Gods Husbandry, Sermon 2 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Shewing the meanes and manner of the Lords pruning.
NOw hauing ſufficiently manifeſted the preſent poynt to be true, let vsus, for the better cleering thereof, and to make it more eaſily and plentifully vſefull, acquaint you with two neceſſary poynts about this pruning. Firſt,The meanes of this pruning. by what meanes it is effected, and then in what manner. For the firſt, the meanes of purging are of two ſorts, proper,Some proper. (that are fit to bring forth that effect, of their owne nature) and accidentall, that doe not of their owne nature ſerue for ſo good a purpoſe, but by Gods wiſedome and power are ouer-ruled to the helping forward thereof. The proper meanes are alſo of two kinds, principall, and inſtrumentall. The principall is the bleſſed Spirit of God,1. The chiefe, Gods holy Spirit. for that reaſon tearmed a Spirit of burning, becauſe it ſerueth to conſume the corruptions out of our ſoules, as fire doth the droſſe out of the metall. The holy Ghoſt is giuen vntounto them that beleeue, that they may mortifie the deeds of the fleſh by the Spirit, which beſtoweth his efficacie vponupon them, in thoſe ſpirituall ordinances of his that he hath appoynted: & they are then ſaid to crucifie their luſts by the Spirit, when they doe carefully vſe thoſe ſpirituall weapons, wherewith the holy Ghoſt will neuer faile to cooperate. And if there were not a ſupernaturall operation of the Spirit of Chriſt Ieſus in vsus, to heale and helpe vsus againſt theſe euils, neuer ſhould we, by all our owne indeuours, attaine any ſound and thorow purging, but alone a ſlight and ſuperficiall waſhing of the outſide. And it is of great importance for vsus to vnderſtand, that the holy Ghoſt is the chiefe worker in this worke, without whom it would neuer ſucceed happily, though we ſhould labour therein with all our might, both that we may be able with a more abundant thankfulneſſe to acknowledge his care of vsus, and louelove to vsus in ſo great and beneficiall a ſeruice, giuing away the whole praiſe from our ſelues to him; and alſo that wee may bee ready with more humble carefulneſſe to receiue and yeeld our ſelues vp vntounto this heauenly worke of his, which can by no meanes be hindred or interrupted, but by our not regarding, or not ſubmitting our ſoules vntounto it. Wee muſt be ſtrong in Chriſt Ieſus, and in the power of his might. His Spirit muſt cloath vsus, and come vponupon vsus; through him we muſt doe valiantly in this ſpirituall warfare, and he muſt tread downe thoſe luſts that riſe vp againſt vsus:
But this Spirit worketh in,2. The inſtrumentall, the Word of God. and by an excellent inſtrument, the Word of God, the Law and Goſpell read, preached, heard, meditated vponupon, which therfore we tearme an inſtrumentall cauſe of our purging. For when as a Chriſtian man doth exerciſe himſelfe in the Word, as for example, by comming to heare it preached, the Spirit of God doth then worke withall, to make thoſe ſpeeches effectuall, ſtirring vp, and inclining his heart to marke and obſerue the corruptions that are diſcouered vntounto him, and ſo to heed the words as to be moued by them. So we reade, that God cleanſed Dauid from his impenitent continuance in his foule ſinnes, by the wholeſome reproofe of Nathan the Prophet. And now are you clean, ſaith our Sauiour anon after the text, by the word that I hauehave ſpoken vntounto you. And as all the exhortations and admonitions of the Word of God doe ſerue to rub off the ruſt from the ſoules of his people: ſo chiefly the doctrine of the Goſpell, by vertue of the blood of Chriſt which it offereth and giueth vntounto them, is a moſt cleanſing doctrine. This leaueth in the will of the truly iuſtified man, ſuch a deepe impreſſion of the bitter death of Chriſt for ſinne, as worketh in it a loathing deteſtation of ſinne, and maketh it to turne it ſelfe away from a thing ſo abominably euill. And this is to crucifie our ſinnes vponupon the Croſſe of Chriſt, when the conſideration of the extreme fouleneſſe, and vnvtterable odiouſneſſe of ſinne (which is cleerly manifeſted in the ſufferings of our Lord for it) and of the moſt excellent beauty and brightneſſe of the tender mercy and kindneſſe of God ſhining forth in the ſame paſſion, is ſo ſeriouſly receiued, and doth ſo deeply ſinke into the very heart-root of a man, that it mightily draweth him to ſet downe and inact this concluſion in himſelfe of ſinning no more. In this meaning it is ſaid, that faith purifieth the heart, and that hauing this hope, wee purge our ſelues, as Chriſt is pure: and therefore the Word of God, chiefly the Goſpell, being applyed to the working and increaſing of our faith and hope, becomes a bleſſed inſtrument of our purging. And with theſe proper and naturall meanes,Some accidentall. are vſed alſo certaine accidentall meanes that are made ſo beyond their owne nature. Theſe are chiefly three, Afflictions, Tentations, and falls into ſinne; for euen by poyſon, oftentimes is poyſon cured, and by iron is iron driuen out.
