An Offer of Farther Help to Suffering Saints, Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. Containing the laſt uſe of the point, by way of ſupport, and comfort to poor trembling ſouls, who do take pains to make themſelves ready for ſufferings; but yet finding ſuch ſtrength in Satans temptations, and their own corruptions, fear that all their labour is in vain, and that they ſhall faint, and utteriy Apoſtatize, when theis Troubles and Tryals come to an height.
IN the laſt place, If it be ſuch a bleſſed thing to be ready for Bonds, or Death for Chriſt, this may miniſter much comfort to ſuch ſouls, who though they cannot ſay as Paul here did, that they are ready; yet are at work daily upon their own hearts to make them ready, and ſtrive in the uſe of all means to conquer thoſe corruptions that hinder it, and improve thoſe Graces, in which it mainly conſiſteth. O poor ſoul, what ever preſent unreadineſs or indiſpoſition thou findeſt, and complaineſt of in thine own heart, yet thy condition is ſafe.
Oh but I cannot be ſatisfied in that. Ob. I fear I ſhall be over-borne by Temptations, when they come to an height. I have ſuch experience of the Deceits and Treacherouſneſs of my own heart, that it ſeems impoſſible to me to do as theſe bleſſed ſouls did, when I come to the like Tryals.
Its well thou ſuſpecteſt thine own heart, Sol. and trembleſt in thy ſelf; this ſear will keep thee waking, when others are ſecurely ſleeping. It was a good ſaying of a Reverend Miniſter, Mr A.H.now with God, He that fears to flinch, ſhall never flinch for fear. It's true, ſeeming grace may be totally loſt, Luke 8.18. Heb. 6.4, 5. 2 Pet. 2.20. It's granted alſo, that the ſins of Believers deſerve that God ſhould forſake them, and that he may ſuffer grace in them to be ſadly re-bated, and they may fall before a Temptation, as Peter, and all the Diſciples did. But that thou ſhalt never be ſeparated from Chriſt, or fall Totus, a toto, in totum, utterly away from God, thou mayeſt be abundantly ſatisfied upon theſe 5 or 6 Grounds.
1. From Gods eternal Electing love, wherewith all gracious ſouls are beloved and embraced, be their graces never ſo weak, or their corruptions never ſo ſtrong. This is immutable, Heb. 6.18. and hence its ſaid, Mark 13.22. They ſhall deceive (if it were poſſible) the very Elect. Now this immutable purpoſe of God, is not founded upon any mutable ground or Reaſon in thee, Rom. 9.11. Yea, when he *Rom. 8.29.Elected thee, he ſaw what thou wouldſt be, and yet that hindred him not.
2. From the Covenant of Grace, in the Boſome of which thou art wrapped up: This is all thy ſalvation, and all thy hope; it will afford thee abundant ſatisfaction, if thou do but weigh particularly theſe three things about it: 1. That the Author of this Covenant is not a fickle creature, but a faithful God; with whom there is not yea and nay: With whom there is no variableneſs nor ſhadow of turning; whoſe gifts and callings are without repentance; ſo that once within the claſp of this bleſſed Covenant, and in it for ever. 2. That God hath eſtabliſhed the Covenant with you in the blood of Chriſt; therefore the Sacramental Cup, is called the Cup of the New Teſtament in his blood, Luke 22.20. the everlaſting merit and efficacy whereof, gives the ſoul of a Believer the higheſt ſatisfaction imaginable. Laſtly, add to this, That in this Covenant God hath undertaken for us, as well as for himſelf: So that what is a Condition in one Scripture, is the matter of a Promiſe in another Scripture, Jer. 32.40.
3. From that ſtrict and intimate union that is betwixt Chriſt and thee. And hence its impoſſible thou ſhouldeſt be loſt: For 1. Thy union with his Perſon, drawes intereſt in his Properties with it: What ever he is, or hath, it is for thee; for, his eye of Knowledge, arm of Power, bowels of Pity, its all for thee.
2. This union with his Perſon, ſecures thy feeble Graces from periſhing, Iohn 4.14. Thy Graces have an everlaſting Spring. Whileſt there is Sap in this Root, it will aſcend into the Branches.
3. It implies thy Perſeverance, becauſe by this union thou becomeſt an integral part of Chriſts Body, which would be mutilate and defective, ſhouldſt thou be cut off and loſt.
4. From the prevalent interceſſion of Jeſus Chriſt in the Heavens, for all his Saints, in all their tryals here on Earth: From hence the Apoſtle inferres the certainty of our Perſeverance, Rom. 8.34. and a pregnant inſtance of it you have in Peters caſe, Luke 22.32. So Heb. 7.25. ſpeaks fully to the caſe. To ſtrengthen this, conſider 1. Who it is that intercedes: Its Chriſt, whoſe Perſon is moſt dear and ingratiated with the Father, Iohn 11.42. 2. What he intercedes for: Surely for nothing but what is moſt ſuitable to his Fathers will. The will of Chriſt, and his Fathers, do not claſh, Iohn 16.26, 27. Yea, what he prayes for, he prayes not for gratis, or asks upon any diſhonourable termes to the juſtice of his Father; but they are all mercies purchaſed and paid for; and therefore fear not the failing of your Graces.
