The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church, Sermon 20
Sermon XX.
Canticles 1. 4.
Drawme, and We will run after thee.
I Am dwelling yet upon the firſt Propoſition of Doctrine I obſerved from theſe words, That the Soul muſt be drawn to, and after Chriſt before it will run after him. (It is a great point, and I am willing to make the utmoſt improvement of it that I can. The improveableneſs of it for our inſtruction is all you have yet heard.
Uſe 2.In the next place, certainly there may be made ſome improvement of this notion, to aſſiſt to judge concerning our ſpiritual ſtate, concerning faith and holineſs. Theſe being from the ordination of God ſo neceſſary to Salvation, that without them we cannot ſee God, miſtakes about them are like diſeaſes that affect the vital parts, exceeding dangerous. All that this Doctrine will help us in, as to this particular, is in letting us know,
1. That that faith which will do the Soul any good as to Eternal Salvation muſt be (as the Apoſtle ſtiles it, Col. 2. 12.) a faith of the operation of God. The work of Faith with power, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Theſſal. 1. v. 11. It is call'd the gift of God, Eph. 2. 8. Not of our ſelves, it is the gift of God, Eph. 2. 8. The work of God, Joh. 6. 29. This is the work of God, that you believe on him whom he hath ſent. It is not only the Commandment of God, 1 Joh. 3. 23. and the gift of God, but the work, the operation of God, a work with power, ſuch a faith as is an effect of the Fathers drawing? This if duly obſerved, will go a great way to guide us in this inquiry, it will let us ſee… that that believing (which is the mere product of natural powers) is not that coming to Chriſt, to which the promiſe of life, and Salvation is annexed▪ Two things men ordinarily deceive themſelves with, as to this buſineſs of Faith.
1. Judging any kind of blind, and languid aſſent, to the propoſition of the Goſpel to be that believing, to which the Holy Ghoſt in Scripture annexeth the promiſe of Salvation, A great many know no more by believing, but their agreement that Jeſus Chriſt is the Son of God, that he was made man, and died for us. All which, and much more the Devils believe, and yet tremble. I do not think that an aſſent to the Propoſition of the Goſpel, be the aſſent what it will, is that Faith which juſtifieth. It is not the Propoſition of the Goſpel, but the Perſon of the Mediator, that is the object of that Faith; ſome indeed tell us, that Faith is an operative aſſent, and by that they have mended the matter: but if the Perſon of the Mediator, not the Propoſition of the Word be the formal, and proper object of true Faith, no aſſent can be the juſtifying act of Faith, for the Propoſition muſt be the object of that. There are ſeveral kinds of aſſent according to the light in which we ſee a Propoſition. We aſſent to things oft-times meerly upon report and hear-ſay, ſo as the aſſent is a meer humane Faith. Thus moſt Engliſhmen aſſent to this, that there was ſuch a Perſon as William the Conquerour. A thing they can ſee in no other light than that of humane reports in Hiſtory; of all other aſſents this is the weakeſt, and moſt invaluable, and before we give it, there muſt appear to us a probability in the thing; upon this account, none but thoſe who judge themſelves obliged to believe what the Church ſaith, and that thoſe Books were written by the order of the Church, believeth or aſſenteth to the ſtrange ſtories in the Popiſh Legends, becauſe their reaſon tells them the things are improbable, yea, impoſſible, without a miraculous operation which they ſee no reaſon God ſhould work in ſuch a caſe, nor will men give their aſſents in ſuch caſes, but where they are not much concerned whether the thing be true or falſe, ſo as it is equal to them to agree the thing or to deny it. 2. Men aſſent to things upon the evidence of ratiocinations, they form concluſions from principles, and then aſſent to them. Now in regard our reaſon is not infallible; this aſſent likewiſe (though more ſtrong than the other) yet is but ſaint and incertain, and alters as we ſee better reaſon for the contrary. 