The Throne of Grace, Sermon 11
SERMON. XI.
HEB. IV. 16.
Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in time of need.
THE Lord hath been pleaſed, ſo to order and determine the State and Condition of his Children, while they are in this Life, that they ſhall be conſtantly needy. This Diſpenſation we ſhould ſubmit unto with all quietneſs of mind, not quarrelling with the Wiſdom and Mercy of our God therein: Yea, more than Submiſſion is called for: There is a further Duty required, though it be hard to perform it, to take pleaſure and to rejoice in this needy State, that the power of Chriſt may reſt upon us. For as the Lord hath laid us, or left us under manifold Neceſſities: So hath he laid up, and is ready to lay out, of his Grace for helping us under them. And ſurely ſuch Wants as lay us open for thoſe Supplies of his Grace, will be found to have a great deal of Mercy in them, in the iſſue. The Exhortation in the Text implies, that Grace can help in every time of need. There are ſome times of need, contrived by the Lord on purpoſe, that the helpfulneſs of his Grace might the more ſhine and appear. I was ſpeaking laſt day, from this Truth, That there are ſome ſpecial neceſſitous Times, in which Believers are ſpecially needy of Chriſt's Grace, and in which his Grace is ſpecially helpful.
I have ſpoke to the firſt of theſe times of need: A time of Temptation: Though all Believers be not always tempted; yet there is no Saint on Earth, who is out the Devils Gun-ſhot. No Saint on Earth hath reaſon to expect, that (if I may ſo ſpeak) God ſhould ſerve the Devil with a Noli proſequi. God gives … in this life, an utter diſcharge to the Devil, from medling with, or moleſting of any Saint. Till we come to Heaven, this Adverſary muſt be expected and prepared for. This World is his Dominion; he is the wicked God of it. 2 Cor. 4.4. And all the wicked in it, are his people, Subjects, and Children: And all the remaining Corruption in the Saints, is of the Devil.
2. The ſecond time of ſpecial need of God's Grace, is, the time of a ſpiritual decay; a decay in the New Creature, a decay in the Work of God in the Heart. This paſſeth under many Names in the Word, and well known in the Senſe and Experience of Believers. Sometimes it's called darkneſs. Iſa. 50.10. It is the miſery of a natural State, that they that are in it, are darkneſs; it is the bleſſedneſs of a renewed State, that the partakers of it, are light in the Lord; their Duty is to walk as Children of light, Eph. 5.8. Though they that are made light in the Lord, are never ſuffered to become darkneſs again, yet they may walk in darkneſs, and have no light; and the days of that darkneſs may be many, as the wiſe Man ſaith, Eccl. 11.8. We all know what natural darkneſs is. All the natural light of the World is from the Sun, and therefore natural Light and Darkneſs, Day and Night, have their Viciſſitudes and Revolutions, according to the ſhining or not ſhining of the Sun. All the ſpiritual light Believers have, is from the Light of God's Countenance, as the Sun of Righteouſneſs ariſeth on them. Mal. 4.2. or withdraws from them, ſo is their ſpiritual Day or Night; ſo do they walk in darkneſs, or in the Light of the Lord. Sometimes this Decay is called Death, and Deadneſs: A State of Inability, and Unactivity, for working and doing what they are called to. Hence ſo many Prayers for quickening, eſpecially in Pſal. 119. Natural Death we know not, but Sickneſs, Weakneſs, and Fainting we do know. Spiritual Death is known and felt by none that are under its total power; but a Weakneſs in ſpiritual Life, Saints do know.
Of this Decay I would ſpeak, in handling three things. 1. Whence it comes. 2. How needy ſuch are of God's Grace. 3. How Grace doth help in it.
1. Whence comes this Decay on Chriſtians? It is a State too common to be queſtioned, and too plain to need to be proved, that true Chriſtians are, and may be in it. I would name ſome of its Springs and Cauſes.
