The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification, Direction 9
DIRECT. IX.
We must first receive the Comforts of the Goſpel, that we may be able to perform ſincerely the Duties of the Law.
EXPLICATION.
SInce Man fell from Obedience to God, which he was enabled and engaged to perform by the Comforts of his firſt happy ſtate in Paradice, God might have juſtly refuſed ever to give Man again any Comforts before-hand to encourage him to his Duty; that the way to Holineſs being hedged up againſt him with the Thorns and Briars of Fear, Grief and Deſpair, he might never be able to eſcape the Sentence of Death, which was denounced againſt his firſt Tranſgreſſion. This Juſtice of God is manifeſt in the Method of the Legal Covenant, wherein God promiſeth us no Life, Comfort or Happineſs until we have throughly performed his Law, and may be ſeen in the Mount Sinai Promulgation explicated Levit. 26. throughout, and we are by Nature ſo ſtrongly addicted to this Legal Method of Salvation, that it is a hard matter to diſſwade thoſe that live under the Light of the Goſpel, from placing the Duties of the Law before the Comforts of the Goſpel; if they cannot make Salvation it ſelf, yet they will be ſure to make all the Comforts of it to depend upon their own Works. They think it as unreaſonable to expect. Comfort before Duty, as Wages before Work, or the Fruits of the Earth before the Husband Man's Labour, 2 Tim. 2.6. They account the only effectual way to ſecure the Obedience we owe to the Law of God, is to ground all our Comforts on the Performance of it, and that the contrary Doctrine ſtrengthens the Hands of the Wicked by propheſying Peace to them where there is no Peace, Ezek. 13.16, 22. And openeth the Flood-gates to all Licentiouſneſs, therefore ſome Preachers will adviſe Men not to be ſollicitous and haſty of getting of Comfort, but that they ſhould rather exerciſe themſelves diligently in the Performance of their Duty, and they tell them that in ſo doing, their Condition will be ſafe and happy at laſt, though they never enjoy any Comfort of their Salvation, as long as they live in this World.
That you may rightly underſtand what I have aſſerted in the Direction againſt ſuch vulgar Errors, take notice. That I do not make the only place of Goſpel-comfort to be before the Duties of the Law, I acknowledge that God comforteth his People on every ſide, Pſal. 71.21. both before and after the Performance of their Duty, and that the greateſt Conſolations do follow after Duty, yet ſome Comforts God giveth to his People before hand, as Advance-money to furniſh them for his Service, though moſt of the Pay comes in afterward. Neither do I hereby ſpeak any Peace to thoſe that continue in their ſinful natural ſtate, for the Comforts that I ſpeak of cannot be received without rejecting thoſe falſe Confidences, whereby natural Men harden themſelves in Sin, and without that effectual working of the Spirit, whereby we are made good Trees that we may bring forth good Fruit. Though they are given before the ſincere Practice of the Law, yet they are not given to us in our corrupt, ſinful Nature, but in and with the new, holy Nature, which immediately produceth a holy Practice, though it muſt neceſſarily go before, as the Cauſe before the Effect, and they are no other than Comforts of thoſe ſpiritual Benefits by which our new Eſtate and Nature is produced, and of which it is conſtituted and made up, as the Comforts of Redemption, Juſtification, Adoption, the Gift of the Spirit, and the like. Neither do I intend here any Tranſport or Raviſhment of Joy and Delight, but only ſuch manner of Comfort as rationally ſtrengthens in ſome meaſure againſt the Oppreſſion of Fear, Grief and Deſpair which we are liable unto, by reaſon of our natural Sinfulneſs and Miſery.
This Explanation of the Senſe of my Aſſertion, is ſufficient to anſwer ſome common Objections againſt it, and I hope the Truth of it will be fully evidenced by the following Arguments.
First, This Truth is a clear Conſectary from thoſe Principles of Holineſs that have been already confirmed. I have ſhewed that we muſt have a good Perſwaſion of our Reconciliation with God, and of our Happineſs in Heaven, and of our ſufficient Strength both to will and to do that which is acceptable to God through Jeſus Chriſt, that we may be rationally inclined and bent to the Practice of Holineſs, and that theſe Endowments muſt be had, by receiving of Chriſt himſelf, with his Spirit and all his Fulneſs, by truſting on him for all his Salvation as he is freely promiſed to us in the Goſpel; and that by this Faith we do as really receive Chriſt, as our Food by eating and drinking. Now let right Reaſon judge, can we be perſwaded of the Love of God, of our everlaſting Happineſs, and our Strength to ſerve God, and yet be without any Comforts: Can the glad Tidings of the Goſpel of Peace be believed, and Chriſt and his Spirit actually believed into the Heart, without any Relief to the Soul from oppreſſing Fear, Grief Deſpair? Can the Salvation of Chriſt be comfortleſs, or the Bread and Water of Life, without any ſweet Reliſh to thoſe that feed on him with hungring and thirſting Appetites; God will not give ſuch Benefits as theſe to thoſe that do not deſire and eſteem them above the World, and certainly the very receiving of them will be comfortable to ſuch, except they receive them blindfold, which they cannot do, when the very giving and beſtowing of them openeth the Eyes of a Sinner, and turns him from Darkneſs to Light, whereby he doth, at leaſt in ſome meaſure, ſee and perceive Spiritually the things that concern his preſent and future Peace, and reap ſome encouraging and ſtrengthning Comfort thereby to the Practice of Holineſs.