3. There is an aſſent which is given to a Propoſition upon the account of a divine revelation. Now this aſſent is ſtronger or weaker, as the Revelation, is more fully, or imperfectly, & incertainly agreed. A man by a natural power may aſſent to the Propoſition of the Goſpel, as delivered to him by men: he that thus aſſenteth doth no more aſſent to what the Goſpel ſaith of Chriſt, than to what Hiſtories tell him of what was done by the Saxon or Norman Kings many hundred years ago. Reaſon working upon its own principles ſheweth us nothing of Chriſt. The Scriptures are by all Chriſtians generally lookt upon as the Word of God, but no man hath any certain and firm perſuaſion that they are ſo, but he who is perſuaded of it by the Holy Spirit of God; all arguments from tradition and reaſon, have their incertainties, and though they are uſeful to make it probable to others, yet they do not produce a certainty of perſuaſion in our own Souls; hence the aſſent to ſuch Propoſitions as are only revealed in Scripture, muſt alſo be faint and incertain, and conſequently not operative, or very incertainly operative; ſo that although it may produce ſomething of practice, whiles the fit of aſſent is upon the Soul, yet it produceth no ſteady, certain conſtant practice; ſo as though it ſhould be granted, that a practical aſſent to the Propoſition of the Goſpel, be true juſtifying faith, to which is annexed the pardon of ſin, yet if by it we mean ſuch an agreement of our minds to the truth, as produceth a certain, ſteady, conſtant or ordinary practice and courſe of life, conformable to the propoſitions of truth which we agree, as this will imply truſting, and relying on Chriſt for life and ſalvation, ſo it is ſuch as is the operation of God in the Soul, and that not in a way of common providence (as our abilities▪ to ſpeak or move are) but in a way of ſpecial favour and working, for mans agreeing to the holy Scriptures to be the Word of God, firmly and ſteadily, being the reaſon why he agrees the truth of the propoſitions which are revealed in it alone, and that being the ſpecial work of God in Souls that ſhall be ſaved, of neceſſity ſuch alſo muſt be the aſſent to the Propoſitions that are revealed in it, and which can be ſeen by the Soul in no other light. So as indeed I do not think there is much in it more than a ſtrife about words, or at leaſt a very great nicety, whether true juſtifying Faith be a practical aſſent to the Propoſitions of the Goſpel, or a reliance on the Perſon of the Mediator, or rather both; for a practical aſſent doth neceſſarily infer a reliance on the Perſon of the Mediator: Admitting that this is one Propoſition of the Goſpel, Acts 4. 12. That there is no Salvation in any other, for there is no other name given under Heaven amongſt men, whereby we muſt be ſaved; and that the Soul in its practice of holineſs, hath any Eye to the recompence of reward, it is impoſſible there ſhould be any practical aſſent (to uſe the term of ſome) that is, any aſſent to the Propoſition, that ſhall produce any truth, or conſtancy of practice, without a reliance upon, and truſting to the Perſon of the Mediator; and this muſt be the ſpecial work, and powerful operation of God in, and upon the Soul. But now if men make any kind of languid, weak and incertain aſſent to the Goſpel Faith, and think that they have true Faith, becauſe they agree the truth of the Propoſitions of Scripture, they may miſerably deceive their own Souls; a Man by a mere natural power may as well agree, that there was ſuch a one as Jeſus of Nazareth once in the world, who went about doing good, exhorting men to a good life, and was Crucified, &c. as that there was in England a William the Conqueror, or any thing elſe that is to be found in other Books of tolerable credit, and reputation in the World. Or if men think that they do truly believe, becauſe they agree many propoſitions of the Goſpel, which are evident in the light of Reaſon, they again