The Saints Temptations, Sermons · Sermon 15
SERMON XV.
Solomon's Song, 1.4.
Draw me, we will run after thee.
HAving ſhewed the excellency of divine Grace, I ſhall now take occaſion from this Scripture to ſpeak ſomething concerning the neceſſity of Divine Grace, and the ſenſe which the Saints have of the need they have of the help of Divine Grace. I take it for a certain Truth, that the elder we grow in Chriſtianity the more ſenſible ſhall we be of the need we have of Grace. Younger Chriſtians may be carryed out much in the heat and ſtrength of their affections, but elder Chriſtians do eaſily perceive the need they have of Divine Grace. We have here the profeſſion of the whole Church, ſhe profeſſeth the need that ſhe hath of Grace, and therefore prays for it, Draw me, we will run after thee.
Her petition ſuppoſeth her want, ſhe prays to be drawn, wherefore ſhe needs to be drawn, Draw me, we will run after thee; ſhe plainly intimates that unleſs ſhe were drawn, ſhe could not run. So that in theſe words, here is a plain declaration of the ſenſe that the Church had of the need of Divine Grace. Her praying that ſhe might be drawn by Divine Grace, ſuppoſeth that ſhe needed Divine Grace to draw her, and her ſaying, Draw me, and we will run after thee, plainly ſhews that unleſs ſhe had Divine Grace to draw her, ſhe could not run.
In the words of the Text there are theſe three things to be conſidered, one whereof is ſuppoſed and the other two are implyed.
That which is ſuppoſed, is the need which the Church had of the drawings of Divine Grace, and the ſenſe that ſhe had of the need of theſe drawings, Draw me, we will run after thee. Her praying to be drawn, ſuppoſeth her need to be drawn, for we are not wont to pray for that which we do not want. Therefore if the Church pray to be drawn, ſhe needs to be drawn. This is therefore implyed, the Churches want of Divine Grace, and the ſenſe that ſhe had of the want of this Grace.
There are two things expreſt in the Text:
1. The Churches petition, Draw me. The
2. Is the conſequent of granting this her petition, Draw me, and we will run after thee.
There are three Obſervations or Doctrines that do ariſe out of the words. The
Doct. 1. Is this, That holy Souls are moſt ſenſible of the need which they have of the help of Divine Grace. This is clearly implyed here, when the Church prays, Draw me; ſhe was deeply ſenſible of the need ſhe had to be drawn; how drawn? drawn by Divine Grace. The
Doct. 2. Second Obſervation is That the ſenſe which we have of the need of Divine Grace ſhould make us pray ſo much the more for the drawings of Divine Grace. The
Doct. 3. Third and laſt Obſervation is this, The end why we ſhould deſire the drawings of Divine Grace, it is that our hearts may be more carryed out after God. Draw me, and we will run after thee. The end why ſhe deſired to be drawn, was that her heart might be the more carryed out after Chriſt. Theſe are the Obſervations that lie plainly in the Text.
I ſhall begin to ſpeak a little of the
1. Of theſe, holy ſouls are moſt ſenſible of the need which they have of the help of Divine Grace. In ſpeaking to this point there are two or three things to be ſpoken unto.
1. To ſhew you what that grace is that holy ſouls are ſenſible of a want, and conſtant need of in themſelves. And,
2. What that ſenſe is that holy ſouls have of the need and want of Divine Grace. And then,
3. The reaſons of it.
1. What that grace is which holy ſouls are ſenſible of the need of.
I ſhall open this in ſeveral particulars, and the more experience we have attained unto, the more ſhall we underſtand the things that are ſet before us.