Secondly, Peace, Joy, Hope, are recommended to us in Scripture, as the Spring of other holy Duties, and Fear and oppreſſing Grief forbidden, as Hinderances to true Religion, The peace of God keepeth our hearts and minds through Christ Jeſus, Phil. 4.7. Be ye not ſorry for the joy of the Lord is your ſtrength, Nehem. 8.10. Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himſelf, even as he is pure, 1 John 3.3. Fear hath torment, he that feareth is not made perfect in Love, 1 John 4.18. This is the Reaſon why the Apoſtle doubleth his Exhortation, to rejoyce in the Lord always, as a Duty of exceeding weight and neceſſity, Phil. 4.4. What are ſuch Duties but Comfort it ſelf, and can we think that theſe Duties are neceſſary to our continuance in an holy Practice, and yet not to the beginning of it where the Work is moſt difficult and Encouragement moſt needful? Therefore we muſt make haſte in the firſt place to get a comfortable Frame of Spirit, if we would make haſt… and not delay to keep Gods holy Commandments.
Thirdly, The uſual Method of Goſpel-Doctrine as it is delivered to us in the holy Scriptures, is firſt to comfort our Hearts, and thereby to eſtabliſh us in every good Word and Work, 2 Theſſ. 2.17. And it appears how clearly this method is adjuſted in ſeveral Epiſtles written by the Apoſtles, wherein they firſt acquaint the Churches with the rich Grace of God toward; them in Chriſt, and the ſpiritual Bleſſings which they are made Partakers of, for their ſtrong Conſolation, and then they exhort them to an holy Converſation anſwerable to ſuch Priviledges, and it is not only the Method of whole Epiſtles, but of many particular Exhortations to Duty, wherein the comfortable Benefits of the Grace of God in Chriſt, are made uſe of as Arguments and Motives to ſtir up the Saints to a holy Practice; which comfortable Benefits muſt be firſt believed, and the Comfort of them applyed to our own Souls, or elſe they will not be forcible to engage us to the Practice for which they are intended. To give you a few Inſtances out of a Multitude that might be alledged, we are exhorted to practice holy Duties, becauſe we are dead to ſin, and alive to God through Jeſus Christ our Lord, Rom. 6.11. And becauſe ſin ſhall not have dominion over us, for we are not under the law but under grace, Rom. 6.14. Becauſe we are not in the fleſh, but in the ſpirit, and God will quicken our mortal bodies by his ſpirit dwelling in us, Rom. 8.9.11, 12. Becauſe our bodies are the members of Christ and the temples of the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. 6.15, 19. Becauſe God hath made him ſin for us, who knew no ſin, that we might be the righteouſneſs of God in him, 2 Cor. 5.20, 21. And hath promiſed that he will dwell in us, and walk in us, and be to us a Father, and we ſhall be to him ſons and daughters, 2 Cor. 7.1. Becauſe God hath forgiven us for Ghrist's ſake, and accounteth us his dear children, and Chriſt hath loved us and given himſelf for us, and we that were ſometimes darkned are now lightened in the Lord, Epheſ. 4.32. & 5.1, 2, 8. Becauſe we are riſen with Christ, and when Chriſt who is our Life ſhall appear, then we ſhall alſo appear with him in glory, Col. 3.1.4. Becauſe God hath ſaid, I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee, Heb. 13.5. Becauſe of the many promiſes made to us, 2 Cor. 7.1. Search the Scriptures and you may with delight ſee that is this the Vein that runneth through Goſpel Exhortations, and you may find the like Vein of Comfort running through the Prophetical Exhortations in the Old Teſtament.
