Exposition of Psalm 130, Exposition · Verse 4 · Section 20
Objections from the present state and Condition of the Soul: Weakness and imperfection of Duty. Opposition from Indwelling Sin.
Objections from weakness in Duty, and the power of Sin.3. There is another Head of Objections against the souls receiving Consolation from an interest in forgiveness arising from the consideration of its present state and condition, as to actual Holiness, Duties and sins. Souls complain when in Darkness, and under Temptations that they cannot find that Holiness, nor those fruits of it in themselves, which they suppose an interest in pardoning mercy will produce. Their hearts they find are weak, and all their Duties worthless. If they were weighed in the ballance they would be all found too light. In the best of them there is such a mixture of Self, Hypocrisie, Unbelief, vain Glory, that they are even ashamed and confounded with the Remembrance of them. These things fill them with discouragements, so that they refuse to be comforted, or to entertain any refreshing perswasion from the Truth insisted on; but rather conclude that they are utter strangers from that forgiveness that is with God, and so continue helpless in their depths.
According unto the method proposed, and hitherto pursued I shall only lay down some such general Rules, as may support a soul under the despondencies, that are apt in such a condition to befall it, that none of these things may weaken it in its endeavour to lay hold of forgiveness. And,
First, This is the proper place to put in execution our seventh Rule, to take heed of heartless complaints, when vigorous actings of Grace are expected at our hands. If it be thus indeed, why lye you on your faces, why do you not rise, and put out your selves to the utmost, giving all diligence to add one Grace to another, untill you find your selves in a better frame. Supposing then the putting of that Rule into practice, I add, that
1. Known Holiness, is apt to degenerate into self righteousness. What God gives us on the account of Sanctification, we are ready enough to reckon on the score of Justification. It is a hard thing to feel Grace, and to believe as if there were none. We have so much of the Pharisee in us by nature, that it is sometimes well that our Good is hid from us. We are ready to take our Corn and Wine and bestow them on other Lovers. Were there not in our hearts a spiritually sensible principle of corruption; and in our duties a discernable mixture of self, it would be impossible we should walk so humbly, as is required of them who hold communion with God in a Covenant of Grace and pardoning mercy. It is a good life, which is attended with a faith of Rightcousness, and a sense of corruption. Whilest I know Christs. Righteousness, I shall the less care to know my own Holiness. To be holy is necessary, to know it sometimes a Temptation.
2. Even Duties of Gods Appointment when turned into selfrighteousness are Gods great abhorrency, Isa. 66. 2, 3. What hath a good Original may be vitiated by a bad End.
3. Oftentimes Holiness in the heart is more known by the Opposition that is made there to it, than by its own prevalent working; The Spirits Operation is known by the flesh's opposition. We find a mans strength by the burdens he carryes, and not the pace that he goes. Oh, wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death, is a better evidence of Grace and Holiness, than God I thank thee I am not as other men; a heart pressed, grieved, burdened, not by the guilt of sin only, which reflects with trouble on an awakened conscience, but by the close adhering power of Indwelling sin, tempting, seducing, soliciting, hindring, captivating, conceiving, restlesly disquieting may, from thence have as clear an evidence of holiness, as from a delightful fruit-bearing. What is it that is troubled and grieved in thee; What is it, that seems to be almost killed, and destroyed; that crys out, complains, longs for deliverance? is it not, the new Creature? is it not the principle of spiritual life, whereof thou art partaker? I speak not of trouble and disquietments for sin committed, nor of fears and perturbations of mind, left sin should break forth to loss, shame, ruine, dishonour; nor of the contending of a convinced Conscience lest Damnation should ensue; but of the striving of the spirit against sin, out of a hatred and a loathing of it, upon all the mixt Considerations of Love, Grace, Mercy, Fear, the beauty of Holiness, Excellency of communion with God, that are proposed in the Gospel. If thou seemest to thy self to be only passive in these things, to do nothing, but to endure the Assaults of sin; Yet if thou art sensible, and standest under the stroke of it, as under the stroke of an Enemy, there is the root of the matter. And as it is thus, as to the substance and Being of Holiness, so it is also as to the degrees of it. Degrees of Holiness are to be measured more by Opposition, than self operation. He may have more Grace, than another; who brings not forth so much fruit as the other; because he hath more opposition, more Temptation, Isa. 41. 17. And sense of the want of all, is a great sign of somewhat in the soul.