deceive themſelves, here may be nothing of the operation of God in this faith. Nay if they agree the Propoſitions of the Goſpel, becauſe they are revealed there, and in the mean time do not agree the Scriptures to be the Word of God, but look upon them in the ſame rank with human writings, or only by an human saith agree them to be the Word of God, becauſe the Church hath ſo deliver'd, and tranſmitted them, here is all this while no thing of the ſpecial operation of God. Nor will this agreement produce any ſteadineſs and firmneſs of practice, commenſurate to the Revelation, but only commenſurate to the nature of the Aſſent, which being not fixed, & conſtant, nor it may be, not univerſal, but to ſome part only of the revelation, muſt neceſſarily bring forth no more than a ſaint, partial, and incertain, practice. Hence it is that Hypocrites may do many things contained in the law, and at one time be more warm than at other times. But if thy Aſſent be the ſpecial operation, thou aſſenteſt to the whole revelation, becauſe God hath fixed in thy Soul a perſuaſion that it is from him who cannot lie, it is alſo ſteady and fixed; and tho ſome doubts may poſſibly incumber thee ſometimes, yet they hold not long, and thou firmly and generally (with allowance for the frailty and infirmity of human nature, endeavoureſt to live up to the whole of that duty, which the revelation impoſeth upon thee, which thou canſt not do, without relying on Chriſt, and him alone for Salvation, and having a reſpect to all the Commandments of God. And indeed, herein that agreement or aſſent which is the ſpecial work of God in the Soul, differs from that which is but a meer natural action. 1. In that it is more fixed, certain, and univerſal; and this muſt be ſo, for our aſſent is according to our light, we muſt firſt ſee, before we agree the truth of a propoſition, now the light of the holy Spirit is without doubt the cleareſt and brighteſt light. Our natural reaſon gives us but a dim light, as to matters of Faith. 2. In that it layeth a ſtronger obligation to practice. Reaſon will tell us, that the more firmly we believe the truth of Propoſitions, holding forth rewards and puniſhments relating to our practice, the ſtronger we ſhall find our obligation to practice in order to the obtaining ſuch rewards, or avoiding ſuch puniſhments. 3. In that it layeth an obligation to a more univerſal practice. The obligation to practice riſeth no higher than the aſſent, ſo as if there be any duty to which we do not agree, our aſſent obligeth to no practice of that. Now the holy Spirit perſuades us of the truth of the whole revelation, and that in the fulleſt and trueſt ſenſe. Hence it is that the true believer is more warm and univerſal in his obedience, than it is poſſible another ſhould be, becauſe his aſſent unto the truth, is from a quite differing light, and a quite differing work of God, the aſſent of the former proceeding but from a common work of God in nature, the latter from a work of ſpecial grace by the Spirit of God upon the Soul. I will not much contend with thoſe who will have true Faith to be a practical Aſſent to the Propoſition of the Goſpel, if they by Aſſent mean a firm and ſteady Aſſent; and by practical, ſuch an Aſſent as obligeth ſtrongly to an univerſal practice of whatſoever is revealed as our Duty. 1. Becauſe I know a reliance upon Chriſt for eternal Salvation, muſt be the effect of ſuch an Aſſent. 2. Becauſe I know there can be no reliance on Chriſt without ſuch a praevious Aſſent to the Propoſition of the Goſpel. 3. Becauſe I know there can be no ſuch thing without the mighty Power of God upon the Soul. So that in this ſenſe the Soul muſt be drawn by the Father, before it come to Chriſt. Only let none deceive themſelves, (as to this point of true Believing) by fancying ſuch an Aſſent to the Doctrine of the Goſpel, true Faith, wherein God hath no further concern, than as he influenceth acts of Humane Nature flowing from that order of operations which he hath ſet in all rational Souls. True Faith muſt be more than this.