1. The Saints are ſenſible of the want of quickening or exciting grace; this is primarily intended in the Text, Draw me, we will run after thee, why doth the Church pray to be drawn? this is implyed, that ſhe found her ſelf very dead, heavy, and lumpiſh in the waies of God, ſhe found her heart very unapt to move towards Chriſt, therefore it is that ſhe prays to be drawn, draw me, that is, quicken me by exciting grace, I find my heart very dead, I find my Spirit lumpiſh, heavy, unapt to move towards thee, therefore quicken me by exciting grace. She was ſenſible ſhe could not move towards Chriſt till exciting grace did quicken her. Holy ſouls are ſenſible of many damps and deadneſſes, and indiſpoſitions that come upon them, they have not that quickneſs, livelineſs, and fervour in the waies of God, that ſometime they have felt. The more experience we have of our own hearts, the more we ſhall be ſenſible of theſe damps and deadneſſes and indiſpoſitions that art apt to come upon us, and if we are not ſenſible of theſe things it is a ſign we are not acquainted with our own hearts. David prays often in the 119. Pſalm for quickening, Quicken me, quicken me, in ſeveral places of that Pſalm; hence may we gather that he found a great deal of ſpiritual deadneſs that was come upon him. Do not we often find an indiſpoſition to prayer, to meditation, to holy conference, oh then do we need quickening grace, then do we need to pray as the Church doth here, draw us, when we find our hearts dead and lumpiſh in the waies of God, then do we need quickening or exciting Grace.
2. Holy Souls are oftentimes ſenſible of the want of elevating grace to raiſe and elevate their hearts to God. This alſo is in the Text, Draw me, we will run after thee. The Church was ſenſible that ſhe could not get up her heart to God as ſhe would have it carried up to him. Draw me, ſhe would fain get an advance towards God, but ſhe could not get up her Spirit to him as ſhe would. She had not thoſe inlarged affections towards God as ſometimes ſhe had, and therefore ſhe prays to be drawn. Conſider it well, do you not ſometimes find your affections very flat and low to what they are at other times; either your affections ſtick in ſome lower inferiour things, or elſe there is ſuch a clog, a weight that lies upon them, that you cannot get them to aſcend to God. O how ſeldom is it that we can get our affections upon the wing to mount up and ſoar aloft towards God! our affections flag and ſink, and it is well ſometimes if we can tell whether we have any affections for God yea or no. Sometimes it may be we ſhall find our hearts carryed up aloft, above the Sphear of all created things, we ſhall find we love God incomparably above all things here below, at other times we find our hearts lumpiſh and heavy like a piece of lead, and cannot get them to aſcend to God, as ſometimes they do, therefore the Saints do want elevating grace, to elevate and raiſe their hearts to God: The Saints find the need of Divine Grace to elevate their hearts above preſent things.
It is natural to us to ſtick in preſent things, in things that are ſeen, and the Saints that have acquaintance with their own hearts, find they have need of Divine Grace to elevate their hearts above the things that are ſeen, to the inviſible God. Unleſs divine grace raiſe us we ſhall ſink into preſent ſenſible things and cannot get up above them. It is only Divine Grace that raiſes us above preſent things.
3. The Saints are ſenſible of the need they have of corroborating or ſtengthening Grace and that in theſe three particulars,
1. They ſee the need of ſtrengthening grace to carry them through the difficulties of their Pilgrimage here on earth. The elder the Saints grow, the greater and ſorer are their difficulties many times. God puts his people to the hardeſt leſſons at laſt oftentimes, and elder Chriſtians are more ſenſible of the need of Divine grace to carry them through the difficulties of their Pilgrimage. So great are their tryals and difficulties ſometimes, that they meet with, that they are ready to faint under them, Pſal. 27.14. Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and he ſhall ſtrengthen thine heart.
Why is this ſpoken, but only to ſhew us that the Saints are oftentimes reduced to ſuch a caſe and condition, as that they had need to be bid to take heart and ſpirit to themſelves, they are apt to deſpond and ſink in their ſpirits through their own infirmities, and the greatneſs of their tryals that come upon them, they are apt to caſt away their hope, and therefore they need Divine Grace to ſtrengthen their hearts; and the Lord here promiſeth that he will do it, Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he ſhall ſtrengthen thy heart.
