The Generation of Seekers, Treatise 1 · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
THe ſecond ſort of thoſe who know what it is to have the Spirits help, are thoſe who are under afflictions, and do find the great advantage of this precious Priviledge: to whom the Text is an experienced Truth, and they can ſay, Except the Lord had given me his holy Spirit, I had ſunk under my but then; but through mercy, I am ſupported, I feel ſtrength renewed and increaſed, as my burdens are renewed, I find there is no allay to trouble like this, even to pour out my ſoul to the Lord, which by the help of Gods Spirit I can do, in ſome weak meaſure, this is hearts-eaſe, I can upon this account glory in my (ſorrowful) infirmities, that the power of Chriſt may reſt upon me. Therefore I2 Cor. 12. 9, 10. take pleaſure in infirmities, in reproaches, in neceſſities, in perſeoutions, in diſtreſſes for Chriſts ſake, (or in other Troubles that come upon me in the world); for when I am weak (in my ſelf) then (through the Spirits aſſiſtance) I am ſtrong. If this be thy condition and experience, I have two words of Counſell to impart to thee.
1. Uſe and improve to the utmoſt this great mercy, hold on in this duty; Continue in prayer, while thy trouble continues▪ ICol. 4. 2. mean, that thou double and treble thy importunity in reference to the Affliction thou art under, do as Paul, pray thrice (often);2 Cor. 12. 8. 2 Kin. 13. 19. ſmite with this arrow not three times only, but ſix or ſeven, yea an hundred times. But not to ſpeak in the clouds, There is a threefold improvement, which you ſhould make of the Spirits help in trouble, all having relation to Affliction, and exceedingly tending to your advantage in it. Take them in order.
1. Improve the Spirits help eſpecially to beg a bleſſing upon your affliction: be earneſt for ſanctification, and ſpiritual improvement under it, be not ſo importunate to have the plaiſter taken off, as to have it made effectual to heal ſome ſpiritual diſtemper. Let thy ſoul breathe out ſuch deſires as theſe. Lord make this ſtroak humbling, healing, quickning: May ſome corrupt blood run out at this wound: Let ſome hidden luſt be diſcovered; let my faith be reſined, my delight in thy wayes be increaſed, as my outward 2 Cor. 14. 16.man decayes, let my inward man be renewed day by day: Thus be more importunate to find the good of it, then to be freed from the evil of it, as thou ſeeleſt the ſmart, ſo be earneſt that thou maiſt find the benefit: ſuch prayers are according to the will of God, and therefore he will return a gracious anſwer. Self may prompt us to beg eaſe and deliverance, but Grace ſhould teach us to beg ſpiritual advantage, eſpecially ſince the promiſes of doing us good by affliction are ſo full, ſo many, and ſince there is not a ſhorter cut to a ſanctified deliverance, than to have affliction ſanctified.
2. Improve this mercy as an alleviating conſideration: do as thoſe that carry a heavy burden; they lay ſomething betwixt their ſhoulder, and the thing they carry, to make it lye eaſier. Put this conſideration betwixt thy ſhoulder and the burden, it will make it abundantly lighter, as you have already heard. Oh what a calming cheering thought may this be, Well, though I am afflicted yet I am not caſt off. God ſtill holds me up with one hand, as he ſmites me with the other: while I have the bleſſed ſpirit of God to take by the heavy end and lift with me, how patient, how cheerful ſhould I be? As it ſaid in a like caſe, The Inhabitant ſhall not ſay, I am Iſa. 33. 24.ſick; the people that dwell therein ſhall be forgiven their iniquity: which ſome thus interpert, q. d. The people ſhall not be ſenſible of ſickneſs, and bodily diſtempers. Senſe of pardon, ſhall take away ſenſe of pain, their outward afflictions ſhall be as no affliction; ſin, which is the ſting thereof being taken away. So may the ſoul under trouble which hath this great advantage, ſay, This trouble is nothing, ſo long as I can thus fetch in eaſe, ſupport and comfort.