2. As to Faith men are alſo prone to cheat themſelves by calling their Natural preſumption Faith; we ſay Faith lies in a reſting, and reliance on Chriſt. Now many will tell us they reſt and rely on Chriſt, and yet it is no difficulty to evince they do but preſume and not believe. Reſting and relying on Chriſt for Salvation, muſt be the Father's drawing. Natural preſumptions are meerly from our ſelves. Every man is willing to hope well for, and to propheſie good unto himſelf. Hence living under the publication of the Goſpel, and having heard of an eternal Life and Salvation, and this to be had through Chriſt, and by reſting on him, many naturally cry, they reſt on Chriſt, and truſt in him, and him alone. And our Saviour lets us know, that men may die with ſuch confidences, Matth. 7. 22, 23. Now there is a reſting and reliance on Chriſt, which is the Operation of God, yea and the mighty work of God upon the Soul, and this many a poor Soul finds that lives months, and years, under the Spirit of bondage, before it can reſt on Chriſt, and quietly commit it ſelf unto him; and there is a reſting, which is no more than a natural hope, or confidence, ariſing either from the Souls natural deſire of good to it ſelf, or from its ignorance of the true grounds of a true reſting and reliance: And indeed by this may theſe two be diſtinguiſhed and known aſunder, That reſting and reliance upon Chriſt for any ſpiritual and eternal bleſſing, which is the Operation of God, is alwa…es bottomed on a Promiſe, and teſtified by a life ſuitable to the condition upon which that Promiſe is made. Theſe two things are alwaies in it. 1. I ſay firſt it is founded upon a Promiſe; for all Grace, and Eternal Life being the gift of God, it is as vain a thing for any to be confident they ſhall have it, without God's revelation of his Will as to it with reference to them; as it is for any man to pretend a confidence, and truſt in another for the making him rich with a great part of his Eſtate, when that other never ſo declared his mind to him, or any one elſe. And 2. The Promiſes being not made to perſons by name, but to perſons that do thus & thus, it is altogether as unreaſonable for any to pretend a reſt and confidence in Chriſt, for the collation of thoſe ſpiritual bleſſings, as it had been for any Commanders in the Jewiſh Army, having heard Saul's declaration of his Will, That whoſoever killeth Goliah, ſhould have his Daughter to Wife, ſhould have promiſed himſelf Saul's Daughter without incountring the Philiſtine. Now this reſting and relying on Chriſt, (which is the only true reliance) is ſo difficult by reaſon of our former ſins, and daily infirmities of humane nature, and the lapſes and backſlidings we are guilty of, that no man thus comes to Chriſt until he be drawn. Thus far I have ſhewed you how far this diſcourſe may be uſeful to guide us in our enquiry whether we be drawn and come to Chriſt yea, or no, directing you to diſtinguiſh true Faith, both from a faint and languid aſſent, and from a natural preſumption of our good Eſtate with reference to Eternity.
2. But it may be further uſeful alſo to try your holineſs. That alſo muſt be the effect of Drawing Grace. There are two uſual miſtakes about holineſs.
1. The firſt is when what we uſually call Moral Virtue is called holineſs.
2. When we miſtake it for a formal running a round of Religious Duties.
I ſay firſt, When we miſtake holineſs, for what we uſually call Moral Virtue, or Moral Righteouſneſs. I put in thoſe words [we uſually call] becauſe I perceive ſome modern Writers (poſſibly becauſe pinched with their Arguments, who have contended for ſomething elſe beſides Moral Virtue to be neceſſary tó ſalvation) have extended the notion of Moral Virtue far beyond what Ariſtotle and the reſt of the Philoſophers learnt us to underſtand by that name; and do not only bring Faith within the compaſs of it, but will pretend it to be neceſſary to it, that the action to be done ſhould be performed from a Principle of Faith, and Love, and Obedience, and directed to the Glory of God as their end. Theſe acts and actings our Fore-fathers were wont to call Grace; but to let us know that thoſe in our days who have inlarged the acts of Morality, mean no more, than what men may do, by nature, having no more than the motives of the Goſpel, and the aſſiſtances of