Mercy Magnified, Sermon 7
SERMON VII.
2 THus of the cauſes of, or leading occaſions to this young Man's miſery; i… follows to take notice of one great effect ariſing from it, according as it is expreſſed in this verſ. He began to be in want. The word that is uſed in our Text ſignifies to be, or to fall behind, and is wont to be uſed of ſuch as come too late to a Feaſt, as the five fooliſh Virgins, Mat. 25. 11. or of men that are left behind in a Race, as Heb. 4. 1. The meaning of it in our Text is, that he now began to be pinched with indigence, now the ſenſe of the miſery of his condition came upon him: Such is our Engliſh phraſe, to fall behind, and to be brought into ſtraits. Things are here expreſſed (as we heard) according to appearance, a man is not pinched with want till he feels it, and is oppreſſed with it: Hence,
DOCT. When God intends ſaving Grace to any, he firſt makes them effectually ſenſible of their own miſerable and undone ſtate.
God, in the ordinary and uſual method of converting ſinners under the means of Grace, begins with the diſcovery of their empty, needy, poor and miſerable condition: Here began the ground and motive of the young man's returning to his Father, though it did not preſently work to this end; had he not been reduced to the greateſt ſtraits, he had never thought of returning; his being in want was that which ſet him to ſeeking relief, and this is it which did at laſt (though not immediately) drive him home.
Among the works aſcribed to the ſpirit of God, there are ſome which are called common and preparatory; common, becauſe they may be found in Reprobates; preparatory, becauſe they are wont (in the Elect) to be ſteps towards converſion, or works preparing the ſoul, as a rational Agent to entertain Chriſt as he is tendered in the Goſpel.
The firſt of theſe works is Conviction, which hath two things for objects, viz. Sin and miſery; one is the cauſe, the other the effect. Conviction uſually proceeds Analytically, it firſt diſcovers the effect, and from thence ſearcheth after the cauſe. The conviction of miſery is that which here hath its conſideration, that of ſin follows afterwards. The firſt remove of the young man was, he felt himſelf to be in want, he found when the famine came and encreaſed, that now he had nothing to live upon. In the Explication we may conſider, 1. What is this conviction of miſery 2. How it is wrought? 3. The reaſons of the Doctrine.
1. What is this conviction of miſery?
Anſw. It is the firſt legal work that is uſually wrought in a ſinner, making him to apprehend his preſent ſtate of perdition, notwithſtanding all that is either in himſelf, or in the world. It is, though not the full of a loſt eſtate, yet leading to it, or a ſtep towards it. In the Deſcription obſerve,
1. I call it a legal work; now Divines are wont to call thoſe works legal.
1. Which are uſually wrought by the application of the Law, in which is the curſe, and by which is the knowledge of ſin, Rom. 7. 8. Miſery ariſeth out of the curſe, and the curſe comes upon the breach of the Law, Gal. 3. 12. The Law therefore firſtly diſcovers it.
2. Which are common works, and not in themſelves ſaving; and ſo the word legal is often uſed in Divinity, of which nature is this before us: Conviction of miſery may befal hypocrites, Iſa. 43. 14. Yea, of it ſelf this is hell begun in the ſoul, or conſcience.
3. I call it the firſt legal work: my meaning is that God uſually begins here, and ſo man for the moſt part is made to look upon the effect, before he diſcovers the cauſe, yea is led by it thereunto: he firſt ſees and feels miſery upon himſelf, and thence is led to ſee ſin as the blameable & meritorious cauſe of all this miſery. Man uſually apprehends that he is condemned, before he apprehends ſin to be the juſt condemnation, he feels himſelf miſerable, before he juſtifieth God: for though it be ſin which the law condemns, and hence he muſt ſo far ſee ſin, as to know that he hath broken this law, yet he is not made to know ſin in its juſt merit, but rather counts it a rigour of the law which makes him angry, with that and not with ſin, Rom. 7. 5.
3. The proper effect of this conviction is to make him know and feel his periſhing condition at preſent, that he is now going to perdition, viz. that he is under the curſe of the law, bound over to eternal death, and that he is in the way to it, being held under the curſe: the young man found himſelf periſhing with hunger.