The Saints find by experience hat their hearts are apt to deſpond within them, when their difficulties are great, and renewed upon them, and they have need to pray for corroborating Grace to fortifie and bear them up againſt the difficulties they meet withal.
2. They are ſenſible of the need of corroborating and ſtrengthening Grace to ſupport them under their ſorrows and afflictions, Pſal. 119.28. My ſoul melteth away for heavineſs, ſtrengthen thou me according to thy Word. In the original it is, My ſoul droppeth, that is, it is ready to die and faint away under my afflictions, therefore ſtrengthen me according to thy Word, unleſs thy Grace ſtrengthen and uphold me, my ſoul will drop and melt away under my afflictions, my afflictions will be too hard for me, and ſink me quite and clean, Pſal. 119.116. Uphold me that I may live, when a perſon is juſt ready to ſink and faint away, unleſs there be one near to uphold him, he muſt needs fall to the ground. This holy man ſpeaks here after this rate, I am juſt fainting away, uphold me that I may live. The Children of God find themſelves even fainting and dying away under their afflictions and preſſures, therefore they find the need of upholding Grace, or elſe they muſt ſink and periſh. Thoſe that are at eaſe know not the meaning of theſe things, but exerciſed ſouls know the meaning of them. Thoſe that have been under Temptations know what David means when he ſaith, My ſoul melteth away for heavineſs, and uphold me that I may live. Without Divine Grace the Saints would ſink and periſh in their afflictions.
3. They are ſenſible of the need of ſtrengthening Grace to carry them out in the performance of duty, To will is preſent with me, ſaith the Apoſtle, but how to perform I know not, Rom. 7.18. Holy ſouls find a mind and will to do many things, but how to do them and perform them actually they know not, they would fain deny themſelves, they would fain bring their will to Gods Will without the leaſt reluctance. They would fain Pray better, and Hear better, but when it comes to perform, they find they are very ſhort, and they find the need of Divine Grace to help them to perform what they will to do. It is a great Scripture, Pſal. 119.35. Make me to go in the path of thy commandments, for therein do I delight. His delight was in the waies of God, yea but for all that he needed Grace to make him to walk in them, and therefore he prays, Make me to go. It may be we can ſay we have a delight to pray, a delight to hear, a delight to meditate, but for all this, we need actual aſſiſting grace to inable us to pray, and to inable us to hear, and to inable us to meditate, Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments, for therein do I delight. Though he delighted in Gods Commandments, yet he wanted Grace to make him to go in them. Though we have a love and affection to holy duties, yet we want Divine Grace and aſſiſtance to carry us out in the performance of thoſe holy duties that we love.
4. The Saints are ſenſible of the need they have of mollifying grace to ſoften and break their hearts, this is the language of the Church, Iſa. 63.17. Lord why haſt thou har dened our hearts from thy fear; the Church here complains of her hardneſs, ſhe is ſenſible of the need of mollifying Grace. Holy ſouls are ſenſible of much hardneſs and unbrokenneſs of ſpirit. It is a great trouble to them oftentimes that they cannot find their hearts break and melt for ſin as ſometimes they have done. Is it not a great trouble to you Chriſtians to find theſe changes? You have found your hearts melt and break, now you cannot find them breaking and melting as heretofore. It is the Promiſe of the Covenant, Ezek. 36.26.I will take away the heart of ſtone, and give a heart of fleſh. Now if it be the work of Divine Grace to take away the heart of ſtone (as certain it is (there is much of that heart of ſtone remaining in us any further than Divine Grace is put forth in us to ſoften our hearts) then the Saints want mollifying Grace to break their hearts under the ſenſe of ſin. Sometimes a little ſin will break our hearts and affect our conſciences, at other times a greater ſin will not do it, therefore we want Divine Grace to make our conſciences tender at all times.