For the firſt,1. Chaſtiſements. the ſeruants of God are, and muſt often be chaſtiſed, that they may be whited. Theſe corrections are fit to ſtirre vp ſorrow in thoſe to whom they befall; which ſorrow, by grace, is turned into godly ſorrow, the moſt effectuall corroſiue to eate out the dead fleſh of the ſoule, and ſo the fruit of them is, as the Prophet ſpeaketh, the taking away of ſinne. Afflictions make vsus to feele the dangerouſneſſe of ſinne: they teſtifie Gods diſlike of wickedneſſe; they manifeſt our owne frailty and baſeneſſe; they conuince vsus of the vanity of the world; they pull downe the pride of our ſtomacke, ſo eating out the proud fleſh that growes within vsus, that the medicine of the Word may come neere the ſore; they quicken vsus to prayer; they driue vsus to examine our ſelues, and inforce vsus to conſider of our wayes, that at laſt wee may be able to profeſſe with the Prophet, Before I was afflicted, I went aſtray, but now I keepe thy righteous iudgements. There is ſcarce any thing more needfull for Gods children, then theſe Fatherly chaſtiſements: they doe breake open the heart, to make a free paſſage for the Spirit of God to enter in at. They doe plough vp the heart, to make it capable of the ſeed of life, the holy doctrine of the Word of God that is ſpoken to them. In proſperity, many times, the ſoule is dull of hearing, and ſcorneth to bee reproued: It is ſated with outward contents, and takes no delight in remembring the death and blood-ſhedding of Ieſus Chriſt: It taketh pleaſure in vanity, and cannot hauehave while to thinke of things ſpirituall and moſt profitable. But afflictions awaken the heart out of the deepe ſleepe of ſecurity: they diſtaſte the ſweet meates of the world, and bore the eare, and couer the pride of heart, and make a man, in whom the Spirit of God is, to hearken and attend vntounto the motions of the Word, and of the Spirit. The truth is, that afflictions, of themſelues, and in their owne nature, as being fruits of ſinne and euill, are not of this force to purge the heart, but through the wiſedome of him that is able to turne all things to the beſt, and by the working of the Spirit, which taketh aduantage of all ſeaſons and opportunities, they doe become moſt happy inſtruments of our cleanſing: and there is ſcarce any one of all the Saints of God, but may from his owne experience affirme, that it hath been a great part of his happineſſe, to take and drinke theſe potions from the hand of his wiſe and louing Father: for they hauehave purged out of his ſoule thoſe noyſome, and euill humours, which would otherwiſe hauehave made him little leſſe then deadly and deſperately ſicke.