Some may object that the Apoſtles uſed this Method in their Writings to Saints, that had practiſed Holineſs already, that ſo they might continue and increaſe therein. But to that I may eaſily reply, If it be a Method needful for grown Saints, much more then for Beginners that find the Work of Obedience moſt difficult, and have moſt need of ſtrong Conſolation; and I hope to ſhew how we may be able to lay hold of theſe Conſolations by Faith in the very firſt Beginning of a holy Life. Beſides the Goſpel propoſeth Peace and Comfort freely to thoſe that are not yet brought to Holineſs, yet if they have Hearts to receive it, they may be converted from Sin to Righteneſs. When the Apoſtles entred into an Houſe, they were firſt to ſay, Peace be to the houſe, Luke 10.5. At their very firſt Preaching to Sinners, they acquainted them with the glad Tidings of Salvation by Chriſt, for every one that would receive it as a Free-gift by Faith, Acts 3.26. & 13.26, 32, 38. & 16.30, 31. They aſſured them if they would but truſt heartily on Chriſt for all his Salvation, they ſhould have it although they were at preſent the chief of Sinners which was Comfort ſufficient for all that duly eſteem Spiritual Comfort, hungring and thirſting after it. And this is a Method agreeable to the Deſign of the Goſpel, which is to advance the Riches of the Grace of God in all our Spiritual Enjoyments, God will give us his Conſolations before our good Works as well as after them, that we may know that he giveth us everlaſting conſolation and good hope through grace, and not through the Procurement of our Works. 2 Theſſ. 2.16.
Fourthly, The Nature of the Duties of the Law requireth a comfortable ſtate of the Soul for the Performance of them. I have before proved ſufficiently, that they require a Perſwaſion of our Reconciliation with God, and of our future Happineſs, and Strength, whereby we may be able to walk in holy Obedience; Joſhuah muſt be ſtrong and very couragious, that he might obſerve to do according to the Law that Moſes the Servant of the Lord commanded him, Joſh. 1.7. I ſhall inſtance briefly in the Comforts, without which ſeveral great Duties cannot be ſincerely performed. Can we love God and delight in him above all, while we look upon him as our everlaſting Enemy, and apprehend no Love and Mercy in him towards us, that may render him a ſuitable Good for us, and lovely in our Eyes? What doleful Melody will the Heart make in the Duty of Praiſe, if we account that all thoſe Perfections, for which we praiſe him, will rather aggravate our Miſery, than make us happy? What a heartleſs Work will it be to pray to him, and to offer up our ſelves to his Service, if we have no comfortable Hope that he will accept us? Is it poſſible for us to free our ſelves from carking Cares, by caſting our Care upon the Lord, if we do not apprehend that he careth for us? Can we be patient in Affliction with Chearfulneſs, and under Perſecutions, except we have peace with God, and rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God, Rom. 5.1, 2, 3. What Reaſon can perſwade us to ſubmit willingly according to our Duty, to the Stroak of preſent Death, if God be pleaſed to lay it upon us, when we have no Comforts to relieve us againſt the horrible Fear of intollerable Torments in Hell for ever.
If we ſhould be called to ſuffer Martyrdom for the Proteſtant Religion, as our Anceſtors in this Nation have done, we ſhould find it neceſſary to abandon the late upſtart Notions that have been bred in a time of Eaſe, and to embrace the comfortable Doctrine of former Proteſtants, which through the Grace of God made ſo many couragious and joyful Martyrs.
Fifthly, The ſtate of thoſe that are to be brought from Sin to Godlineſs, requires neceſſarily, that after they be convinced of the Vnnity of their former falſe Confidences, and of their Deadneſs in Original-ſin, and Subjection to the Wrath of God, they ſhould have a Supply of new Goſpel Comforts afforded to encourage their fainting Souls to holy Practices. How little do many Phyſicians of Souls conſider the Condition of their unconverted Patients, that are altogether without Spiritual Life and Strength, and are or muſt be convinced. He that preſcribeth bodily Exerciſe to a Man lying Bed-ridden under a dead Palſie, before any effectual means be uſed to ſtrengthen him, deſerveth the name of a mercileſs inſulting Tormentor, rather than of a wiſe and tender-hearted Phyſician. How unreaſonable is it to preſcribe the immediate Practice of Love to God, and univerſal Obedience to him out of Love, as the means of Cure; for thoſe that ſee nothing but Wrath and Enmity in God towards them in their preſent Condition, what is it but to require a Man to work without Strength, promiſing him that he ſhall have Strength when his Work is done; for Comfort and Fortitude is ſo called, becauſe it comforteth and ſtrengtheneth. True it is, That the Law which is the Miniſtration of Condemnation, obligeth them to Obedience; but our merciful God expecteth no ſincere Performance of his Law, from ſuch impotent miſerable Wretches in order to their Salvation by Chriſt, till he hath firſt delivered them in ſome meaſure from thoſe Diſcomforts, ſlaviſh Fears and Deſpondencies, that hold them captive under the Law of Sin and Death. We may require a ſtrong healthy Perſon, firſt to work and then to expect Meat, Drink and Wages, but a fainting, famiſhed Perſon, muſt firſt have Food, or a reviving Cordial to ſtrengthen his Heart before he can work.