4. The efficacy of this conviction is that it unmasks the former deluſion under which he lay, making him to ſee that he hath no remedy againſt this miſery either in himſelf, or in the world. In reſpect to himſelf, he finds that he hath ſpent all, in regard to the world, he finds that there is a famine in that land, and the concluſion that ariſeth from hence is, that he is ſenſibly in what: i. e. he ſtill wants that freedom from the curſe, notwithſtanding all God's favours, or his intereſt in the creature, this is the ſumme of this conviction: in which, though we muſt confeſs that there is a change now made in the ſinner, yet it is not a ſaving change of his ſtate. For,
1. His ſtate was as bad before, only the difference is, he then ſaw it not, but now he doth, he thought himſelf rich, and the world a truſty friend: both theſe were miſtakes, and now he finds them ſo to be; ſo that the ſubſtance of rhis charge is, now he is convinced that before he cheated himſelf: Hence,
2. His ſtate is not properly mended by this conviction; for though he ſees his miſery in ſome degree, yet this ſight doth not free him from it: Conviction is not Converſion, though God can, when he pleaſeth, make it a ſtep towards it: Conviction doth not make any man really better, though it doth give us hopes that where the ſpirit begins he may carry it on; for Cain and Judas fared never the better by it, though many ſouls have, by Divine Grace.
2. How this conviction is wrought?
Anſw. 1. If we ſpeak of the Author or efficient Cauſe of this work, it properly belongs to the ſpirit of God, who (in a work of common grace) brings the creature to the ſenſe and apprehenſion of this miſery. I deny not but that rational conviction may be gathered and applyed from the rational conſideration of things, but that this ſenſible conviction depends on a ſpecial work of the ſpirit, appears.
1. Becauſe the ſame means of conviction are uſed with others, who yet are not thus convinced: We preach ſin and miſery to a great many; diſcourſe with them of the diſtreſſed condition of the poor prodigal man; but it is but now and then one that is touched with remorce, and cries out of it, or acknowledgeth it ſenſibly.
2. Becauſe the ſame means may have been formerly uſed with this perſon, and yet did not gain their effect: It may be he had heard the ſame thing many a time, and his judgment aſſented to it to be truth, but yet he regarded it not, nor was affected with it: yea, poſſibly he had had it more urged, with more ſtrength of argument, and preſſed with more morally perſwaſive motives by others, but yet it never gained upon or got within him till now; and why now rather than at any other time? there was as much to have driven it home before; it muſt needs therefore proceed from the power of the Holy Ghoſt working when he ſees meet. But,
2. If we ſpeak of the means by which it is wrought, I anſwer, God's ſpirit doth it ſometimes by the miniſtry of the Word, ſometimes by the concurrence of wiſely ordered Providences, ſpeaking in them to the ſoul; and it is a very frequent thing for God to back the Word in his providence for the bringing of a ſinner under the power of this conviction: yea, providence ſometimes begins and gives a general conviction, the Word then ſets in and more particularly points out his condition: Providence many times tells a man that he is miſerable, and then the Word comes and tells him how he came to be ſo: More particularly.
1. The Word of God gives a full demonſtration of the natural ſtate of all mankind; it tells us both what we are, and how we came to be ſo; it declares the wrath of God, and ſhews how man came to be ſubjected to it; it convinceth by clear and plain evidence; it is a Glaſs in which a natural man may ſee his own face, without thoſe paintings wherewith carnal reaſon is wont to varniſh and hide it. It is one of the ends for which the Scripture is given, 2 Tim. 3. 16.
2. Divine Providence concurrs to the ſetting home of this truth, thus.
1. God often brings ſecure ſinners into an afflicted condition, who were before that proſperous, and whiles proſperous, they were ſecure; but now Gods begins to open their eyes: Thus it was with this younger ſon, Text, and Context.
2. In this afflicted eſtate men are apt to ponder and think of their condition: Affliction puts men upon conſideration, and makes them uſually more ready to hear, and take into their meditation ſuch things as may concern them, Hoſ. 5. 15.
3. Now God many times brings home the Word to them, and moves them to a more ſerious and particular conſideration of it: Their own concerns are now in it, whereas they looked at themſelves as unconcerned before: In proſperity they would not hear, but novv the Word is made more to affect them than formerly.
4. Now the ſpirit of God takes an opportunity to make many truths which before were very unwelcome to them, and they had put them away, to be thought upon, and credited, ſo that,
1. They now feel that they are mortal, and muſt go ſhortly to another world, they could not endure to think of this formerly, nor did practically believe it, but now they apprehend it as a reality, and matter of concern.
2. They are made to diſcern that truſt in themſelves and in the world is vain, and that by reaſon of the foregoing truth: They now rememher that they have been hitherto thinking of time, and providing for that, but had forgotten eternity: They thought of no heaven but in the enjoyment of the world and favous of it, but now they ſee that all this will not avail them for an everlaſting ſtate.