2. As to what was alledged to the nothingness, the selfishness of Duty; I say,
It is certain whilest we are in the flesh, our duties will taste of the vessel whence they proceed. Weakness, defilements, treachery, hypocrisie will attend them. To this purpose whatever some pretend to the contrary, is the Complaint of the Church, Isa. 64. 6. The Chaffe oftentimes is so mixed with the Wheat that Corn can scarce be discerned. And this know, that the more spiritual any man is, the more be sees of his unspiritualness in his spiritual Duties. An outside performance will satisfie an outside Christian. Job abhorred himself most, when he knew himself best. The clearer discoveries we have had of God, the viler will every thing of self appear. Nay further, duties and performances are oftentimes very ill measured by us; and those seem to be first, which indeed are last, and those to be last, which indeed are first. I do not doubt but a man when he hath had distractions to wrestle withall, no outward advantage to further him, no extraordinary provocations of hope, fear or sorrow on a natural account in his duty, may rise from his knees with thoughts that he hath done nothing in his duty but provoked God; when there hath been more workings of Grace in contending with the deadness cast on the soul by the condition that it is in, than when by a concurrence of moved natural affections, and outward provocations, a frame hath been raised, that hath to the party himself seemed to reach to Heaven; so that it may be this perplexity about duties, is nothing but what is common to the people of God, and which ought to be no obstruction to peace and settlement.
2. As to the pretence of Hypocrisie, you know what is usually answered; it is one thing to do a thing in hypocrisie, another not to do it without a mixture of hypocrisie. Hypocrisie in its long extent is every thing that for matter or manner comes short of sincerity. Now our sincerity is no more perfect than our other graces; so that in its measure it abides with us, and adheres to all we do: In like manner, it is one thing to do a thing for vain glory, and to be seen of men, another not to be able wholly to keep off the subtle insinuations of self and vain glory. He that doth a thing in hypocrisie, and for vain glory, is satisfied with some corrupt end obtained, though he be sensible that he sought such an end. He that doth a thing with a mixture of hypocrisie, that is with some breaches upon the degrees of his sincerity, with some insensible advancements in performance on outward considerations, is not satisfied with a self end attained, and is dissatisfied with the defect of his sincerity. In a word, wouldst thou yet be sincere, and dost endeavour so to be in private duties, and in publick performances; in praying, hearing, giving alms, zealous actings for Gods glory, and the Love of the Saints, though these duties are not, it may be, sometimes, done without sensible hypocrisie, I mean as traced to its most subtle insinuations of self and vain glory, yet are they not done in hypocrisie, nor do not denominate the persons by whom they are performed hypocrites; Yet I say of this, as of all that is spoken before; it is of use to relieve us under a troubled condition, of none to support us or incourage us unto an abode in it.
3. Know that God despiseth not small things; he takes notice of the least breathings of our hearts after him, when we our selves can see nor perceive no such thing. He knows the mind of the spirit in those workings, which are never formed to that height, that we can reflect upon them with our observation. Every thing that is of him, is noted in his Book, though not in ours. He took notice that when Sarah was acting unbelief towards him, yet that she shewed respect and regard to her Husband, calling him Lord, Gen. 18. 12. 1 Pet. 3. 6. And even whilst his people are sinning, he can find something in their hearts, words or waies that pleaseth him, much more in their duties. He is a skilfull refiner that can find much Gold in that Ore where we see nothing but Lead or Clay. He remembers the duties which we forget, and forgets the sins which we remember. He justifies our persons though ungodly, and will also our duties, though not perfectly godly.
4. To give a little further support in reference unto our wretched miserable duties, and to them that are in perplexities on that account, know that Jesus Christ takes out whatever is evil and unsavoury out of them, and makes them acceptable. When an unskilfull servant gathers many herbs, flowers and weeds in a Garden, you gather them out that are usefull, and cast the rest out of sight. Christ deals so with our performances. All the ingredients of self that are in them on any account, he takes away, and adds Incense to what remains, and presents it to God, Exod. 28. 36. This is the cause that the Saints at the last day when they meet their own duties and performances, they know them not, they are so changed from what they were when they went of their hand. Lord, when saw we thee naked or hungry, so that God accepts a little, and Christ makes our little a great deal.
5. Is this an Argument to keep thee from believing? The Reason why thou art no more Holy, is because thou hast no more faith. If thou hast no holiness, it is because thou hast no saith; Holiness is the purifying of the heart by faith; or our Obedience unto the Truth. And the reason why thou art no more in duty, is because thou art no more in believing; the reason why thy duties are weak and imperfect, is because thy faith is weak and imperfect. Hast thou no holiness, believe that thou maist have; hast thou but a little, or that which is imperceptible, be stedfast in believing that thou maist abound in Obedience. Do not resolve not to eat thy meat until thou art strong, when thou hast no means of being strong, but by eating thy bread, which strengthens the heart of man.
Object. 4. The powerfull tumulating of indwelling sin or corruption, is another cause of the same kind of trouble and despondency. They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof. But we find, say some, several corruptions working effectually in our hearts, carrying us captive to the Law of sin. They disquiet with their power, as well as with their guilt. Had we been made partakers of the Law of the Spirit of Life, we had ere this been more set free from the Law of sin and death. Had sin been pardoned fully, it would have been subdued more effectually.