1. It flows from the Infant, infirm State of the new Creature, in its firſt forming. It is a new-born babe, 1 Pet. 2.2. When the firſt Man was made, he was as perfect and ſtrong a Man the firſt hour he was made, as ever he was in all his Life: He came out of his Maker's hands a perfect Man. But the new Creature is born a weak thing, and is to grow up to the stature of a perfect man in Chriſt, Eph. 4.13. and will never come to its full growth, till it come to Heaven. None on Earth knows what a perfect Chriſtian is. There are degrees of Perfection on Earth, in reſpect whereof ſome are leſs, ſome more perfect; but the moſt perfect, labour greatly under Imperfection. Phil. 3.12,13,14. and preſs moſt after Perfection. I will not ſpeak of the wiſe deſign of God in framing the new Creature thus. Only the glory of its preſervation, and of its Perfection, is not due to the new Nature in Believers, but to the Original of it, God the Father, to the bleſſed Root thereof, Jeſus Chriſt his Son, to the Inhabitation of the Spirit, and to the great Security of the new Covenant.
2. The new Creature is not only in an Infant, weak ſtate, but it is planted in bad and unfit Soil for it. It is planted out of its Element. Heaven is the proper Element and Country, whence the new Creature came, whence it is maintained, and whether it natively tends. But it is planted here in the Heart of a ſinner. Now the Heart of a Man, though mended by Grace in part, is a very unfit and unſuitable Soil for ſuch a Foreign Heavenly Plant as the new Creation is. And hence it is, that the Grace of God in us, is endangered by the place of its Reſidence.
3. There is alſo much Corruption remaining in the Heart of a Believer, as noiſome Weeds growing near this precious planting of the Lord. The Lord never deſigned to root all Corruption out of the Hearts of his people in this life, by the firſt planting of his Grace in them, but only to give that Grace, that ſhall break the dominion of ſin; and that ſhall maintain a War with in-dwelling ſin, and at laſt ſhall prevail compleatly. So that it's plain, that on the account of thoſe three, if there were no more, Chriſtians are very lyable to ſpiritual decays. And it's ſadly confirmed from frequent Experience. It may be in ſome, the work of Grace was in beſt caſe, when it was firſt begun, and that from the day of their Converſion, to the day of their being Glorified, they never had much of any remarkable growth: But this is their Sin, and their Shame.
2. Hence you may ſee, how needy ſuch perſons are of the help of the grace of God. An inward decay in the work of his Grace in us, makes us very needy of help from the Fountain of Grace in him.
For this decay gives great advantages to our ſpiritual Enemies to attack us, and lays us under great diſadvantages in reſiſting them. I am apt to think (I cannot now give the reaſons of it) that the Devil knows the frame of our Hearts (though he do not know the Heart immediately, that is God's Property. Acts 1.24.) and the Condition of the Work of God in us, a great deal better, than we our ſelves ordinarily do. Great is the Intimacy he hath with our Spirits, eſpecially with the remaining Corruption in them. Great is his Craft acquired by Obſervation, Practice and Experience, as well as by his malicious Sagacity. And when he ſeeth a Believer in a bad Caſe, if he have permiſſion, he will improve that deſired opportunity, to make their bad Caſe worſe, Pſal. 71.11,12. David prays for haſty help from God, on this Argument, his Enemies ſaying, God hath forſaken him, perſecute and take him, for there is none to deliver him. Caleb and Joſhua, encourage Iſrael to go in and poſſeſs the Land. Numb. 14.9. by this, Their defence is departed from them, and the Lord is with us; fear them not. It is from this bad caſe that Believers are in, that Satan hath ſo eaſie and ſpeedy Victory over them at ſometimes, more than at other times. When it is well with the new Creation within, Chriſtians can keep the Devil at a Bay and Stand; when it is otherwiſe, he prevails immediately; we are diſarmed, and his Darts pierce and enter. There is ſome ground to ſuſpect, that David's Heart was not in ſo good a frame as uſually, ſometime before his foul Fall. 2 Sam. 11. As to Peter it is plain; his vain-ſelf-confidence gave Satan an opportunity to ſift him, as he did.