the Spirit, common to all to whom the Goſpel is Preached, therefore they well call theſe things Moral Virtues. As to Moral Virtue in the latter notion of it, it cannot be miſtaken for holineſs, for it is ſo. It is in the antienteſt, and moſt proper notion of it, that I am ſpeaking to it. So Chaſtity, Sobriety, Temperance, Liberality, Juſtice, are moral habits, and the acts of them are acts of Moral Virtue and Righteouſneſs; whether he that doth them doth them out of any Principle of Faith, or Love, or Obedience, or with any reſpect to the Glory of God, yea or no; but if any thinks this is holineſs, he is wonderfully miſtaken, for it is eſſentially neceſſary to an act of holineſs, that it ſhould be done from a Principle of Faith, the Soul being fully perſuaded, that it is the Will of God, and in Obedience to his Will, eying his command in our action. And 3. Propoſing to our ſelves the Honour and Glory of God for our end. So that though the ſame acts be done, yet if they be done from other Principles, and to other ends, they may be acts of Moral Virtue (that is, under the government, and conduct, and guidance of reaſon) but no acts of holineſs. Beſides, there are many actions which are our duties, in obedience to the Will of God, the reaſonableneſs of which is not to be concluded (nor ever was concluded by the men of reaſon amongſt the Heathens) from any other Principle than this, That it is the higheſt reaſon that we ſhould do what God commands us. So that to reduce our duty as Chriſtians, to the Precepts of what we have uſed to call Moral Virtue, is partly to ſecure our ſelves from a great part of our duty, by that Art, and partly to do what we do out of ſuch Principles as God will never more thank us for, than we will do our Servants, for doing what we would have them do, but they do out of reſpect to themſelves, without any regard to the pleaſing of, or obeying us. Now, though it be true, that acts of Moral Virtue (that is conformable to natural reaſon) may be performed by men without any ſpecial influence of the Holy Spirit: Yet without ſuch a Drawing Influence the Soul will neither do thoſe acts, from any true Principle, or to any right end: Nor yet do many things which are required of us (under the notion of holineſs) in order to eternal life. Beſides, the holineſs required of us is in all our converſation, 2 Pet. 3. 11. Now it is obſerved of the greateſt Moraliſts, that they failed here, and indulged themſelves in ſome things of immorality, yet went for morally virtuous men, if they excelled in Juſtice, though they failed in Temperance, Sobriety, and Chaſtity, &c. And indeed herein is the drawing of Divine Grace with reſpect to holineſs ſeen, and from hence to be judged. If the Soul finds it ſelf under a conſtant obligation to whatſoever God hath commanded, and that becauſe God hath commanded it, and that it might pleaſe him, and do what is acceptable in his ſight. This no Soul doth from a meer natural power; and though the renewed Soul be made willing, yet to keep on in this courſe it ſtands in need of the daily excitings and quickenings, and aſſiſtances of the Holy Spirit.
2. A ſecond miſtake which men may be deceived by, as to Holineſs, is when they take a formal performance of Religious duties to be it. Holineſs lieth in Godlineſs, and Righteouſneſs. And as men may miſtake Righteouſneſs towards men for Holineſs, ſo they may as eaſily miſtake a Form of Godlineſs, which may conſiſt (as the Apoſtle teacheth us) with a denial of the Power of it to be Holineſs. Godlineſs in the ſenſe I am ſpeaking to it, ſignifieth the performance of thoſe acts of homage and worſhip, which God hath required of us to his more immediate Service and Glory. This lieth in the performance of ſome external actions of God immediately, according to the preſcription of his Divine Will, which reſpecting the manner, as well as the matter, all ſuch actions as are meer bodily labour, are indeed no Godlineſs, but meer formal performances, and things ſo ſhort of obedience to the Commands of God, that God in Scripture is ſaid not to require them, that is, not them alone, or them performed in ſuch a manner, as Iſa. 1. 