The Inseparable Communion of a Believer with God, Sermons · Sermon 13
ROM. 8.39.
Nor Depths.—
Doct. AS not Heights, ſo not Depths ſhall be able to.—
I. I ſhall declare what I mean by Depths'
I underſtand principally thoſe Depths and Dejections of ſoul that attend a ſtate of darkneſs and ſpiritual deſertion, incident not only to Saints in lower, but to Saints in their higher capacity of grace, according to the good pleaſure of Gods Will.
This ſtate hath a great Depth and Profundity in it, that Pſalm wholly expreſſeth ſuch a ſtate; ſee Pſal. 120.1. and that Pſal. 88.6— in the Deeps.
This is ſuch a Depth into which all other Deeps empty themſelves as Rivers into the Ocean.
Firſt, into this Deep falls in the Depths of ſin; ſin is a deep thing, lies deep, out of ſight; Saints ſeldom ſearch to the bottom of it but in caſe of ſpiritual deſertion, nor can they then ſound the Depth without Gods Plummet, Iob, Iob 13.23, 24.
In this ſtate God doth uſually ſearch the ſin of Saints to the bottom, Job in this caſe was made to repoſſeſs the fins of his youth; David was made to reckon for the ſin he ſtood guilty of in the Womb, Pſal. 31.5. in a ſtate of ſpiritual deſertion, Saints have uſually a diſcovery of the depth of guilt and blackneſs, and ugly deformity in ſin, beyond what they had at firſt Converſion.
Secondly, into this depth of ſpiritual deſertion falls in the depth of Gods wrath, his Judgements are called a Deep, Pſal. 36.6. ſo deep, that the damned in Hell are ever ſinking into them, and ſhall never come to the bottom.
In this ſtate of ſpiritual deſertion, Saints take deep of the wrath of God, Pſal. …0.11. Homan, Pſal. 88.7, 16. As God maketh ſome to taſte of the good love and Word of God, and the Powers of that glory that is to come, who yet ſhall never enjoy them; ſo he makes ſome to taſte the wrath, and torments of that wrath which is to come, who never yet ſhall feel them.
Thirdly, into this Deep falls in the depths of Satan, deep temptations: as it was with Chriſt in this condition, ſo 'tis in its meawith Saints; now the devil and the powers of darkneſs beſtir themſelves, Luke 22.33. When Sun ſets, and darkneſs covers the earth, then the Lions and wilde beaſts go forth, Pſal. 104.20, 21. ſo when God hides his face, ſee Chriſts Complaint in that day, Pſal. 22.1, 12, 13, 16, 20.
Fourthly, into this Deep falls the depths of Hell; Hell is deep and large, Iſa. 30. ult. nothing deeper, Job 11.8. the bottomleſs Pit, Rev 7.1.
In the depth of ſpiritual deſertion, Saints have complain'd of the ſnares of death and ſorrows of Hell, Pſal. 116.3. Chriſt, Pſal. 16.10. ſo …man counted himſelf … free, of that damned Company and Corporation of devils and reprobates, Pſal. 88.5. Such ſcorching and ſcalding drops of wrath God in this condition ſometimes lets: … the Conſcience, as if they were Pledges and Earneſts of damnation, as if be ha… already kindled Hell fire in the foul.
Fifthly, into this Deep falls the depth of ſorrow and affliction, Pſal. 102. ſee the title; Pſal. 69, 1, 2. here is Complaint, ſee his Prayer, ver 15.
No ſorrows like theſe, no afflictions ſo deep as theſe, they enter into the ſoul: here often miſery appears remedileſs, and the foul expects endleſs ſorrow, yea, refuſeth all the comforts that are adminiſtred from any hand but Gods alone, Pſal. 77.2. Thus you fee, ſpiritual deſertion is a Depth into which many Deeps fall; the Depth of ſin' wrath, Satan, — one Deep here calleth on another.
Secondly, let us conſider how much theſe Depths may endanger to ſeparate a believer.—
Firſt, in this ſtate Saints apprehend a total ceſſation of Gods love to them, an everlaſting night on them, that the light of Gods Countenance ſhall never ſhine on them more, Jonah 2.4. I am caſt out of thy ſight: Thus they ſay, The Lord will caſt off for ever— Pſal. 77.8, 9. ſo David, Pſal. 13.1. How long—for ever. In the favour of God is life, Pſal. 30.5. If he frown who can live; In his favour is light, if he hide his face who can behold him, Job 34.29.
Secondly, in this ſtate God may ſeem to withdraw that Spirit, which is the bond of our Communion with God; hence that Pſal. 51.11, 12.
The Spirit in this ſtate uſeth to ſuſpend its Teſtimony, refuſe light to our Evidences, and withhold that witneſs it formerly bare to our Adoption; yea, it may ſuffer Satan to bear falſe witneſs to our ſpirits, and perſwade us that we are hypocrites, children of wrath, fitting for deſtruction.
Thirdly, in this ſtate God calls to remembrance ſins, which the ſoul thought had long ſince been repented of, and that God had pardoned. Thus were the ſins of Jobs youth, and Davids original ſin, thus a believer may be brought to queſtion all Gods former Acts of grace, and his own faith and repentance, and ſuſpect all his former comforts, yea, the being of any grace at all in truth: and this is very dangerous.
Fourthly, it is a ſtate of darkneſs and no light, Iſa. 50.10. Cant. 3.1. Now he that walks in darkneſs knows not,— John 12.35. ſo theſe knew not what to do, what way to take— He that walks in darkneſs trembles at every thing; even the Promiſes of grace are ſtumbling blocks to that ſoul.