3. How doth the Grace of God help in a decayed ſtate.
1. Grace helps, in preſerving Life at the Root. There is ſome witneſs for God kept up. I ſleep, but my heart waketh, ſaith the Bride, Song 5.2. It is well, all was not aſleep. The ſpirit is willing, but the fleſh is weak, ſaith meek Jeſus in his Agony in the Garden, to the three diſtempered Diſciples. Matth. 26.41. Theſe ſame three ſleep in the Mount of Transfiguration, Luke 9.32. and in the Garden of Agony. Paul found this Witneſs preſerv'd in his Captivity to the Law in his Members. Rom. 7.23.
2. Grace helps under a decayed State, by making a ſecret growth downward. A growth that the Believer cannot feel in himſelf, and that others cannot quickly perceave; yet it is a real growth, and will in God's due time appear. We commonly value moſt that growth in Grace, that hath fair Bloſſoms and Fruit, appearing to our comfort, and to the Lord's Praiſe before others. And it is indeed deſirable and to be ſtudied. Matth. 5.16. John. 15.8. But there is a growth that may be carried on in the Root only, in the rooting Grace of a Chriſtian. As in clearer Diſcoveries of in-dwelling ſin in the Heart, and in more ſelf-diffidence and ſelf-diſtruſt. Paul had this Fruit. 2 Cor. 1.8,9. It is a ſad thing, that many Chriſtians are ſo fond of themſelves, of the good that is in them, that the Lord ſeeth that nothing is ſo fit to cure them of this, as leaving them to themſelves. And when this leaving of them to themſelves, hath brought them to a diſcovery of themſelves, and that diſcovery hath wrought a diſtruſt of themſelves, and that diſtruſt hath taught them Faith in God, then the Lord hath reached his end on them, and will change his way with them.
3. Grace can revive the decayed ſtate of a Believer. Pſal. 23.3. He restoreth my Soul. He reneweth their ſtrength. Iſa. 40.31. Pſal. 103.5. Thy youth is renewed like the Eagles. This is impoſſible in Nature and as to our Bodies; but as to our Souls, and the work of God in them, it is what is promiſed, and often done. Old people may, and do often, in their Folly and Vanity, counterfeit Youth; but all their Arts cannot make themſelves one hour younger. But the Lord can renew the youth of the new Creature, and make it better with him, than ever it was. David prays for it, Pſal. 51.10. Create in me a clean Heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit within me. Peter got a new Converſion, Luke 22.32. They both had been converted and renewed before, but they fell under a ſad decay, and needed this reſtoring Grace, and got it. So much of the ſecond time of need. I proceed to a third, not ſo common.
3. A time of ſpecial Enjoyments, is a time of ſpecial need of God's helping Grace. You may think it ſtrange, but it is true, that they that receave moſt of the Lord's gracious bounty, ſtand in moſt need of Grace to guide it well. Concerning this ſeaſon, I would ſpeak in five Particulars.
