An Offer of Farther Help to Suffering Saints, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Wherein the Nature of this Work of Grace, in which our habitual fitneſs for ſuffering lies, is briefly opened; and an account given of the great advantage the gracious perſon hath for any, even the hardeſt work thereby.
HAving in the former Chapter plainly evinced the neceſſity of ſaving Grace, to fit a man for Sufferings; it will be expected now, that ſome account be given you of the nature of this Work, and how it advantages a man for the diſcharge of the hardeſt ſervices in Religion: Both which I ſhall open in this Chapter, by a diſtinct Explication of the parts of this deſcription of it.
This work of Grace, What ſaving Grace is.of which I am here to ſpeak, conſiſts in the reall change of the whole Man, by the Spirit of God, whereby he is prepared for every good work: In which brief Deſcription, I ſhall open theſe four things to you.
1. That it is a Change; this is palpably evident, both from Scripture and Experience. 2 Cor. 5.17. Old things are paſt away, behold, all things are become new; and it is ſo ſenſible a Change, that it's called a turning from darkneſs to light, Act. 26.18. and a new Creature formed and brought forth. But to be a little more diſtinct and particular, there are ſeveral other Changes that paſs upon men, which muſt not be miſtaken for this: and therefore, (1.) It is not a meer change of the Judgment from Errour to Truth, from Paganiſme to Chriſtianity. Such a Change Simon Magus had, yet ſtill remained in the Gall of Bitterneſs, and faſt bound in the Bonds of Iniquity, Act. 8.23. (2.) Nor onelyonly of a mans practice, from Prophaneſs to Civility; this is common among ſuch as live under the Light of the Goſpel, which breaking into mens Conſciences, thwarts their Luſts, and over-awes them with the fears of Hell: Which is no more then what the Gentiles had, Rom. 2.15. (3.) Nor is it a change from meer Morality, to meer Formality in Religion. Thus Hypocrites are changed, by the common gifts of the Spirit, illuminating their Minds, and ſlightly touching their Affections, Heb. 6.4, 5. (4.) Nor is it ſuch a Change as Juſtification makes, which is relative, and onelyonly alters the ſtate and condition, Rom. 5.1, 2. (5.) Laſtly, it is not a change of the Eſſence of a Man; he remains eſſentially the ſame perſon ſtill.
But this Change conſiſts in the infuſion of New Habits of Grace, into the old Faculties; which immediatly depoſe ſinne from its dominion over the Soul, and deliver up the Soul into the Hands and Government of Chriſt, ſo that it lives no more to it ſelf, but to Chriſt. This is that Change whereof we ſpeak: And this Change (2) I aſſert to be reall, no phanſie, nor deluſion; not a groundleſs conceit, but it is really exiſtent, extra mentem, whether you conceit it or not. Indeed, the blind World would perſwade us it is ſuppoſititious, and phantaſtick; and that there is no ſuch reall difference betwixt one man and another, as we affirm Grace makes. And hence it is, that whoever profeſſeth it, is preſently branded for a Phanatique; and that Scripture, Eſa. 56.5. Stand by thy ſelf, I am holier then thou, &c. clapt in their Teeth, in their abſurd and perverſe ſenſe of it.