But moreouer,2. Satans bitter tentations. the Lord doth make the diuell himſelfe an vnwilling inſtrument of pruning his ſeruants, by meanes of thoſe fierce tentations wherewith hee doth mightily aſſault them. Euen Satans violent buffettings are, by Gods goodneſſe, turned into moſt excellent purgations. When the diuell is let looſe vponupon a Chriſtian man, (as the ſhepheards dog vponupon the ſheepe) and with fury and craft ſtriues to bring him to vtter deſpaire, making him beleeue, that the very pit of hell it ſelfe ſtands gaping before him, ready to ſwallow him vp; or when he doth worke mightily vponupon his ſinfull affections, with a kind of exceſſiue violence, haling him to the practice of thoſe deteſtable ſinnes which his ſoule hateth, and making none end to lye at him with vnceſſant and vehement ſollicitations to commit ſuch and ſuch foule deeds: Oh this cuts, this woundeth, this vexeth and tormenteth; this ſets them on praying, on weeping, on crying, on bleeding; this doth ſo ſhame him and diſgrace him to himſelfe; this makes him ſo farre out of louelove and conceit with himſelfe, and ſo extremely vile and odious in his owne eyes, that he thinkes no name nor vſage bad enough for himſelfe; this alſo maketh him, with a bluſhing and confounded face, and with a moſt deiected and a broken ſpirit, to runne and cry vntounto the Lord his God for helpe and ſtrength. Thus the more Satan ſtriueth to ſtirre corruption, the better it is purged, (for ſtirred it muſt bee, before it can bee purged) and by his tentations being brought to ſee and feele a number of corruptions, which elſe we would neuer ſee and feele; wee finde his ſinfull malice, by Gods goodneſſe, made an excellent furtherance to our cleanſing of our ſelues.
And not onelyonly ſo,3. Their owne ſlips and faults. but in the third and laſt place, our owne ſinnes, faults and ſlips, doe become inſtruments of our making cleane from ſinne, euen as a man doth better ſcowre his foule hands, hauing firſt ſmeared them with ſome foule thing that helpeth more to rub off the foulenes that cleaueth faſt vntounto the skinne: not that the Children doe, or may at any time of purpoſe commit ſinne to this end, (for it is quite beſides, and againſt the nature of them to bring forth this effect; yea eueryevery ſinne is apt to leaue, as a filthy ſpot behind the committing of it, a greater proneneſſe to commit it then before) but that the Lord doth pleaſe diuers times to giuegive them ouer to be foyled of their owne ſinfull luſts, that by ſmarting for them, they may bee more humbled vnderunder them, and made more carefull to ſee and reſiſt them afterwards. Thus Peters fall before the high Prieſts ſeruants, was a meanes to make him a better, (that is to ſay, a more humble and ſelfe-contemning man) for his whole life after; and in a ſence a man may well tearme it, an happy fault for him. And ſo the Prophet Dauids hainous and preſumptuous ſinne did excellently prune him, by helping to abate that conceit of himſelfe, which the great proſperity of a rich and flouriſhing kingdome had wrought in him. So wee may ſay of many a Chriſtian man, that hee would neuer hauehave been good, if ſome of his actions had not been ſtarke naught; and had not the Lord giuen him ouer to the committing of ſuch and ſuch groſſe ſinnes, hee would neuer, to any purpoſe, hauehave been conuinced of ſinne, and ſo neuer hauehave been cleanſed of it. Wee thinke not our ſelues ſubiect to all manner of euils, we make no great matter of the lower degrees of ſinne, and ſo grow ſlithy, and faſhionable, and dead in our confeſſions, becauſe we thinke wee hauehave nothing worth ſpeaking of, to reckon for before the Lord. Hence the Lord is prouoked to giuegive vsus vp vntounto our ſelues, that by ſome notable foyle, or ſoyles, we may be made to know what is in vsus, and ſo be inforced to ſet about the cleanſing of our ſelues, with much more care and earneſtneſſe then otherwiſe we would hauehave done. So hauehave you heard the Lords meanes of purging. Know alſo the manner of doing it:The manner of weakening ſin: 1. By ſmall degrees. and that is to bee conceiued of thus: Firſt, he doth it by degrees; ſecondly, by making a mans ſelfe a voluntary worker of it.