5. The Saints are ſenſible of the need of medicinal or bealing grace to heal the malignity and perverſeneſs which they find lurking in their natures. There is a root of pride, of paſſion, of envy, a root of frowardneſs and diſcontent, a root of murmuring and impatience, a root of covetouſneſs, which lurks in all our hearts, and the more experience we have of our own hearts, the more need we ſhall ſee we have of the Grace of God to heal theſe roots of ſin that are thus lurking in us, Pſa. 41.4. Heal my ſoul for I have ſinned againſt thee. We read of Ephraim that there was a root of covetouſneſs and forwardneſs in him, Iſa. 57.17. For the iniquity of his covetouſneſs was I wroth, there was one evil, viz. covetouſneſs, I hid me and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart, there is another evil added to it, viz. frowardneſs and perverſeneſs of ſpirit, his heart was very much out of frame, what doth God ſay? I have ſeen his waies and will heal him. When our hearts are froward and perverſe, nothing but Divine Grace can ſet our hearts right.
We have many ſuch roots of bitterneſs in us, Pride, Paſſion, Covetouſneſs, Envy, Frowardneſs, Diſcontent, Murmuring, Impatience, and the like. Now we need Divine Grace, medicinal Grace to heal us.
6. The Saints are ſenſible of the need which they have of powerful efficacious grace to cauſe them to believe in Chriſt. Draw me, that is; draw me to thy ſelf in a way of believing; ſo ſome expound it, and they compare this Text with thoſe words of our Saviour, Joh. 6.44. No man can come to me, except the Father which ſent me, draw him. There muſt be the drawing of Divine Grace before any perſon can come to Chriſt in a way of believing, ſo that we need efficacious Grace to draw us to come to Chriſt in a way of believing. Whatever we may think, there is naturally an oppoſition in our hearts againſt the way of believing. It is natural to every man to ſeek for a righteouſneſs in himſelf. We were all born under the Covenant of Works, and we deſire to live and abide under the Covenant of Works, and ſeek for a righteouſneſs of our own, This is plain from that of the Jews, Rom. 10.3. They being ignorant of Gods rightcouſneſs, and what is this righteouſneſs of God? imputed righteouſneſs, the righteouſof God by Faith, as the Apoſtle calls it, Phil. 3.9. Now, ſaith he, they being ignorant of Gods righteouſneſs, went about to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſs. It is natural to every man to ſeek for a righteouſneſs in himſelf, and he is loth to be beholding to the righteouſneſs of another, ſo proud is the heart of man that he would not go out of himſelf for happineſs, therefore it is the power of Divine Grace that muſt take a man out of himſelf and from off his own bottom, to make him come to Chriſt. And as we need Divine Grace to help us to believe firſt of all, ſo we need the help of the ſame Grace to inable us to put forth every particular act of Faith. We have a clear Text for it, Rom. 15.13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, in believing, that is the meaning. But how ſo? Through the power of the Holy Ghoſt; to the end that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghoſt, mark it, it is by the power of the Holy Ghoſt that we muſt abound in the acts of Faith, we cannot put forth one act of Faith without the power and ſpecial helps and aſſiſtance of the Holy Ghoſt. Do we not find it a difficult thing to come to the ſpiritual apprehenſions of Chriſt? how hard do we find it to apprehend the perſon of Chriſt aright? how difficult is it to have right conceptions of the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, and of the Grace of Chriſt? Now Faith begins in the ſpiritual apprehenſion of Chriſt, Joh. 6.40. This is the Will of him that ſent me, that every one which ſeeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlaſting life. There muſt be firſt ſeeing of the Son before there can be believing on him. Spiritual apprehenſion of Chriſt is the firſt thing in Faith, there muſt firſt be a ſpiritual apprehenſion of Chriſt before there can be an act of Faith upon Chriſt, therefore Paul prays that he might know Chriſt, Phil. 3.10. That I may know him, &c. Now if we cannot ſo eaſily come to ſpiritual apprehenſions of Chriſt, it is not ſo eaſie to act Faith upon him as we may think. Therefore the Saints need the power of efficacious Grace to cauſe them to believe; and the Apoſtle tells us, Epheſ. 6. latter end, That there is the ſame power put forth to make us to believe, as was put forth by God when he raiſed Chriſt from the dead.