3. They now remember the curſes of the Law againſt ſuch as do theſe and thoſe things, or againſt all the progeny of fallen Adam in a natural condition, and are convinced that they are the men againſt whom they are denounced; and now apprehending themſelves haſting to eternity, and to have done nothing in way of providing for it, this becomes a terrible thought in them; and they are extreamly terrified with the thought of a future ſtate, for which they have been taking no care: The ſeverity of the word, and the fears of death oppreſs them, and they know not how they ſhall do to go into another world, and now they begin to be in want, all is leaving them, and they are naked and have no portion, and the world cannot keep them alive, for there is a famine. The thoughts of dwelling with everlaſting burnings, poſſeſſeth them with fearfulneſs, Iſa. 35. 14.
Reaſ. From the uſefulneſs there is of this conviction in order to Converſion: It is uſeful,
1. For the ſeaſonableneſs of it: God intending to advance himſelf in man's Salvation, and his Glory being declarative (for his eſſential Glory is incapable of any advancement) hence the more gracious he appears to be, the more Glory redounds to his great Name: Now the greatneſs of grace herein appears in one diſcovery of it, viz. the greatneſs of the miſery from which the ſubject of this grace is delivered: For the illuſtration whereof, this work is very fit and ſeaſonable: For, 1. Man muſt ſee his own miſery, or elſe he will never admire God's merciemercy. 2. The beſt knowledge of this miſery, is by a ſenſible apprehenſion of the diſtreſſing efficacy of it. 3. The ſenſe and apprehenſion cannot be ſo well after converſion, becauſe then the apprehenſion of God's mercy, applyed to faith in the promiſe, cannot but afford ſome relief againſt the ſenſe of miſery: Though it is true, the right improvement of this is after mercy hath been apprehended; yet ſtill the remembrance of this diſtreſs is a main help to fill the ſoul with admiration, Iſa. 53. 6.
2. For the neceſſity of it in order to the receiving of Chriſt in the tenders of the Goſpel. For, 1. Chriſt's work is Salvation work. Hence he is called Jeſus, the Saviour, and ſaid to come on this errand, 1 Tim. 1. 15. Chriſt came to ſave ſinners. 2. Hence this work is for none but ſuch as need Salvation, and that is ſuch as are miſerable: What ſhould a Phyſitian do among men that are hail and ſound? Luk. 5. 31. 3. Hence till men feel this miſery, they will certainly deſpiſe Chriſt; till then they will bid the Almighty to depart from them, Job 21. 14.
USE, 1. For Information hence learn,
1. That they make more haſt than good ſpeed, that are great Profeſſors of Faith in Chriſt, before ever they were made throughly ſenſible of their own miſery. A Faith that antedates Conviction may juſtly be ſuſpected: He that never knew his own diſtreſs, never went to Chriſt as a Saviour. There are indeed divers ſteps from this conviction to true converſion, but yet this is one ſtep from natural ſecurity, and uſually the firſt: Though a man cannot ſee ſin ſinful (which is the true conviction of ſin) but by an eye of faith, yet, by the common work of Illumination, he may ſee the woful eſtate of it. God, like a wiſe builder, digs for a foundation, before he layes it. Conviction of miſery is not our foundation, Chriſt is the only foundation, Faith is that which only builds us upon him; but by Conviction, the looſe and unſtable earth is removed, the falſe and failing hopes of men are dug up. God is not wont to give hope, before he hath brought the ſoul to deſpair; he applyes not comforts antecedent to conviction. It may therefore put us upon it to enqiure whether ever it were thus: It may be now you are rich in your own conceit, like Laodicea, but did you ever know your ſelves to be poor, and miſerable, and blind, and naked? if not your riches are but a fancy, and your hopes are empty.