There are three Considerations which make the actings of indwelling sin to be so perplexing to the soul.
1. Because they are unexpected. The soul looks not for them upon the first great conquest made of sin, and universal engagement of the heart unto God. When it first sayes, I have sworn, and amstedfastly purposed to keep thy righteous Judgements; commonly there is peace at least for a season from the disturbing vigorous actings of sin. There are many Reasons why so it should be. Old things are then passed away, all things are become new; and the soul under the power of that universal change, is utterly turned away from those things that should foment, stir up, provoke or cherish any lust or temptation. Now when some of these Advantages are past, and sin begins to stir and act again, the soul is surprized, and thinks the work that he hath passed through was not true and effectual, but temporary only. Yea he thinks perhaps that sin hath more strength than it had before, because he is more sensible than he was before. As one that hath a dead arm or limb whilst it is mortified, endures deep cuts and launcings, and feels them not: when spirits and sense are brought into the place again, he feels the least cut, and may think the instruments sharper than they were before, when all the difference is, that he hath got a quickness of sense, which before he had not. It may be so with a person in this case; he may think lust more powerfull than it was before, because he is more sensible than he was before. Yea sin in the heart, is like a Snake or Serpent; you may pull out the sting of it, and cut it into many pieces; though it can sting mortally no more, nor move his whole body at once, yet it will move in all its parts, and make an appearance of a greater motion than formerly. So it is with lust, when it hath received its deaths wound, and is cut in pieces, yet it moves in so many parts as it were in the soul, that it amazes him that hath to do with it; and thus coming unexpectedly, fills the spirit oftentimes with disconsolation.
2. It hath also in its actings an Universality. This also surprizeth; there is an universality in the actings of sin, even in Believers. There is no evil that it will not move to; there is no good that it will not attempt to hinder; no duty that it will not defile. And the reason of this is, because we are sanctified but in part; not in any part wholly, though savingly and truly in every part. There is sin remaining in every faculty, in all the Affections, and so may be acting in and towards any sin that the nature of man is liable unto. Degrees of sin there are that all Regenerate persons are exempted from; but unto solicitations to all kinds of sin they are exposed, and this helps on the Temptation.
3. It is endless and restless; never quiet conquering nor conquered; it gives not over, but rebels being overcome, or assaults afresh having prevailed. Oft-times after a victory obtained, and an opposition subdued, the soul is in expectation of Rest and Peace from its enemies. But this holds not. It works and rebels again and again, and will do so whilst we live in this world; so that no issue will be put to our conflict but by death. This is at large handled elsewhere, in a Treatise lately published on this peculiar subject.
These and the like Considerations attending the actings of indwelling sin, do oftentimes intangle the soul in making a Judgement of it self, and leave it in the dark as to its state and condition.
A few things shall be offered unto this Objection also.
1. The sensible powerfull actings of indwelling sin, are not inconsistent with a state of Grace, Gal. 5. 17. There are in the same person contrary principles, the flesh and the spirit; these are contrary; And there are contrary actings from these principles; The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; and these actings are described to be great vigorous in other places. Lust wars against our souls, Jam. 4. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 1 l. Now to war is not to make faint or gentle Opposition to be flighted and contemned; but it is to go out with great strength, to use craft, subtlety and force, so as to put the whole issue to a hazard. So these lusts war; such are their actings in and against the soul. And therefore saith the Apostle, You cannot do the things that you would; see Rom. 7. 14, 15, 16, 17. In this conflict indeed the understanding is left unconquered; it condemns and disapproves of the evil led unto; and the will is not subdued; it would not do the evil that is pressed upon it, and there is an hatred or aversation remaining in the Affections unto sin; but yet notwithstanding sin rebels, fights, tumultuates, and leads captive. This Objection then may receive this speedy Answer. Powerfull actings and workings, universal endless struglings of ind welling sin, seducing to all that is evil, putting it self forth to the disturbance and dissettlement of all that is good, is no sufficient ground to conclude a state of Alienation from God; see for this the other Treatise before mentioned at large.
2. Your state is not at all to be measured by the opposition that sin makes to you, but by the opposition you make to it; be that never so great, if this be good, be that never so restless and powerfull, if this be sincere, you may be disquieted, you can have no reason to despond.
I have mentioned these things only to give a specimen of the Objections which men usually raise up against an actual closing with the Truth insisted on to their consolation. And we have also given in upon them some Rules of Truth for their relief, not intending in them absolute satisfaction as to the whole of the cases mentioned, but only to remove the darkness raised by them so out of the way, as that it might not hinder any from mixing the Word with Faith that hath been dispensed from this blessed testimony, that there is forgiveness with God that he may be feared,