7. The Saints are ſenſible of the need that they have of preparing or diſpoſitive Grace, if I may ſo call it, to prepare, incline, and diſpoſe their hearts to the things of God, Pſal. 10.17. Thou wilt prepare their hearts to pray, thou wilt cauſe thine car to hear. Thou will prepare their hearts to pray. It is God that prepares the heart to pray; ſo in Pſal. 119.39. Incline my heart to thy Teſtimonies. The Saints are ſenſible of the need of the Grace of God to put a new bent, a new bias on their hearts. Incline my heart to thy Teſtimonies; our hearts are oftentimes out of frame, very much unſuited to ſpiritual things, and holy ſouls are ſenſible of the need of Divine Grace to bring them into frame, to diſpoſe them and bring them into a temper fit for the duties God calls them to, Heb. 13.20, 21. The God of peace make you perfect in every good work, that is, adapt, frame, diſpoſe you to every good work. Oh the more experience we have of our own hearts, the more need we ſhall find we have of Divine Grace to bring our hearts into frame, and keep them in frame.
8. The Saints are ſenſible of the need they have of over-powering and conquering Grace to conquer and overcome the reluctancy that is in their wills againſt the Divine Will. When Gods Will thwarts and croſſes our wills, our wills are apt to reluctate and make head againſt Gods Will, therefore holy ſouls are ſenſible of the need of Grace to overcome that rebellion and oppoſition that is in their wills againſt the Divine Will. O it is the mighty power of the Grace of God that makes a man lay aſide his own will, and his own private affections; nothing but Grace can make a man do this, every man by nature is wedded to his own will, and nothing but the Grace of God can take a man off from his own private will, and his own private affection. When our Saviour had foretold his ſufferings, Peter could not bear this, his will began to reluctate, Matth. 16.22. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, ſaying, Be it far from thee; Lord, this ſhall not be unto thee. When Gods Will thwarts ours, our wills are apt preſently to rebel, and to make head againſt it: Therefore holy ſouls are ſenſible of the need of Divine Grace to overcome the reluctancy that they find in their wills againſt the Will of God.
9. The Saints are ſenſible of the need of preſerving Grace to preſerve and keep them from falling into groſs and ſcandalous ſins, Jude verſ. 24. To him that is able to keep you from falling, falling, how? falling foully, falling ſcandalouſly. It is God that is able to keep us from falling, we are not able to keep our ſelves. It is the Divine power that keeps us from falling foully and ſcandalouſly, we cannot keep our ſelves. We have another Saint profeſſing his inability in this point, Pſal. 17.5. Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footſteps ſlip not; as much as if he ſhould ſay, I ſhall ſoon tread awry, I ſhall eaſily be overtaken by ſome groſs ſin, if thou doſt not uphold me, if thou doſt not keep me. Pſal. 19.13. Keep back thy ſervant from preſumptuous ſins, as much as if he ſhould ſay, I am prone enough of my ſelf to fall into preſumptuous ſins, it is thy grace alone can keep me back from them. Alas, if we ſhould truſt to our own ſtrength we ſhould ſoon find how weak it is; there is not the holieſt ſoul, but would fall into ſcandalous ſins, did not Divine Grace keep him.