12. When you come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hands, to tread my Courts? Bring no more vain Oblations; Incenſe is an abomination unto me; the New Moons, and Sabbaths, the calling of Aſſemblies, I cannot away with, even the Solemn Meetings: Your New Moons, and your appointed Feaſts, my Soul hateth; they are a trouble to me. God had appointed all theſe things; he had commanded they ſhould tread his Courts, bring Oblations, offer Incenſe, keep New Moons, and Sabbaths; but all theſe things ought to have been done out of love to God, with a Faith in Chriſt, and with pure hearts; not being ſo performed, they were no Godlineſs, but meer abomination unto God. The caſe with us under the Goſpel is the ſame, though our Acts of homage there preſcribed be of another, more reaſonable and ſpiritual nature. God hath required of us to pray, to praiſe, to hear his Word, to partake of his Supper. He hath alſo preſcribed us the manner in which we ought to do theſe acts; in Faith, in Obedience, with the intention of our minds, attention of our thoughts, fervency of ſpirit. Separate the more external acts from theſe, they are no better than formal performances, bodily exerciſes, neither acceptable to God, nor profitable to our ſelves: If men will call theſe Godlineſs, or Holineſs, it is a great miſtake. The external acts are indeed ſuch as men that live under the Goſpel may be excited to perform, and may perform without any ſpecial influence of Grace, by vertue of his natural powers and abilities, and the common Grace of God not denied to any: But when they are done, without due affections, and principles, and inward motions of the heart correſpondent to the nature of the actions, according to the revelation of the Divine Will, they are no Holineſs, but Hypocriſie; and thus they cannot be performed without the aſſiſtance and influence of ſpecial Grace. Thus from this notion of the neceſſity of Chriſt's drawing both with reference to our firſt coming to Chriſt for life, and further following him, walking with him, and running after him. Chriſtians may be able to judge both concerning the Truth of their Faith, and alſo of their Holineſs. If either be true, they muſt be the effect of Divine ſpecial Grace, and more than any can do from the powers of Nature, even the beſt educated Nature, not renewed, changed and influenced by ſpecial and diſtinguiſhing grace. I am fully of their mind who think that thoſe Souls, who are no further changed and reformed, or converted, than might be from the power of Nature rationally improving Moral Principles, and Goſpel Motives and Arguments, cannot be ſaved: But yet I am ſo charitable, as to think that many may be ſaved who think they have no other converſion than this; the workings of the Spirit of God upon our Souls are ſo indiſcernable and internal, that we may poſſibly miſtake them for the workings of meerly our own powers and faculties, under the advantages of the Goſpel; but they muſt be more than ſuch, or elſe (as I have before ſaid) man is the firſt Author of all ſpiritual good, both with reſpect to action and fruition, to himſelf, and clearly his own Saviour, and muſt make himſelf to differ from another, and that by the higheſt, and moſt ſpiritual difference, and one man's Soul muſt have different and inequal vertues from the Soul of his Brother, whoſe Soul is of the ſame ſpecies, and hath the ſame faculties. But I have dwelt long enough upon this branch of Application.
Let every one now by this Examine himſelf, whether the Faith that he thinks he hath, be a meer Aſſent to the Propoſition of the Goſpel, upon the Evidence of it he hath had from the Church, or from men, or a meer languid incertain Aſſent, from probable Arguments of Reaſon, or a meer preſumption bottomed upon no Promiſe. Or, whether it be a firm and fixed Aſſent to the Truths of the Goſpel underſtood by him, conjoyned with a reliance upon the Perſon of the Mediator, clearly revealed in the Goſpel, as the only Saviour of Man, and producing an endeavour in all things to live up to the condition of the Promiſe? Whether the Holineſs which he thinketh his Soul hath arrived at, lieth in a meer Moral Righteouſneſs, a forbearance of groſs and ſcandalous courſes of ſin, and a doing ſuch acts of Juſtice and Charity, as a man may do from the meer improvement and conduct of reaſon, and a meer Formality of Godlineſs, a performance of ſuch acts of homage, as God hath preſcribed, without reſpect to the manner in which God hath willed them to be performed.
