there is no Relate without its Correlate. — The Civil Law ſaith, Ignorantis non eſt conſenſus; A God that is inferiour to Creatures in R…le, or Goodneſs, and Deſireableneſs, is not God indeed: And therefore, he that takes God in this ſenſe for his God, takes but the Name of God, an Idol of his own brain, and not God himſelf. Hath not this been your ſin? Is it not ſtill your ſin? Do not you ſeem to conſent, when you do not indeed and in truth conſent? You pretend, you are heartily willing, that God ſhould be your God, and that you do conſent to have him But?
Firſt, Are not you ſtill ignorant of the true God, Ignorantly.whom you ſay you conſent to take for your God? Ignorant Profeſſours can only ſeem to be Conſenters: And are not you ſtill ignorant Profeſſours? See Chap. 1.
Secondly, Are not you for having of God, Without rejecting other Gods.without rejecting of other gods? Indeed, had our hearts been alwayes chaſt and faithful, we ſhould not have needed to break, we ſhould only have tyed a knot; Teates Scripture-Map of the wilderneſs of ſin, and way to Canaan, p. 338.but becauſe of our former wanton dalliance with, and engagements unto other lovers, we muſt ſolemnly renounce and diſclaim them, or God will not be ours. Hearken O Daughter, and conſider, forget alſo thine own people, and thy fathers houſe: ſo ſhall the King greatly deſire thy beauty. But, Do not you ſtill refuſe to renounce the World for your chief good? Do not you ſtill ſay in your hearts and deſires, Who will ſhew us, Pſa: 45.10, 11, Other chief goods. Pſa. 4.6.who will give us to enjoy, any good, the good of the creature, an earthly happineſs? Do not you ſtill ſay in your hearts, Take God for a portion, who will, ſo we may have our portion in this life? Was not he guilty of blaſphemy, that ſaid, He would not part with his part in Paris, for a part in Paradiſe? And are not your hearts guilty of the ſame? Do not you ſtill place your happineſs, either in riches, or honours, or pleaſures? Haec tria pro trino numine mundus habet.Do not ſome cry out, Let us enjoy our pleaſures, and we matter not God and Heaven; yea, we matter not wealth or honour? Do not others cry out, Let us get riches, and we matter not grace and glory; yea, we matter not honour or pleaſure? P…pulus mihi ſibilat, & mihi plaud….Do not your earneſt deſires of having, carking cares, and anxious endeavours for the procuring, inordinate delight in the enjoyment, diſtruſtful fears of loſing, and repining ſorrows for parting with, this Worlds good things, ſpeak out plainly, that you ſtill place your happineſs in the creature? Do not you ſtill refuſe to renounce all other Lords? Other Lords.Are not ſome ſtill reſolved to be ruled by the Devil, to be what he would have them be, and to do what he would have them do? Eph. 2.3. foreignAre none of you Children of diſobedience? The original word imports, Children unperſwadable. Are not ſome ſtill unperſwadable by any Arguments to reject Satans injections and counſels? Are not others ſtill reſolved to be ruled by the world, the things of the World, the men of the World? The World ſhall cut out their work, and chooſe their Imployments, yea their very Religion, and ſet limits to it: Mens opinions, precepts, practiſes ſhall be their rule and ſtandard. Are not others ſtill reſolved to be ruled by themſelves! to continue their own Lords, conſulting only with fleſh and blood, doing only what is good in their own eyes, Jer. 44.17, 18.as that People, who cryed out, We will certainly do whatſoever thing goeth forth of our own mouth; for then we had plenty of viciual and were well, and ſaw no evil: but ſince we left off, we have wanted all things, and have been conſumed by the ſword. But what ſaith Chriſt? Mat. 6.24:No man can ſerve two maſters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other: or elſe he will hold to the one, and deſpiſe the other: Yee cannot ſerve God and mammon. Verily, you cannot be ruled by the fleſh, or the World, or the Devil, and by God too.