1. Maſt Chriſtians know what thoſe Enjoyments are by experience, although it various meaſures. It is very ſuſpicious, that that Perſon is an Hypocrite, that is always in the ſame frame, let them pretend, it to be never ſo good: The true Chriſtians Sky is never long clear and without Clouds; change of weather and ways, is uſually found by Travellers to Heaven. It is to be ſuſpected that he is not right, who hath no changes, Pſal. 55.19. Theſe ſpecial Enjoyments are of ſeveral ſorts. 1. There is ſome ſpecial nearneſs to God enjoyed by Chriſtians at ſome times. We are not at all to be offended at, but rather confirmed by the Reproaches of the Ungodly, that are utter ſtrangers to ſuch Enjoyments, and cannot endure nor underſtand the Scripture Names of ſuch Bleſſings, that they themſelves are unacquainted with. What is more frequent in the Word, than this nearneſs to God? What is better known in the Experience of Saints, than this nearneſs? He makes gracious Approaches to Mens Spirits, and cauſeth them to approach to him. Pſal. 65.4. they find it good for them. Pſal. 73.28. The firſt gracious change wrought in a Soul, is by bringing a diſtant ſinner near to God. Eph. 2.13. But now in Chriſt Jeſus, ye who ſometime were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Chriſt. Whenever the Virtue of that Blood came upon you by the Spirit of Chriſt, God came near to you, and you were brought near to God. But beſides this nearneſs that is begun in the firſt Application of Grace, and changeth their State, there is more nearneſs given by the Lord, and enjoyed by his people, for the cheering of their Hearts and bettering of their Frame. Exerciſed Chriſtians are able to give a diſtinct account of their having of this nearneſs at ſome times, and of their want of it at othe times. How much of both are in the Pſalm of David? And ſuch as can underſtand the nearneſs to, and diſtance from God, ſo frequently mentioned there, as only the Pſalmiſts ſenſe of God's favourable or croſs Providence towards him in outward things, are to be pitied for their ungodly lgnorance, and deſpiſed for their expounding the Words of a man after God's heart, according to the carnal Sentiments of their own.
2. There are Effuſions of the Spirit, ſpoke of in the Word, and found by Chriſtians, which are ſpecial Enjoyments. Sometimes they are found in the performance of ſpiritual Duties of Worſhip; ſometimes in the exerciſe of grace. Grace ſhould be acted in all Duties of Worſhip, but it may be, and ſhould be, acted out of any formal Duty. You ſhould never pray, but there ſhould be acting of Faith and Love on Chriſt: But, God be thanked, you may act Faith and Love when ye do not pray, when you are about no ſetled ſpiritual Duty of Worſhip: there is a being in the … of the Lord all the day long, Prov. 23.17. A walking up and down in the name of the Lord. Zech. 10.12. A doing of every thing in the name of the Lord Jeſus. Col. 3.17. Every Believer hath the Spirit of Chriſt: If any man have not the ſpirit of Chriſt, he is none of his, Rom. 8.9. But there are ſome ſingular Powrings out of this Spirit, promiſed and beſtowed, and well known by Believers, and they are precious Enjoyments. This ſpirit, the world cannot receave, becauſe it ſeeth him not, neither knoweth him, but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and ſhall be in you; as Chriſt ſaith, John 14.17. 3. There is Communion and fellowſhip with God, much ſpoke of in the Word, well known by Believers. 1 John 1.3. But I ſhall name no more of theſe Enjoyments.
2. As all Chriſtians know what theſe ſpecial Enjoyments are, ſo all of them do greatly deſire them. This is ſo ſure, that many do over-deſire them. This deſire ariſeth,
1. From the Genius and Inſtinct of the new Nature. What is more natural to the new Creature, than kindly breathing after Heaven? When a poor Soul hath got of the Water of Life from Chriſt, it becomes in him a well of water, ſpringing up unto everlaſting life, John 4.14. Immediately the Soul ſaith, What ſhall I do to be ſaved? When ſhall I be ſaved? Now if deſires of Heaven be the native breathing of the new Creature; ſurely breathing after much of Heaven upon Earth, muſt be ſo too: For the higheſt Enjoyments of God on Earth, are far ſhort of what is reſerved for Heaven.
2. Experience of firſt Love, and of the firſt gracious Welcome he gave to the Believer, when he firſt fled to the City of Refuge, makes them deſire more of thoſe Enjoyments.