Sixthly, Both Scripture and Experience ſhew, That this is the Method whereby God bringeth his People from Sin to Holineſs, though ſome of them are brought under Terrours for a while, that Sin may be the more imbittered, and the Salvation of Chriſt rendred more precious and acceptable to them, yet ſuch are again delivered from their Terrors by the Comfort of God's Salvation, that they may be fitted for Holineſs; and generally a holy Life beginneth with Comfort, and is maintained by it. God gave to Adam at his firſt Creation the Comfort of his Love and Favour, and the Happineſs of Paradiſe to encourage him to Obedience, and when he had left thoſe Comforts by the Fall, he was no longer able to obey until he was reſtored by new Comfort of the promiſed Seed. Chriſt the Second Adam ſet God always before his face, and he knew that becauſe God was at his right hand, he ſhould not be moved, therefore his heart was glad, and his glory rejoyced, Pſal. 16.8, 9. This made him willing to bear his Agony and bloody Sweat, and to be obedient unto Death, even the death of the Croſs. God drew the Iſraelites to Obedience with the Cords of a Man, with the Bonds of Love, by taking off the Yoke on their Jaws, and laying Meat before them, Hoſ. 11.4. David telleth us for our Inſtruction, how he was brought to an holy Converſation, Thy loving kindneſs is before mine eyes, and I have walked in thy truth, Pſal. 26.3. Lord, I have hoped for thy ſalvation, and done thy Commandements, Pſal. 119.166. We have ſeveral Examples in the New Teſtament of the Joy that Sinners had in the firſt receiving of Chriſt, Acts 2.41. And when the Goſpel firſt came to the Theſſalonians, they received the Word in much affliction with joy in the Holy Ghoſt, 1 Theſſ. 1.4, 5. When the Gentiles heard the Word of God they were glad, and as many as were ordained to eternal Life believed. The Apoſtle Paul was conſtrained by the Love of Chriſt to give up himſelf to live to Chriſt, 2 Cor. 4.14, 15. I dare appeal to the Experience of any that obey God out of hearty Love, let them examine themſelves, and conſider whither they were brought to give up themſelves to ſerve God in love, without comfortable apprehenſions of the Love of God towards them, I dare ſay there are no ſuch Prodigies in the new Birth.
Seventhly, What comfortleſs Religion do thoſe make that allow People no comfort before hand to ſtrengthen them for holy Performances that are very croſs, diſpleaſing and grievous to their natural Inclinations, as the plucking out of a right Eye, cutting off of a right Hand, but would have them firſt to do ſuch things with love and delight under all their preſent Fears, Deſpondencies, and corrupt Inclinations, and to hope that by doing the Work throughly and ſincerely they ſhall at laſt attain to a more comfortable State. All true ſpiritual Comfort as well as Salvation is indeed quite baniſhed out of the World if it be ſuſpended upon the Condition of our good Works, which hath already appeared to be the Condition of the Law that worketh no Comfort but Wrath, Rom. 4.15. This makes the ways of Godlineſs odious to many, they think they ſhall never enjoy a pleaſant hour in this World, if they walk in them, and they had rather comfort themſelves with ſinful Pleaſures then have no Comfort at all. Others labour a while in ſuch a comfortleſs Religion with inward fretting and repining at the Bondage of it, and at laſt grow wearry and throw of all Religion, becauſe they know none better. They that bind ſuch heavy burthens upon Men and grievous to be born will plead, that they are not to be blamed becauſe they do but preach the Goſpel of God and Chriſt, whereas indeed they preach a Goſpel of Man's own forging contrary to the nature of the true Goſpel of Chriſt, which is glad tidings of great joy to all People, Luk. 2.10. An uncomfortable Goſpel cannot proceed from God the Father, who is the Father of Mercies and the God of all Comfort, 2 Cor. 1.3. Nor from Chriſt who is the Conſolation of Iſrael, Luk. 2.25. nor from the Spirit who is the Comforter, Joh. 14.16, 17. God meeteth him that rejoyceth and worketh Righteouſneſs, Iſa. 64.5. He will be ſerved with gladneſs and ſinging, as he ſhewed by the Type of variety of Muſick, and great numbers of Muſicians in the Temple, Chriſt ſpeaks to us by his Goſpel, that his joy may abide in us, and that our joy may be full, Job. 15.11. No ſorrow is approved of by God, except Godly ſorrow which can never be in us without ſome comfort of the Love of God towards us. They that are offended at the Uncomfortableneſs of a Religious Life, never yet knew the true way of Religion, elſe they would find that the ways of Wiſdom ar… ways of pleaſantneſs, and all her Paths peace, Prov 3.17.