2. That there are ſome grounds of hope for thoſe whom the ſpirit of God brings into ae needy and deſtitute condition; whom he convinceth of their want and miſery; who feel the curſes of the Law, and can find no help in the world: I ſay, there is ſome hope, for there may be reaſon for fears and jealouſies too, For, 1. This is but a common work, and therefore is no ſufficient evidence of God's ſpecial love, no ſure Character of an Elect Veſſel. 2. There have been many under it, who yet through Satans temptations, and God leaving them, have loſt it again; yea, and manifold experience gives in a ſad teſtimony to this truth. 3. The curſe and condemnation is ſtill as really upon them as ever it was: That is not taken off till believing. 4. There is no ſpecial promiſe made to them that God will carry on this work in them to effect: He may or he may not, and if he do not it will leave the man ſhort of Heaven and Glory. But ſtill there is more hope than there was before; for while they lay ſecure in ſin, and felt no wrath. they were in no order to Salvation, but now they are in ſuch a way as God brings home his own by; and we may ſay they are a ſtep nearer to the Kingdom than before: Though they are not under ſaving Grace, yet they are under the means to it: A man that is without the City gates, though juſt by them, is as really without, as one an hundred miles off, but yet he is nearer to
3. We have here a rule how to begin with men in our endeavours, for their ſpiritual good: Let us labour to ſhew them their miſery by ſin: We muſt wound before we can heal, inſtrumentally: Be not afraid to ſhew men their ſins and the wrath of God for them: Miſery is the firſt thing a ſecure ſoul is like to be affected withal, and that is preparatory to the rendring of Chriſt precious to them: We ſhould indeed encourage all to go to Chriſt, but encouragements without convictions, are but the laying a foundation for preſumption, and not the way to bring men truely to believe. Peter, in Act. 2 Firſt preacheth his hearers to remorce, and then he directs them to Chriſt.
USE, 2. For Conviction; let every unregenerate ſinner ſee here (as in a Glaſs) his own miſerable ſtate: This young man's condition is thine ſpiritually: Thou haſt nothing of thine own to live upon, there is nothing in the world to relieve thee, thou art periſhing if no help appear; and art not thou then in want? here take theſe Conſiderations:
1. Thou art a curſed creature by nature: Wrath is upon all the world of mankind, who are condemned before they are born, who are enemies from the birth, and come into the world Children of wrath, Eph. 2. 3.
2. Thou haſt nothing with thee which can help thee out of this curſed condition, all the Portion of God's common favours which thou enjoyeſt, will not redeem thee out of the hands of wrath, they cannot afford thy ſoul one drop of relief or ſupply; nay, all thy naturall and providential enjoyments are themſelves under a curſe as they are thine, Rom. 8. 20.
3. Thou haſt by a vain and ſinful life, abuſed all the favours of God, and thereby made thy accounts the greater; thy condemnation is augmented: thou haſt laid out all upon ſin, and that is the worſt ſort of ſpending that can be, for thou art by it not only made poor, but greatly in debt alſo, and God will call thee to an account for all his goodneſs, and thy riot will enflame thy reckoning.
4. Thou haſt been in vain ſeeking thy Salvation among creatures; the world thou goeſt to is under the curſe too for man's ſin, and can yeeld thee nothing but briars, and thorns, which will ſcratch and wound, but not relieve thee: They are but the ſhadow of a bramble which will but miſchief him that betakes himſelf thither for ſhelter: nothing but what will reconcile thee to God, and bring thee in to his favour, give thee a part in Chriſt pay all thy debts, and ſave thy ſoul from hell will do thee any good, and this thou canſt not find here.
5. Death and Judgment and Hell are coming upon thee: Thou art a mortal creature, thy day is coming, and may be nearer than thou art aware of; thou muſt ere long go down to the pit, and then Judgment calls thee to an account, and if thou art not better beſtead, hell receives thee for ever, from whence all thy vain truſt ſhall not be able to deliver thee, Iſa. 28. 17, 18. Know then and conſider that it is an evil thing and a bitter, that thou haſt gone ſo far away from the living God, Jer. 2. 19 Thou thinkeſt thou wanteſt for nothing, but I can aſſure thee that thou art oppreſſed with every want: There is a great deal goes to the eternal life of a ſoul, and thou haſt none of it; thou wanteſt the love of God, which is better than life; thou wanteſt grace which is indeed the inward principle of life in the ſoul; thou wanteſt the promiſe which is the ſupport of the ſoul here in this life; yea, what is it thou wanteſt not? Oh that thou kneweſt it! thou wouldeſt not then be ſo ſecure and con…ented, thou wouldeſt beſtir thy ſelf, and ſeek for ſome remedy: Thou ſhalt find theſe words to be realities one day, God grant thou maiſt be perſwaded of them, and ſo perſwaded as not to reſt content till thou haſt gotten good ſecurity about them: Wert thou but once ſtirred up to make inquiry, there is hope that God would of his rich mercy, in his own time point thee to the right way: This is certain there is no expectation that thou ſhouldeſt ever return to God, except thou firſt begin to be in want.