3. Theſe ſpecial Enjoyments are very profitable as well as pleaſing. They are given for profit, and do uſually profit. 1. They are ſupporting under Tribulation. In the multitude of my thoughts within me (and doubleſs they were ſad ones) thy comforts delight my Soul, Pſal. 94.19. Uſually much. Affliction and Joy of the Holy Ghoſt are together. 1 Theſ. 1.6. The Promiſes are fitted for diſtreſs, and the performance of them given to Chriſtians under it. Some diſtreſſes are ſo great, that nothing can bear up under them, but a ſpecial appearance of Divine Grace, and in that caſe, ſuch Bleſſings may be more importunately begged.
2. Special Enjoyments do fit and ſtrengthen for Work and Service. There is a joy of the Lord, that is the Believers Strength. Neh. 8.10. Flijah's double Meal was to ſtrengthen him for a forty days Journey in the Wilderneſs; and the extraordinary Manifeſtation he had of God, was to fit him for his Tranſlation, 1 Kings 19. Many Saints have found this ſo often in their Experience, that they do with fear receave ſingular Enjoyments of God, becauſe they have ſo oft found them followed with ſome ſpecial Tryal and Difficulty.
4. Although moſt Chriſtians have ſomewhat of theſe ſpecial Enjoyments, and all deſire them, and they be profitable in themſelves: Yet ſpecial ſpiritual Enjoyments are dangerous, and render a Man very needy of the helping Grace of God. 1. Becauſe they do uſually expoſe to ſpecial Temptation. Satan is a conſtant Enemy to all Chriſtians; but there are two times ſpecially, that he would faineſt aſſault the Believer; when he is at his worſt, and when he is at beſt. Let Believers be never ſo low, if Satan get his Will, he would bring them lower: No Man is as low as the Devil would have him, but he that is in Hell: but thither he cannot bring a Believer. If a Chriſtian be never ſo high, if the Devil be let looſe upon him, he will quickly bring him down. Do not think that the Devil will fear to engage a Believer, even when in his beſt State. He that had the boldneſs to fall on ſinleſs Adam in Paradiſe, will think it an eaſie matter to deal with any ſinful Man in this Wilderneſs: He that had the Impudence to tempt our Almighty ſinleſs Saviour; will he have either modeſty or fear, in tempting a feeble Believer? You whom the Lord makes at any time to ride on your high Places, bleſs him, and yet fear your Adverſary.
2. There are ſome ſpecial Corruptions, that are apt to grow under ſpecial Enjoyments, as Weeds by warm Sun-ſhine. If there were any ſuch Enjoyment of God to be found in this Life, as would remove Corruption altogether out of the Heart, there would be no fear of abuſing it: But now, when the greateſt Enjoyments that can be had in this Life, are given to them, that have a body of death dwelling in them; there are ſome workings of that remaining Corruption, that are very ready to appear in this Caſe.
As, 1. Pride of Heart; ſpiritual Pride. All Pride is a ſpiritual ſin; but Pride that riſeth on ſpiritual Bleſſings receaved, is ſpecially ſpiritual Pride. Pride on the account of Beauty of body, or Strength, or Riches, is a carnal fooliſh Pride. If it riſe on the account of Gifts and Endowments of the Mind, it grows yet a worſe Pride. But if the Gifts of God be yet of a more high and noble kind, as his ſpecial Love, and the precious fruits of that Love, in begun Conformity to Chriſt, and Communion with him, if Pride riſe on ſuch grounds, it is yet the worſt of all ſorts of Pride: For the more precious the Gifts of God be, and the more eminently they be of free diſtinguiſhing Grace, and the more plainly the deſign of God in giving thoſe Gifts, be to glorifie the Grace of the Giver, and to ſave the Receaver to the Praiſe of that Grace, Pride of Heart on the account of ſuch Gifts, is yet the worſt of all Pride. Now that ſuch a Corruption may grow under ſpecial Enjoyments of God, is paſt all doubt. 