Thirdly, Without yielding up ſelf unto God.Are not you ſtill for having God to be yours, without an hearty willingneſs to be the Lords? Verily you will finde it, that it is not enough to think or ſay, I am none of Satans, I am not for the World, I will not be for the Fleſh: thou muſt come to ſay heartily, Hoſ. 2.7.I am Gods; I am, and through grace will continue Gods, and none but Gods. We muſt not only leave our former lovers, Yeare, &c. p. 339.but we muſt return to our firſt husband. What is this (ſaith one) but the marriage-match, and in the trueſt ſenſe, the true lovers-knot? But alas! can each of us ſay, I am thine, ſave me? Pſal. 119.94.I am not mine own, not the Worlds, not Satans; but thine, thine really, thine totally, thine ſolely, thine everlaſtingly; ſave me. Are not you ſtill unwilling that all you are, Roberts of the Covenant. fol. 94, 95.all that you have, all that you can do, and all that you can endure, ſhould be the Lords? Are not you ſtill unwilling that your minds ſhould be his to apprehend and believe him? Your conſciences his, to accuſe, or excuſe you according to his pleaſure? your memories his to retain him? your wills his to yield and ſubmit to him? your hearts and affections his to be employed about him and his concernments? your eyes his to behold his works? your ears his to hear his word? All your ſenſes his, to be caſements and inlets to his goodneſs? your members his to be weapons o… righteouſneſs? your being his to be only for him? Are not you ſtill unwilling that all your credit, pleaſures, riches, time, parts, gifts, priviledges, relations; &c. Should be Homagers unto God? Are not you ſtill unwilling that all you can do ſhould be either for publiſhing, and maintaining his truth, or promoting his worſhip, or protecting his Church, or advancing his Kingdome, or fulfilling his will? Are not you ſtill unwilling to bear Christs reproach, Heb. 13 13, 36, 37, 38to undergo tryals of cruel mockings, and ſcourgings, bonds, and impriſonments; if need be to be ſtoned, ſawn aſunder, tempted, ſlain with the ſword, to wander about in ſheep skins and goat-skins, in Deſerts and in Mountains, and in Dens, and in Caves of the Earth being deaitute, afflicted, tormented for his ſake? To reſiſt even unto blood, fighting againſt ſin? Hebr: 12: 4…Is not this ſtill the language of your hearts, Let us break his bands aſunder, and ca… away his cords from us? Pſal: 2.3.Which of us doth yet yield himſel… unto the Lord? The genuine conſtitution of the Hebrew phraſe is, Give yee the hand unto Jehovah. Aſh on 2 Chron. 30.8. Job 11: 13: Iſa: 1: 15: 1 Chro. 29.14. Ezek: 17: 18: Prov. 22: 26:Are not you ſtill unwilling to ſtretch out your hands to God, to be take your ſelves to God in prayer? Are not you ſtill unwilling to yield chediential ſubjection to Gods government, as they ſubmitted themſelves (or gave the hand) unto Solomon the King? Are not you ſtill unwilling to enter into Covenant with God to be his (which in Scripture is called giving the hand, and ſtriking hands) according to the Directions in the late famous Vindication of Piety.
Fourthly, Is not your willingneſs to have God forced, and not free? F…reedly and not freely:Properly indeed every conſent is voluntary; but yet that may be called an involuntary conſent, when the will, might it uſe its own liberty with ſafety, would not conſent, though at preſent it doth. Such a conſent doth a Marriner give to caſt his goods over-board in a Storm. God wooes and wins hearts; Teate, &c: page 337.he doth not raviſh them. Indeed at firſt they are not only coy, but crooked: He comes to his own (in this ſenſe, even his own intended, and elect Lady and Spouſe) but ſhe receives him not. What gracious heart is there, but with bitterneſs remembers how often it refuſed God, before he brought it to a yea, and Amen? pſal: 110: 3:God only of unwilling makes them willing in the day of his power. But alas! are not you ſtill forced to be willing to have him, rather then to be damned? Did you ever look after God, but in a ſtrait? Have not ſin, and the World been your only delight in good days? Ob: ſedg: &c: f…nut: open: pag: 303, 304:and God your deſire only in evil days? In your extremities God ſhall go for a Number; but in your proſperity he ſhall ſtand only for a cipher. Verily involuntary conſents are falſe, are none, are indeed real refuſings.