But I ſhall briefly offer theſe ſeven things to your conſideration, which will abundantly evince the reality of it, and at once both ſtop the ſlanderou… Mouthes of ignorant men, and ſilence thoſe Atheiſtical Surmiſes, which at any time Sathan may inject into the hearts of Gods own people touching this matter. And firſt, let it be conſidered, that the Spirit of God hath repreſented to us this Work of Grace, under ſuch Names and Notions in Scripture, as if they had been choſen purpoſely to obviate this Calumny. It's called a Creature, Gal. 6.15. a Man, 1 Pet. 3.4. a New Birth, Joh. 3.3. Chriſt formed in us, Gal. 4.19. all which expreſs its reallity, and that it is not a conceited thing. (2.) It appears to be reall by the marvellous effects it hath upon a man, turning him both in Judgment, Will, Affections, and Practice, quite counter to what he was before. This is evident, in that famous inſtance of Paul, Gal. 1.23. which is abundantly atteſted and ſealed, by the conſtant experience of all gracious Souls, that are Witneſſes of the Truth hereof. (3.) A Divine and Almighty Power goes forth to produce and work it: and hence Faith is ſaid to be of the operation of God, Col. 2.12. Yea, that the ſame Power which raiſed Jeſus Chriſt from the Dead, goes to the production of it, Epheſ. 1.19, 20. And if ſo, how much leſs then Blaſphemy is it, to call it a Conceit or Phanſie? Doth God ſet on work his infinite Power to beget a Phanſie, or raiſe an imagination? (4.) Conceits and Whimſies abound moſt in men of weak Reaſon: Children, and ſuch as are crackt in their Underſtandings have moſt of them: ſtrength of Reaſon baniſhes them, as the Sun doth Miſts and Vapours: But now the more rational any gracious perſon is, by ſo much the more he is fixed, ſetled, and ſatisfied in the Grounds of Religion: Yea, there is the higheſt and pureſt Reaſon in Religion: and when this Change is wrought upon men, it's carryed on in a rational way, Eſa. 1.18. Joh. 16.9. The Spirit overpours the Underſtanding with clear Demonſtrations, and ſilences all Objections, Pleas, and Pretences, to the contrary. (5) It's a real thing, and gracious Souls know it to be ſo; elſe ſo many Thouſands of the Saints would never have ſuffered ſo many cruel Torments and Miſeries, rather then forſake a fancy, and ſo ſave all. They have been ſo well ſatisfied of the reality of that which the World calls a Phanſie, that they have choſen rather to embrace the Stake, than deny it. The conſtancy of Chriſtians, in cleaving to Religion, was common to a Proverb among the Heathen; who when they would expreſs the greateſt difficulty, would ſay, You may as ſoon turn a Chriſtian from Chriſt as do it. Surely no wiſe man would ſacrifice his Liberty, Eſtate, Life, and all that is dear, for a Conceit. (6) It's reality appears in its uniformity in all thoſe on whom it is wrought: They have all obtained like precious Faith, 2 Pet. 1.1. They are all changed into the ſame Image, 2 Cor. 3.18. Three Thouſand Perſons affected in one and the ſame manner at one Sermon, Act. 2.37. Could one and the ſame Conceit poſſeſs them all together? Take two Chriſtians that live a Thouſand miles diſtant from each other, that never heard of one another, let theſe Perſons be examined, and their Reports compared, and ſee if they do not ſubſtantially agree; and whether as Face anſwers Face in Water, ſo their Experiences do not anſwer one to the other? which could never be, if it were a groundleſs Conceit. (7) And laſtly, it's manifeſt, it is a reality, and puts a real difference betwixt one and another; becauſe God carryes himſelf ſo differently towards them, after their Converſion; now he ſmiles, before he frowned; now they are under the Promiſes, before they were under the Threats and Curſes; and what a vaſt difference will he put betwixt the one and other in that great Day? See Mat. 25. Surely, if theſe nominal Chriſtians did but differ in Conceit, not really from others, the Righteous Judge of all the Earth would not paſs ſuch a different Judgment and Doom upon them.
By all this you evidently ſee, that Grace is a reall Change, and not a conceited one.
3. We ſay that this reall Change paſſes upon the whole Man: he is changed in Soul, Body, and Practice; all things are become new. (1) This Change appears in his Soul: For by it, (1) his Underſtanding is ſtrongly altered, and receives things in another way than formerly. It did look at Chriſt and things Eternal, as uncertain and light matters: The things that are ſeen and preſent, did moſtly affect, and appeared great and excellent: It admired Riches and Honours, while Chriſt and Glory were over-looked and deſpiſed. But now, all theſe Temporals are eſteemed Dung, Droſs, Vanity, Phil. 3.8. Rom. 8.18. and Jeſus Chriſt is now eſteemed the wiſdom and the power of God, 1 Cor. 1.23, 24. It did look on the Saints as deſpicable perſons, but now as the excellent of the Earth, Pſal. 16.3. Strictneſs and Duty was once eſteemed a needleſs thing, but now the onelyonly thing deſireable, Pſal. 119.14. Oh, ſaith the renewed Soul, Where were mine Eyes, that I could ſee no more excellency in Chriſt, his wayes, and people! (2) It ſtops not there (as it doth in Hypocrites) but paſſes on further, and reduces the Will; that ſtrong Hold is taken, and delivered up to Chriſt. It did rebel againſt God, and could not be ſubject, but now it ſubmits, Act. 9.6. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? In the day of Chriſts power, he preſents himſelf in all his drawing glory and lovelyneſs before the Will, and cryes to that ſtubborn Faculty, Open to me, open to me; with which Word there goes forth an opening and ſubduing Power, which the Will no ſooner feels, but it ſpontaneouſly moves towards him, and ſaith, Stand open ye everlaſting Gates, that the King of Glory may come in. Henceforth it votes for God, ſubſcribes and ſubmits to his Will, as its onelyonly Rule and Law; and indeed, it becomes the principal Seat where Grace makes its Reſidence; and where, for the moſt part, it is more viſible then in any other Faculty. For after a man hath ſearched for it in all other Faculties, and cannot diſcern it, yet here he ordinarily finds it; to will is preſent, Rom. 7.18. (3) The Will being thus gained to Chriſt, Love comes in of courſe; it feeling the power of Grace alſo, preſently changeth its Object: It ſeizeth not ſo greedily on Earthly Objects as before, but is ſtrangely cooled and deadned to them, by the appearance of a far greater Glory in Jeſus Chriſt; which hath ſo captivated the Soul, and ſtrongly attracted this Affection, that its now become very remiſs in all its actings towards them: and often, (eſpecially at firſt) it is ſo weaned from all things on Earth, that the Temptation ſeems to lye on the other Extream, even in too great neglect of our lawful Employments and Comforts. Now Jeſus Chriſt, Cant. 1.3. his Ordinances, Pſal. 119.97. and his Saints, 1 Joh. 3.14. are the onelyonly Delights, and ſweeteſt Companions; he could ſit from Morning to Night, to hear Diſcourſes of Chriſt his beloved, and could live and die in the company of his people, whoſe company is now moſt delightful and ſweet, Pſal. 119.63. (4) The Deſires are altered, they pant no more after the Duſt of the Earth, Pſal. 4.6. but pant for God, as the Hart for the Brooks of water, Pſal. 42.1. Yea, ſo big is the Soul with them, that it's ſometimes ready to faint, yea to break with the longing it hath after him, Pſal. 119.20. (5) The Thoughts are changed, Pſal. 119.113. and the Thoughts of God are now moſt precious, Pſal. 139.47. muſing, when alone, of him; and, in its Solitudes, the Soul entertains it ſelf with a delightful Feaſt, which its Thoughts of God bring in to refreſh it, Pſal. 63.5, 6. (6) The Deſigns and Projects of the Soul are changed; all are now ſwallowed up in one grand Deſign, even to approve himſelf to God, and be accepted of him, 2 Cor. 5.9. and if he fail not there, it will not much trouble him, if all his other Deſigns ſhould be daſhed.
It were eaſie to inſtance in the reſt of the Affections, and ſhew how Grace ſpreads and diffuſes it ſelf into them all, as Light in the Air, or Leaven in the Lump; but this may ſuffice, to ſhew how it paſſes upon the whole Soul, and enters the ſeveral Faculties and Affections thereof.
And the Soul being thus poſſeſt for God, the Body, with all its Members, is conſequently reſigned up to him alſo: For the Will hath the Empire of the Members of the Body, as well as of the Paſſions and Affections of the Soul. Theſe are not any more delivered up to execute the Luſts of Satan, but are yielded up to God for his ends and uſes, Rom. 6.19. And thus you have the third thing in the Deſcription, made out alſo, that it is an univerſal, as well as a reall Change. But then,
4. Laſtly, You muſt know that by this change God prepares a man for choice and excellent ſervices; and this indeed is the main thing deſigned in this Capter, and is the reſult and iſſue of all that hath hitherto been ſaid about this work of Grace.
Beloved, can you imagine that God would imploy his infinite and glorious Power, to produce his new Creature in ſuch an excellent nature, it being the Maſterpiece of all his Works of wonder wrought upon man, and not aim at ſome ſingular uſe and excellent end? Every wiſe Agent deſigns ſome end; and what God aims at he hath told us, Iſa. 43.21. Epheſ. 2.20. And accordingly he expects ſingular things from ſuch perſons, Mat. 5.47. If God had not aimed at ſome new ſervice, he need not have made a new Creature: the old Creature was fit enough for the old uſe and ſervice it was imployed in. But God hath ſome choice ſervice to be done, wherein he will be glorified. He will have his Name glorified even in this world by the active and paſſive obedience of his people. But this being far above all the power of Nature, God therefore brings them forth in a new and heavenly nature, endowed with rare ſupernatural and divine qualities, by which it is fitted and excellently prepared for any ſervice of God by doing or by ſuffering, which before he had no fitneſs or ability for.