2 Cor, 12. Paul ſpeaks of his being lifted up unto Heaven, like a Man that had not fully recovered himſelf. I knew a man in Chriſt above fourteen years ago (whether out of the body, or in the body, I know not, God knoweth.) It was a long while ſince, but in the time of the Enjoyment, and fourteen Years after it, he could not tell, whether he was in, or out of the body. He never ſpeaks plainly of it, till he came to ſpeak of his Infirmities, ver. 7. Leſt I ſhould be exalted above meaſure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the fleſh, a meſſenger of Satan to buffet me, leſt I ſhould be exalted above meaſure. Where we may perceave plainly, that whatever was in that extraordinary Enjoyment Paul had, in that Viſion from Heaven, or in that Viſit to Heaven, that was allowed him, when he came back he found the ſame Heart he had formerly felt, and the ſame body of Death he ſo often had groan'd under before. Although we know not what Paul enjoyed in that time, nor what the nature of that Exerciſe by Satan was that he was put to, yet the Lord's deſign and Paul's danger is plain. It is indeed a marvellous Paſſage. Such an extraordinary Perſon as Paul was, the chief of the Apoſtles, and moſt eminent Saint in all the New Teſtament, after ſuch a great Revelation, muſt be exerciſed with Hell, to prevent harm by his being in Heaven, before he was fully ready, and fit for Heaven.
2. Contentedneſs with a preſent good condition, and dulneſs of deſires after a better State, is a common Corruption that is apt to riſe up under ſpecial Enjoyments. If the Diſciples be on the Mount of Transfiguration, and Chriſt be glorified in their ſight, and glorified Saints from Heaven in his Company; then its good to be here, ſay they; not minding that which was more needful for them and all the Church; and if they heard (as is moſt likely) the Diſcourſe of Moſes and Elias, concerning the Deceaſe of our Lord, which he ſhould accompliſh at Jeruſalem, Luke 9 30,31. they were the more faulty. It is very hard to be truly deſirous of Heaven, when we have much of Heaven on Earth; yet it may be attained, and Grace can help to it. Of which in the laſt place.
5. The Grace of God, as it is needed, ſo is it uſeful and helpful to Believers under ſpecial Enjoyments.
1. Grace can humble the Soul under them, and by them. Though Satan make them Temptations to Pride, the Lord can ſanctifie them to be means of humbling. Great Comforts do not natively tend to humble us, but all diſcoveries of the Glory of God, are humbling. Iſaiah found it ſo. Iſa. 6.5. Wo is me, for I am undone, for mine Eyes have ſeen the King, the Lord of Hoſts. The Viſion was great and glorious, it was a ſight of God in Chriſt; as John 12.41. Theſe things ſaid Eſaias when he ſaw his glory and ſpake of him. We would be apt to think the Prophet ſhould rather have ſaid, Happy am I that I have ſeen now what I never ſaw before, what few, if any, beſides me, have ſeen. But ſuch was the Impreſſion the Spirit of God made on the Heart of this Man, that this extraordinary Manifeſtation of God affects him with more deep ſelf-abaſement, than ever he had before. Happy is the Man that lies ſtill the more low in himſelf, and before God, the more highly the Lord exalts him. Job found this fruit of a clearer diſcovery of God, chap. 42.5,6. Jacob in Gen. 32.30. Called the name of the place, Penuel, for I have ſeen God face to face, and my life is preſerved. This place where he wreſtled all night with the Lord; where the Lord bleſſed him in the morning; this place he calls Penuet, to be the name of it to him and his Seed, that whenever they ſaw the place, or heard of it, they might remember that there the great God and a poor Man met in great familiarity, and the Man was not conſumed. Jacob wonders that his Life was preſerved in ſuch a meeting. Near Approaches of God to his Children, are ſometimes too hard for them to bear. This made one eminent Saint cry out under ſuch a high Enjoyment, O Lord deſtroy me not with thy Glory; and another, Hold thy hand, O Lord, thy ſervant is a clay Veſſel, and can bear no more. And both theſe were Perſons, not oppreſſed by his Wrath, but overcharged with his Love and Glory.