The Lord doth at once, in one act within himſelfe, iuſtifie perfectly each beleeuer, fully acquitting him of all ſinne whatſoeuer, through the imputation of Chriſts perfect righteouſnes vntounto him, though this bee manifeſted vntounto his ſoule by degrees, as he doth particularly ſeeke the ſight of it, vponupon occaſion of his particular ſinnes: but ſanctification is not wrought in an inſtant; yea, it is effected by little and little, ſome now, ſome then, as a ſore is healed by laying on of one plaiſter to day, which draweth out ſome corruption, and makes the wound or vlcer leſſe filthy, and another to morrow, another next day, wherby it groweth leſſe and leſſe filthy, and leſſe deep, and leſſe wide. For indeed, ſuch an extreme change from the vtter fouleneſſe of corrupted nature, to perfect holineſſe, cannot poſſibly bee wrought in an inſtant, vnleſſe the Lord himſelfe ſhould pleaſe euen immediately, and more then miraculouſly to worke it, which it ſeemeth not good vntounto him to doe. Hence it is, that hauing ordained to purge vsus by meanes, (and namely thoſe that you heard of before) hee performeth it in ſuch manner as ſorteth to the nature of the meanes; alone this is to bee noted, that ſtill the change of Gods ſeruants from ſinne to holineſſe, is made more apparant, by making the corruptions more felt, as they be more healed, contrary to that which falleth out in bodily ſores. For if a mans hand bee wounded, the neerer it is to healing, the leſſe paine he feeles with it, and the leſſe troubleſome it is to him: but if the ſoule bee wounded with any corruption; for example, with pride, or worldlineſſe, or the like, the more it is cleanſed from him, and the leſſer degrees of it remaine in him, the more troubleſome and offenſiue will thoſe remnants proue vntounto his ſoule, ſo that the little pride and worldlineſſe that remaineth behind vnhealed, will vex him more then the greater quantity of thoſe vices did when they were leſſe healed. Euermore ſinnes prooue moſt tedious and cumberſome, when a man hath attained a greater perfection of ſtrength againſt them. For the ſoule, the more holy it is, the more it hateth vnholineſſe, and the more ſenſible it muſt needs be of the thing that it more hateth. A man in his vtter vnregeneracy is dead in ſinne, ſo that he doth not feele it at all to bee burthenſome vntounto him; but when grace comes in ſmall degrees, it begins to be felt, and the more mighty grace growes, the more it is felt, till at laſt, in that meaſure of perfection that is in this life attainable, the ſmalleſt imperfections are more diſcontentfull, and breed more anguiſh, then at firſt the greateſt did. Hell, and death, and the puniſhment of ſinne is more bitter to Gods ſeruants in their weaker eſtate; but ſinnes, and diſorders, and corruptions are moſt bitter, as they grow moſt confirmed in ſpirituall ſtrength.
But as this helpe againſt ſinne doth come by ſmall degrees,2. Gently, by making them willing instruments of it. ſo likewiſe it commeth vntounto them by a ſweet and gentle manner of working, God drawing and alluring their wills, and mouing them to become willing inſtruments of purging themſelues, according to the words of the Prophet, Waſh you, make you cleane: and againe, Waſh thine heart, O Ieruſalem: and againe, Make you a new heart: and ſo faith Saint Iohn, Hee that hath this hope, purgeth himſelfe. The Lord doth not make a Chriſtian man good, as it were, in deſpight of his heart, and whether he will or no, but doth worke in him a deſire of goodneſſe, and inclineth his will to wiſh and purſue it, and ſtirreth vp in him a deteſtation of ſinne, and turneth away his will from it, and ſo is he a fellow-worker with God to his owne cleanſing, when the Lord hath once breathed the breath of a new life in him. By his owne crying, ſtriuing, labouring, praying, reſoluing, reſiſting, oppoſing, hee gets the victory againſt his ſinnes, and becomes more then a conquerour. The Lord will not beate downe the ſinnes of his people, as ſometimes he did the Canaanites with haileſtones, without any helpe of their owne, that they ſhould, without fighting, come after alone to the ſpoyle: but they muſt fight againſt their fleſhly luſts, and muſt worke with God, as it is ſaid that Ionathan did, and ſo God doth ſubdue their enemies vnderunder them, by working in them a reſolution, care and indeuour to vanquiſh them, and ſtirring them vp to meditate, pray, cry, and vſe the ſpirituall weapons of this holy warfare. And thus doth the Lord purge the branches in this Vine.
Now hauing ſufficiently proued and cleered the poynt, we muſt make ſome vſe of it.