10. And laſtly, The Saints are ſenſible of the need they have of fixing and eſtabliſhing Grace to keep their hearts fixt and conſtant in the waies of God, Pſal. 86.11. unite my heart to fear thy name; unite my heart, when this holy man prays to have his heart united, that ſhews he found his heart prone to many excurſions, his affections were ſcattered abroad unto variety of objects, therefore doth he pray to have his heart united to God, that ſo he might adhere to God only, firmly, inſeparably, truly. It is very hard for us to keep our hearts alwaies cloſe to God, every poor thing is apt to diſtract them and turn them aſide, therefore holy ſouls, that walk with God, ſee a neceſſity of Divine Grace to fix their hearts, that they may cleave to the Lord firmly and inſeparably.
Is it ſo,uſe 1. that holy ſouls are moſt ſenſible of the need they have of Divine Grace? hence may we learn, that they who magnifie and cry up the power of nature and mans free will, and decry the neceſſity of Divine Grace do little underſtand their own hearts, and the reaſon is, becauſe this crying up of the power of nature and mans own ability and ſtrength, is manifeſtly contrary to the experience of the Saints in all ages, therefore it was well obſerved by one, That the principles of ſome men, who do cry up Free-will, they are contrary to the common ſenſe and experience of all the faithful. Some men teach us that we have a power to believe: the Saints experience in all ages tells them that they have no power. Certainly Paul had as much of the power of Free-will in him as another man, and yet he ſaith, We have not ſufficiency of our ſelves to think a good thought, what leſs than a holy thought? and yet we have no leſs than an Apoſtle, after all the Grace he had received, that tells us, that he had not ſufficiency of himſelf to think a good thought. Some men make their boaſt of their own ſtrength and ſufficiency, but how contrary is this to the language of the Saints in Scripture? The Saints with one accord in Scripture cry out, Draw us, quicken us, incline us, unite our hearts, order our ſteps in thy waies, what are all theſe expreſſions but a holy confeſſion of their own inſufficiency? therefore they who cry up the power of nature and mans Free-will are not to be credited in what they ſay, becauſe it is contrary to the ſenſe and ſuffrage of the Church in all Ages.
This ſhould teach us in the
2.Uſe 2. Place great humility; If the Church here prays to be drawn, Oh then let us all labour to be ſenſible of the need we have of Divine Grace. The more ſenſible we are of the need of grace, the more humble ſhall we be in our ſelves, the greater dependance ſhall we have upon Chriſt, the more ſhall we ſeek to God for Grace, and the more we ſhall give to God the glory of the Grace which we receive from him: whereas on the contrary, the more we abound in the ſenſe of our own fullneſs and ſufficiency, and the leſs ſenſe we have of our need of Divine Grace, the more liable we are to fall. Take it for a certain truth, that none are more likely to be deſerted of God, and left to themſelves than thoſe who are preſumptuous of their own ſtrength, and unſenſible of the need they have of Divine Grace, for God reſiſts the proud, and gives grace to the humble, 1 Pet. 5.5. When we do not keep up the ſenſe of our need of Grace, then God leaves us to our ſelves, and ſhews us what we are, and what we can do, or rather what we cannot do, without the help of Divine Grace, and God leaving us to fall one way or other, makes us ſee what need we have of his Grace. Therefore as we would not have God deſert us, and leave us to our ſelves, let us keep up a conſtant ſenſe of the need of his Grace; and that no… only as to ſome things, but as to every … Without me, ſaies our Saviour … do nothing, he doth not ſay … nothing at all, not one thing … tion of our own ſtrength … is that which undoes us. We preſume upon our own gifts and Grace received, upon our own ſufficiency and reſolution, and are not ſenſible of our need of Grace for every thing, and hence it is that we go forth in the confidence of our own ſtrength and ability, and neglect our dependance on Chriſt, and then we have experience oftentimes how greatly we miſcarry. But we ſhall find it to be true, that our greateſt perfection lies in this, to go intirely out of our ſelves, and to have the moſt intire dependance upon God for every thing; the higheſt perfection a Chriſtian can attain to in this life, is to go wholly out of himſelf, and to have an intire dependance upon God for every thing.
The end of the Fifteenth Sermon.