2. Grace can help to record and remember ſpecial Enjoyment. There are ſome ſpiritual Enjoyments of God, that are like Lightening, that dart from the one end of Heaven to the other, that make a dark night to become like the Morning; they come quickly, and they are quickly gone; they are of ſpeedy Acceſs, and of as ſudden a Receſs. But though they be but ſhort in their continuance, their fruit may remain: And one way for making their fruit continue, is to remember and record them. I will remember the Years, the Works, the Wonders of the Lord. Pſal. 77.10,11,12. I will meditate, I will talk of them, ſaith the Saint. Thus David prays for Iſrael, 1 Chron. 29.18. Keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the Heart of thy people. What was this he prayed for Iſrael's remembring of, and for the Lord's keeping in their minds? It was that they might remember with what joy they made their willing Offerings for the Service of God. We have a gracious Promiſe of Chriſt, John 14.26. The Holy Ghoſt ſhall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatſoever I have ſaid unto you. And this Promiſe we ſhould plead, for bringing to our remembrance the things Chriſt hath done for us, as well as for what he hath ſaid to us: And no Man can imagine (but they that feel it) how one of theſe Remembrances will fortifie the Soul in a day of diſtreſs. Spiritual things are ſo unlike to carnal things, that all compariſons betwixt them muſt needs halt greatly. That a poor, hungry, ſtarving Man, ſhould in a Dungeon, or deſolate Wilderneſs, be refreſhed and made ſtrong, by the bare remembrance of a Feaſt he had ſeven years ago; this is impoſſible in nature. But in ſpiritual things it is otherwiſe. The ſavoury remembrance of a ſpiritual Enjoyment, long ſince paſt, can bring back the taſte and power and virtue of it, to the Soul that wants it. Believers are uſually upon their recovery from a ſad diſconſolate State, when they are exerciſed in remembring with Savour their former Enjoyments. Thus ſaith Returning Iſrael, Hoſ. 2.7. I will go, and return to my firſt Husband, for then it was better with me, than now.
3. Grace can help, to improve Enjoyments, to deſires of, and endeavours after Perfection. We muſt not ſay, when it is well with us, it is good to be here, but rather, it is good to be there, where it will be a great deal better. Phil. 3.13. This one thing I do; it muſt be a great thing doubtleſs, that is Paul's one thing: Forgetting thoſe things which are behind, and reaching forth unto thoſe things which are before, I preſs toward the mark, &c. There is a forgetting that is our Duty, and a remembring, that is our Duty alſo. To remember ſo as to ſupport our Faith, and feed our praiſing of the Lord, that is Duty; but to forget Attainments, ſo as to preſs after the mark, that is another Duty. Alas! we are bad, both at right remembring and right forgetting. You and I think, that if we had but a little of what Paul had in one day; if we had but a little of what he had that night he lay in the Stocks, when he prayed and ſang praiſes unto God, Acts 16.25. we could never have forgotten it, as long as we had a day to live. But Paul could forget all in his ardent deſires of Perfection: And ſo muſt you; and this Grace can teach you.
Theſe ſpecial Enjoyments of God are but rarely felt. Dote not on them, neither deſpiſe them, mock not ſuch as know them in their Experience, though ye do not. If you be ſound Believers, ye may live in your Souls, and live to his Praiſe, without enjoying any thing very extraordinary. But if the Lord grant ſingular Communications of himſelf, know that it is a ſeaſon of ſpecial need of Grace to guide them well. They would return more frequently, and would riſe and ſpring higher, and laſt longer, if they were better improved, The greater the Bleſſing be, the more provoking is the abuſe of it. The greater the Bleſſing be, the greater is the difficulty of guiding it well: And the more difficulty be in our Work, the more is our need of the Grace of God; and the more frequent and fervent ſhould our Applications be to Throne of Grace, for that needful, helpful Grace.