Fifthly, Is not your willingneſs to have God defective, and not full? Defectively and not fully: Teate, &c: page 338:Right conſenting is not only a free, but a full act of the will. A divided heart never yet conſented indeed to have God for its God. Surely that Chriſt, that God in Chriſt, that will not allow one man to ſerve two maſters, will never allow one woman to have two husbands, eſpecially if himſelf muſt be one of them: But alas! though you may not place your happineſs altogether in the creature, yet are not you ſtill for placing ſome part of your happineſs in ſome created good? Though you be not altogether for being ruled only by Satan, or the World, or the Fleſh: yet are not you ſtill unwilling not to be ruled in the leaſt by any of thoſe Lords? Ob: Sedg: &c: pag: 302, 303:Are not you ſtill unwilling to become fully the Lords? Is there not ſome one thing in your ſelves, in the World, that you ſtick for? God can prevail with you for all, but one thing, in that he muſt yield unto you. Is there not ſome one thing in God that you ſtick at? you like Gods mercy, and his love, and his graciouſneſs, and his happineſs: but is there not ſome one thing in God that you like not? Do not you miſlike either his holineſs, or his juſtice, or his anger, and wrath againſt ſin? Are you ſure that you like his Rule, and Authority, his Spirit, his All? Alas! in this, or in that, you cannot like him, you cannot come up to him: you are content to part with this, and to leave that; to do this, and to ſuffer that; but you cannot yield up all unto God: you will part with ſome ſins, yea with all but one: you will forſake much of the World, but not all. Is not your conſent accompanied with ſome one exception or other? you will have God, that with him you may enjoy ſuch a luſt, or ſo that with him you may have ſuch a kind of life: ſo that for him you may not hazard your name, and credit, or your liberty, or livelihood, or your very life. If it be thus, verily you do but pretend to conſent: your ſeeming conſent is a real diſſent. This one difference between God and your ſouls, will keep the breach between you from being made up, and condemn you for Refuſers of him. No bargain, no match, can be made where there is one exception.
Sixthly, For the future, and not for the preſent:Are not you only willing to have God for the future and not for the preſent? Do not you delay to cloſe with God, as your chiefeſt good, and ſupreameſt Lord? Do not you pauſe on Gods offers, and put him off for the preſent? Hath not God your preſent denial, but the Fleſh, the World, and the Devil, your preſent Embracements? You take the preſent time to pleaſe the Fleſh, to enjoy the World, to gratify the Devil; but you do not take the preſent time to enjoy God. O Sinner! what is it that thy Heart doth at preſent chooſe and cleave unto? Is it not ſomething ſinful, or worldly? Do not ſome of you ſee a more preſent good in your Luſts, than in God? Do not others ſee a more preſent good in the World, than in God? Are not you ſtill guilty of trifling delayes? O. Sedg. &c. pag. 281.Do not you ſay to God as Foelix to Paul, Go thy way for this time, when I have a convenient ſeaſon I will call for thee? Acts 24.25.A conſent for the future is no other than a preſent diſſent. It is indeed a moſt contemptible refuſing of God, when we do not judge his offers even of himſelf to be our chief good, and ſupreameſt Lord, worthy of acceptation; of all acceptation, of all acceptation for the preſent.