The very make and conſtitution of this new Creature ſpeaks its uſe and end: As now, if a man look upon a Sword or Knife (ſuppoſing he had never ſeen either before) yet I ſay by viewing the ſhape and properties of it, he will ſay, This was made to cut. Even ſo here, This new Creature was formed for ſome glorious and ſingular ſervice for God, to which it is exceedingly advantaged, whether God put you upon doing or ſuffering. If you ask wherein this advantage of the new Creature to honour God either way lies; I anſwer, It principally conſiſts in its heavenly inclination, or natural tendency to God. This is its great advantage. For by vertue of this,
1. If God call a man to any duty, there is a Principle with in cloſing with the Command without, and moving the ſoul freely & ſpontaneouſly to duty, Pſal. 27.8. If God ſay, Seek my face, ſuch an heart ecchoes to the call, Thy face Lord will I ſeek. And this is it which is call'd, The writing of Gods Law in the heart, Jer. 31.33. and muſt needs be a mighty advantage; for now its work is its delight and wages, Pſal. 19.11. The command to ſuch a Soul is not grievous, 1 John 5.3. And by this it's kept from tiring in duty, and being weary of its work; as you ſee what pains Children can take at play, how they will run and ſweat, and endure knocks and falls, and take no notice of it; put them upon any manual labour, and they cannot endure half ſo much. When our work is our delight, we never faint nor tire at it. This inclination to God is to the Soul as wings to a Bird, or ſails to a Ship. This carries the Soul eaſily through every duty. O there is a vaſt difference betwixt a man that works for wages, and one whoſe work is wages to him. And here you may at once ſee wherein the principal difference betwixt the Hypocrite and the real Chriſtian lies in the performance of duty; and alſo have a true account of the reaſon why one perſeveres in his work to the end, when the other flags. Why, here is the true account of both; The one is moved to duty from a natural inclination to it, the other is forced upon it by ſome external motives: For the Hypocrite takes not delight in the ſpiritual and inward part of duty, but is ſecretly weary of it, Mal. 1.13. onelyonly his ambition and ſelf-ends put him upon it as a task. But now the upright heart goes to God as his joy, Pſal. 43.4. and ſaith, It is good for me to draw nigh to God, Pſal. 73. ult. When the Sabbath comes, (that Golden Spot of the Week) oh how he longs to ſee the beauty of the Lord in his Ordinances! Pſal. 27.4. and when engaged in the worſhip of God, he cannot ſatisfie himſelf in bodily ſervice, or to ſerve God in the oldneſs of the letter. He knoweth that this perſwaſion cometh not of him that called him, Gal. 5.7, 8. He labours to engage his heart to approach to God, Jer. 30.21. And hence thoſe mountings of heart, and violent ſallies of the deſires heaven-ward. And thus you ſee one rare advantage to glorifie God actively, flowing from the inclination of this new Creature.
2. But then ſecondly; Hence in like manner hath the Soul as great an advantage for ſufferings: For this new Creature having ſuch a natural tendency to God, will enable the ſoul in which it is, to break its way to God through all the interpoſing obſtacles and diſcouragements. What are perſecutions, what are reproaches, what are the fears and frowns of enemies, but ſo many blocks thrown in the Souls way to keep it from God and Duty? And indeed where this principle of Grace is wanting, they prove inacceſſible Mountains. Graceleſs hearts are ſtalled and quite diſcouraged by them; but now this tendency of the Soul to God enables the Chriſtian to break his way through all. You may ſay of him in ſuch a caſe, as the Hiſtorian doth of Hannibal (who forced a way over the Alps with Fire and Vinegar) either he will find a way, or make a way. Shall Sword or Famine, or any other Creature ſeparate me from Chriſt? ſaith an upright Soul. No, no, it will through all to him, and that from this tendency of his new Nature. You ſee in Nature, every thing hath a tendency to its center; Fire will up, do what you can to ſuppreſs it; Water will to the Sea, if it meet with Dams, yea Mountains in its way; if it cannot bear them down, it will creep about ſome other way, and wind and turn to find a paſſage to the Sea. God is the cente… of all gracious Spirits, and Grace will carry th… ſoul through all to him. This is Grace, and this i… your advantage by it in the moſt difficult part o… your work. It will carry you through all; make the hardeſt work eaſie and pleaſant, 2 Cor. 12.10▪ And if great ſufferings or temptations interpoſe betwixt you and your God, it will break through all, and enable you to withſtand all; as it did Paul in the Text, who forced his way not onelyonly through the fury of Enemies, but alſo through the entreaties and tears of Friends.