3. Improve it alſo as a preſervative from taking offence at the Croſs, or from taking indirect wayes to get from under it. For, think how unreaſonable a thing it were to be offended, to quarrel or murmure, when God doth abundantly compenſate the bitterneſs of thy ſuffering, with the ſweetneſs of this experience; Or why ſhouldeſt thou go elſe where for eaſe and comfort, when thou haſt ſo ready a way to God? He hath laid a Croſs on thy back, but he hath withall put his Spirit within thee, and thereby thou canſt fetch in ſupport: this is enough to bear charges; be the journey (as I may ſay) never ſo long or chargeable: Thus argue; Why ſhould I go elſewhere? I can turn in to my Heavenly Father, I can commit Pſa. 55. 22.my ſelf to the Lord, and caſt my burden upon him, and he will ſuſtain me: What need I goe down to Egypt for help? why ſhould I wound Conſcience by baſe complyances? why ſhould I ask a guard of Kings? or fly for ſhelter to brambles with will but ſcratch and te…r mee, when I can, by Faith and Prayer, dwell in the ſecret place of the moſt high, and abide under the ſhadow of the Almighty? Is there not a God in Iſrael, and have I not that Spirit of Adoption whereby I can cry Abba Father? why ſhould I got to Baalzebub the God of Ekron? Through grace I will not ſin, nor charge God foolishly, If hee ſtrike harder, I will pray harder, and cry lowder. Thus emprove this precious mercy.
2. The Second word of advice I have for ſuch, is this. Let thy returns of thankfulneſs for this mercy be neither ſtraitned nor ſlackned, becauſe of thy affliction: rather be more thankfull: delay not to pay God the praiſe due to him, nor pay him with the ſhorteſt. For conſider, this Priviledge is not only an allay to thy affliction, but it changeth the very nature of it, it turnes the Croſs into a bleſſing. This, I preſume will be readily acknowledg'd, that the worſt that can befall us is mercy; if it work for the beſt, if it improve and fit us for glory, if it make our graces more flouriſhing and vigourous, and ſhall make the Crown of glory more ponderous; Now this is the Effect of the Spirits help in prayer, it turns afflictions into advantages, our loſſes become our gain, and is there not cauſe of joy and thankfulneſs? What Paul ſaith of his bonds and impriſonment, I know this ſhall turn to Phil. 1. 19.my ſalvation, how? through your prayer and the ſupply of the Spirit of Chriſt: The ſame may you ſay of your troubles, Be they what they will, I know theſe ſhall turn to my ſalvation, I know theſe ſhall promote my eternall happineſs, through the ſupplies of the Spirit in Prayer. Therefore bleſs God, in the midſt of trouble, rejoyce in this mercy, and the rather becauſe this will be a ſingular means not only to have the Spirits aſſiſtance continued, but to have it more increaſed. Thanksgiving is a duty that brings meat in the mouth of it: you cannot give God the praiſe of any mercy, but hee will add another mercy to it: The thankfull Leper, upon his returning to give thanks receives an additionall Teſtimony, Goe thy way, thy faith Luk. 17. 19 Calv. in loc.hath made the whole (foreign) hath ſaved thee. Upon with words Calvin puts a Queſtion: If wee reſtrain this to the cleanſing of his body from leproſy, What difference betwixt this and the other nine who were alſo cleanſed? Hee anſwers that "Chriſt did otherwiſe eſteem the gift of God than profane men are wont to doe: hee looke upon it as a ſymbol or pledge of God's love to him, The ingratitude of the other did as it were infect and contaminate their cleanneſs, Faith only ſanctifies the gifts of God that they may be pure to us— but he addes in the cloſe, that together with his outward cleanſing, hee had obtained eternal ſalvation, for the Samaritane is ſaved by his Faith; how? not only that hee was cured of his leproſy (ſo were the reſt) but becauſe hee was received into the numberSo Deodate and others. of God's Children, and had received this temporall cure as a pledge of God's Fatherly love to him. Thus hee: With whom Beza ſeems to concur, thus gloſſing, Chriſt doth good even to the unthankful, but the benefits of God profit them only to ſalvation who are thankfull. This I have hinted to ſhew the advantages that flow from thankfulneſs. Hee's thankfull for a temporall mercy, Chriſt (according to their interpretation,) aſſures him of eternall mercy: Well, let not your afflictions make you leſs thankfull, for the goodneſs of God in vouchſafing you his Spirit to help you in prayer: nay rather double your prayſes, for the ſweetneſs and ſeaſonableneſs of this mercy. Thus much to the ſecond fort.