Seventhly, Is not your willingneſs to have God temporary, Temporarily and weakly. Allens Vindication of Godlineſs. pag. 276, 277.and weak, and not habitual, and prevailing? It is not (ſaith one) what thou art in a fit, or in a fright, or in a ſudden paſſion, in ſickneſs, or under the apprehenſions of death, that will give thee any certain Light, by which thou maiſt judge of thy ſtate, but what thou art in the ſtanding and abiding diſpoſition and bent of thy Soul. He, that hath indeed conſented to have God for his God, abides willing, is never unwilling (when he is himſelf) to be rid of Sin, the World, and the Devil, and to place his Happineſs in the enjoyment of God, and being under his government: To be ſure, his willingneſs abides greater than his unwillingneſs. But alas! Are not you only willing to have God in Fits and Moods? Do not you remain habitually unwilling? Is not your unwillingneſs greater than your willingneſs? Right willingneſs (ſaith the ſame Author) will diſcover it ſelf to be prevailing by bringing forth both Reſolution & Reſiſtance againſt Sin: Where a man is truly willing to be rid of Sin, he will not only be patient, and give God leave to Crucifie all his beloved Luſts, and darling Corruptions, and give the Word leave to hew and ſtrike home at the root of them, without hiding them, or warding off the blow, or wiſhing they may be ſpared to him; but ſtands ſtedfaſtly on Gods ſide, and taking part with him againſt, reſolves to uſe all his means for the conquering and overcoming of them: And this reſolution will bring forth reſiſtance, a reſtraining, curbing, and withſtanding of Sin in all its Workings. But were you ever thus reſolved againſt the Fleſh, the World, and the Devil, and for God? Do you yet thus reſiſt all Temptations to the contrary?
3. Renouncing God.Renouncing of God. Hath not this been your Sin? Even ſince you have conſented that God ſhould be your God, have not you caſt him off? Have you not returned with the Dog to the Vomit, and with the Sow to wallow again in the Mire? Have not you returned to your Former Lovers, and to be again in ſubjection to thoſe other Lords, that have had abſolute dominion over you? Howard's Souls miſery and recovery, &c. page 134.If you have not rejected God directly and intentionally, yet have not you rejected him conſequently and implicitly? Thus Saul, in ſparing Agag, and the fat Beaſts of the Amalekites againſt Gods expreſs commandment, 1 Sam. 15.23.is ſaid to have Rejected Gods Word, & therefore God himſelf. Becauſe thou haſt rejected the Word of the Lord he hath alſo rejected thee from being King. Have not you with deliberation, for the gaining of ſomewhat that pleaſed you, done that which is indeed caſting off of God? Which of you can ſay, Pſal. 44.18, 19, 20, 21.Our heart is not turned back, neither have our ſteps declined from thy way, though thou ha… ſore broken us in the place of Dragons, and covered us with the ſhadow of Death? Oh! if we have forgotten the Name of the Lord, or ſtretcht out our hands to a …ran…e God, ſhall not God ſearch out this? Have not you liſted up your heel against God, after you have liſted up your hand unto God? Hath not God threatned to renounce you, becauſe you have renounced him? 2 Tim. 2.12.to deny you, becauſe you have denied him? O! be at length perſwaded to remember from whence you are fallen, Rev. 2.….and repent, Acts 11.23.and do your fir…t-works; and for the future, with purpoſe of heart to cleave unto the Lord: i. e. (as one well obſerves) as you have made a good choice, Antiphar…nacum Saluber …mum. p. 6.ſo ſtill to ſ…ick to your choice. Never more refuſe God, as the Stomach is ſaid to refuſe ſuch meat, a…, becauſe of its contrariety to its appetite, it vomits up again.
Now that you may not only heartily mourn for, but carefully take heed of, even virtual, as well as formal refuſals of Gods offers of himſelf unto you to be your God, conſider ſeriouſly what provocations all kinds of refuſals of God are unto his Majeſty? Muſt it not neceſſarily incenſe him, that you ſhould (as it were) tell him you will have none of his Mercy, none of his Love, none of Himſelf; you had rather enjoy the World, yea, your luſts, which diſhonour and grieve him ſo much? Jer. 44.4, 5.Hath not God ſaid, Wherefore (ſpeaking of this very ſin) my fury hath been poured forth, and kindled in the Cities of Judah, and in the Streets of Jeruſalem, and they are waſted and deſolate, as at this day? Yea, may you not ſear, that God will let you fall in this hour of temptation; yea, give you up unto your own hearts luſts, to commit all manner of wickedneſs? Iſrael would have none of me: ſo I gave them up unto their own hearts luſt, Pſa 81.11, 1….and they walked in their own counſels.