In darkneſs are terrible apprehenſions, as to the Egyptians in the Plague of darkneſs, Pſal 78.49. the terrours of God are upon Saints in ſpiritual deſertions, Pſal. 88.15, 16. Job 7.14.
Fifthly, in this ſtate God ſeems for the preſent to neglect all their Prayers, Lam. 3.8. Chriſt Jeſus, Pſal. 22.1, 2.
Saints here are ready to ſay as Saul, The Lord is departed from me, and anſwereth me no more.
Sixthly, in this ſtate the ſoul ſuffers, the affliction is on the ſpirit of a man; its a wound on the ſpirit, Prov. 18.14. a Dagger at the heart, … Pſal. 42.10. ſee Chriſt in his Deſertion, Ma…. 26.38. Heman ſuffered not in his inferiour only, but in the ſuperiour faculties of his ſoul, Pſal. 88.15. In other afflictions the body ſuffers, and the ſoul only by ſympathy; here the ſoul ſuffers and the body only by ſympathy.
Thirdly, let us conſider theſe depths ſhall never be able to ſeparate.
I. Becauſe they are all conſiſtent with love, and always end in love.
1. They are conſiſtent with love, Heb. 12.5, 6. he ſeems, if not only, yet principally to intend the Caſtigation that fall upon the ſouls and ſpirits of believers. God never loved Chriſt better, then at that time when he cried out, My God, My God—
Joſephs bowels yearn'd moſt when he dealt moſt roughly with his brethren; ſo God, Ier. 31.20.
II. Be ſure all will end in love. Iſa. 54: 7, 8. Cant. 31, 5. Iſa. 57.18.
Secondly, becauſe theſe Depths of ſpiritual deſertion are but to bring forth ful…eſs of Conformity to Chriſt in his Death and Reſurrection.
Chriſts ſufferings were ſome in his body, theſe were call'd his Baptiſm; ſome, and the greateſt in his ſoul, theſe were call'd his Cup, Matth. 20.22, 23. in this Cup was a mixture of ſin, wrath, death …nd hell. He tells thoſe diſciples they ſhould …artake with him in both. When Chriſt …ried out, My God, my God, why— it was …bſtractio viſionis, not diſſolutio unionis, for …ill he cried, My God; ſo it is to Saints in …he like condition; and what faith Chriſt …xerciſed in that ſtate, he commanded other …elievers to do, Iſa. 50.10
Thirdly, becauſe there are depths in the …ercy and free-grace of God, that eaſily wallow up this depth of ſpiritual deſer…on, and all the depths that run into it, …om. 11.33. O the Depth,— Eph. 3.18. The …ee-grace of God is a mighty Ocean, Mi…h 7.19.
Fourthly, becauſe God hath pawn'd all …e Ordinances of Heaven and Earth, that …othing what he ſeems to do againſt them, and nothing they do againſt him ſhall provoke him to caſt them off, Jer. 31.35.36, 37.
1. Uſe. If ſuch who are lockt faſt in the Armes of God; ſuch who are in everlaſting Communion with God, Communion with God in love, which love is unchangeable as God himſelf in love which is in Chriſt Ieſus; and therefore can no more fail then his love to Chriſt can fail. If ſuch as theſe may fall into theſe depths of ſpiritual deſertion, in which are the depths of ſin, of wrath.—
O where ſhall the ſinner and ungodly appear, who are treaſuring up wrath againſt the day of wrath; O the infinite, unſearchable, bottomloſs depths of ſin, wrath, devils, hells, worſt of ſorrows, endleſs torments, wherein all unbelievers, impenitent unregenerate perſons ſhall be plunged in, ſwallowed up without Redemption.
2. Uſe. This fully informs us that the be… of Saints muſt live all their days, in every …ondition, on a dependence onthe fre… grace of God.
By the Eclipſe of the Moon we com… to know it borrows its light from the Sun, ſo by theſe ſpiritual Eclipſes and Deſertions, we know our whole ſtate in grace and comfort, depends wholly on the free-grace of God, when you firſt believed after you had laboured under the apprehenſions of ſin and wrath, and the ſouls pinching wants of Gods love and favour, then you could readily cry up the praiſe of free-grace: by the returns of the like apprehenſions in …oul-deſertions, after you have believed, and have had ſweet experiences of love in Communion with God, he will have you know that free grace continues your ſtate as it began it; and that as the Foundation ſtone was laid, with the ſhoutings of grace to it, ſo the Headſtone is to be brought with ſhoutings of grace, grace to it alſo. After you have believed and loved God, and had done ſomething for him, you think God is beholding to you; but he will hide his face, and tell you he can ſet you for all this where he found you, that you may know you are beholding to him, not he to you.
3. Uſe. For comfort to believers in their Depths, they ſhall not be able to ſeparate—
For Direction,
Firſt, rebuke the dejections of your ſoul through unbelief, as David, Pſal. 42. Why art thou caſt down,—ſay as he. Pſal. 77. This is my infirmity; not the unfaithfulneſs of Gods love.
Secondly, reſolve to believe in hope againſt hope, as Job, though he flay me o… cam… me, Ile truſt him; as Jonah, I ſaid I am caſt out of thy ſight, but I will look.—
Thirdly, do not reſtrain Prayer, waiting for the return of divine mercy; but prevent it be fore-hand with God, and put him to the utmoſt, try him what he can do, whether he can do more then ever yet he hath done, Pſal. 88.9.—13.
Fourthly, hold faſt ſtill your intereſt in God, as Chriſt, My God, my God, and as Cltriſt gives the ſame direction to others,— Iſa. 50. Let him truſt in the Name of his God.