5. From the Spirit of Chriſt which dwelleth and abideth in thee, and hath begun his ſaving work upon thee. I ſay ſaving, for elſe it would afford no argument: His common works on Hypocrites come to nothing, but in thee they cannot fail: For 1. His Honotr is pawned and engaged to perfect it. That reproach of the fooliſh Builder, ſhall never lye upon him, that he began to build, but could not finiſh. Beſides, this would irritate, and void all that the Father and the Son have done for thee; both their works are compleat and perfect in their kindes, and the Spirit is the laſt efficient in order of working. 2. Beſides, the grace he hath already wrought in thee, may give thee yet further and fuller aſſurance of its preſervation; inaſmuch as it hath the nature of a Seal, Pledge, and Earneſt of the whole, Rom. 8.23. 2 Cor. 1.22. So that it cannot fail.
6. From thoſe multitudes of Aſſertory, Promiſſory, and Comparative Scriptures; the rich veins whereof, run through the book of God, as ſo many ſtreams, to refreſh thy ſoul. Of Aſſertory Scriptures, ſee Iohn 6.39. Iohn 10.28. 1 Ioh. 2.19. Of Promiſſory Scriptures, ſee Iſa. 54.10. Jer. 34.40. 1 Cor. 1.8. &c. Of Comparative Scriptures, ſee Pſal. 1.3. Pſal. 125.1. Iohn 4.14. &c. The principal ſcope of all which, is to ſhew the indefectible nature of true grace in the Saints.
And now, how ſhould this refreſh thy drooping ſoul, make thee gird up the loyns of thy mind! ſince thou doſt not run as one uncertain, neither fighteſt as one that beats the Air, 1 Cor. 9.26. but art ſo ſecured from total Apoſtacy, as thou ſeeſt thou art by all theſe things. O bleſs ye the Lord.
But the Lord ſeems to be departed from my ſoul; God is afarr off from me, Ob. 2 and troubles are near. I ſeem to be in ſuch a caſe as Saul was, when the Philiſtines made war upon him, and God was departed from him; and therefore I ſhall fall.
Not ſo; Sol. for there are two ſorts of Divine deſertions: The one is abſolute, when the Lord utterly forſakes his creature, ſo that they ſhall never behold his face more: The other is limitted and reſpective, and ſo he forſook his own Son, and often doth his own Elect: And of this kind, ſome are onelyonly Cautional, to prevent ſin; ſome are meerly Probational, to try grace; and others Caſtigatory, to chaſtize our negligence and careleſneſs. Now though I have not a word of comfort to ſpeak in the caſe of total and abſolute Deſertions; yet of the latter, which doubtleſs is thy caſe, much may be ſaid by way of ſupport, be it of which of the three ſorts it will, or in what degree it will. For 1. This hath been the caſe of many precious ſouls, Pſal. 22.1, 2. Pſal. 77.2. Pſal. 88.9. Job. 13.24, 25, 26. This was poor Mr Glovers caſe, as you will finde in his Story, and it continued till he came within ſight of the Stake: therefore no new, or ſtrange thing hath happened to you.
2. The Lord by this will advantage thee for perſeverance, not onelyonly as they are cautional againſt ſin, but as they make thee hold Chriſt the faſter, and prize his *Cant. 3.4.Preſence at an higher rate, when he ſhall pleaſe graciouſly to manifeſt himſelf to thee again.
3. This ſhall not abide for ever; its but a little Cloud, and will blow over. It is but for a moment, and that moments Darkneſs, uſhers in everlaſting Light, Iſa. 54.7.
Yea laſtly, The light of Gods countenance ſhall not onelyonly be reſtored Certainly, but it ſhall be reſtored Seaſonably; when thy Darkneſs is greateſt, thy Troubles at the higheſt, and thy Hopes loweſt. He is a God of judgement, and knows how to time his own mercies, Pſal. 138.3.
But I am a weak woman, Ob. 3 or a young Perſon, how ſhall I be able to confeſs Chriſt before Rulers, and look great ones in the face?
Chriſt delights to make his Power known in ſuch, Sol. 2 Cor. 12.9. for he affects not Social glory.
2. Thou ſhalt be holden up, for God is able to make thee ſtand, Rom. 14.4. Thou that art ſenſible of thine own infirmity, mayeſt run to that Promiſe.
3. Such poor weak creatures ſhall endure, when ſtronger (if Self-confident) fall, Iſa. 40.30, 31. Even the youths ſhall faint, and be weaery; and the young men utterly fall: but they that wait upon the Lord, ſhall renew their ſtrength. They ſhall mount up with wings as Eagles, run and not be weary, walk, and not faint.
Youths and young men are bold, daring and confident perſons, that truſt to their own ſtrength; to whom ſuch as wait upon the Lord, ſtand here oppoſed. They ſhall faint, but theſe ſhall renew their ſtrength.
Art thou then one that waiteſt and dependeſt upon an All-ſufficient God, in the ſenſe of thine own weakneſs? This Promiſe then is for thee.
4. You may furniſh your ſelves at pleaſure, with Examples of the mighty Power of God reſting upon ſuch as you are.
Thomas Drowry the poor blind Boy, whoſe ſtory you have Part, 1. Page 77. What a preſence of ſpirit was with him, when examined by the Chancellor!
Eulalia a Virgin, of about twelve years of age, ſee how ſhe was acted above thoſe years, yea, above the power of nature! Part 1. Page 81. Tender Women, yea Children, are above themſelves, when aſſiſted by a ſtrong God.
And thus you have the uſe of all theſe Examples, and ſome help offered you by a weak hand, in your preſent and moſt important work.
The Lord carry home all with Power upon your hearts, that (if God call you to ſuffer for him) you may ſay as Paul did, I am now ready to be offered up, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteouſneſs, which God the righteous Judge ſhall give me at that day; and not to me onelyonly, but to them alſo which love his Appearing, 2 Tim. 4.6.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Mall, An Offer of Farther Help to Suffering Saints (1665)