If your pretended Faith and Holineſs be no more, truſt not to them as Evidences that you are come to Chriſt; all this may be without any thing of this drawing; your Faith is no more than that mentioned, Matth. 7. 22. where our Saviour tells you that many (pretendedly truſting in, and relying upon him, as may appear by what they ſaid) ſhould ſay to him in that day; Lord! Lord! Have we not propheſied in thy Name, and in thy Name have caſt out Devils, and in thy Name done many wonderful works? to whom he would ſay, I never knew you, depart from me, you workers of iniquity. God had never promiſed Heaven & Salvation, to a propheſying in his Name, nor to a caſting out of Devils, ſo as their confidence, or reliance on, or in Chriſt, was the growing up of a Ruſh without Mire; a truſting without a ground, or bottom: Your Holineſs and Righteouſneſs is no more than that of the Phariſee, who gloried, Luk. 18. 11, 12. That he was not as other men were, Extortioners, Unjuſt, Adulterers; he faſted twice a week, and gave Alms of all that he poſſeſſed. Our Saviour ſaith, he went away not juſtified. And Matth. 5. 20. Except your Righteouſneſs exceed the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, you can never enter into the Kingdom of God. Say to your ſelves ſeverally, My Soul, thou muſt one day come before the Judgment Seat of Chriſt, and begging for admittance into Heaven, thou wouldeſt be loth to hear the Lord in that day ſay to thee, Depart from me, I know thee not. My Soul, what haſt thou more to truſt to than they had? Canſt thou ſay any more than Lord! I am not as other men? I am no Swearer, no Drunkard, no Reviler, no Extortioner, no Whoremonger; Lord, I faſt often, I go to prayers often, and to Church often, to hear the Word; if thou haſt no more to ſay, the Phariſee had as much. The intereſt of a man's own body, or eſtate, the examples of other men, the credit and applauſe of the world, may move a reaſonable Soul, under no other power than that of reaſon, nor other influence, than that which all within the compaſs of the Church, where the Goſpel is Preached, may carry thee thus far, without any influence of powerful, ſpecial Grace.
Uſe 3.Further yet, this notion of Truth, may help to relieve many good Souls, who are diſcouraged, either becauſe they ſeem to themſelves to ſtick in the New Birth: Or, becauſe they find in themſelves a great weakneſs to ſpiritual duties: Or, impotency in the reſiſtance of their own intrinſick motions to ſin, or forein temptations. As eaſie a thing as ſome make it to believe; many Souls ſmitten of God, and truly afflicted under the ſenſe of ſin, find it one of the moſt difficult things in the world, to give ſuch a firm and ſteady Aſſent to the Revelation of the Goſpel, as will produce in their Souls any grounded confidence, and reſting on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt as our Saviour, and ſhall be productive of ſuch a change of heart and life as the Goſpel requireth. Hence, though they be truly wounded in the ſenſe of ſin, and have taken up reſolutions through the Grace of God, to ſin no more as they have done formerly; yet they cannot tell how to bring their Souls to any fiducial adherence and reſt on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but they are ſtill full of doubts and fears concerning their ſpiritual and eternal ſtate; the guilt of their ſins is upon their conſciences, and they pine away, in, and under it; but they are not able to reach out an hand to the Promiſe in and through Chriſt; they have deep ſights of their miſery, but they can ſee no hope, no mercy at all in God for them. Now to ſuch Souls as theſe, this is ſome relief to conſider, That no man cometh to the Son unleſs the Father draweth him. It is no wonder that thou who haſt formerly been not a ſtranger only, but an enemy to God, canſt not at firſt come unto him, without a powerful influence of Divine Grace; when as thoſe who are brought home to God, ſtand in need of a daily Divine Influence to enable them to walk with him, and to run after him. This is not the weakneſs, or frowardneſs, or badneſs of thine heart alone; it is the condition of every lapſed Soul. And here the thinking Soul will come to feel the wound given it by the Fall of Adam, and its own original corruption. No man hath by nature more aptitude than another to acts truly ſpiritual. You will ſay, this is very cold comfort. We are ſure, if we be without Chriſt, we are undone; and what if our hearts be no worſe than others were till they were made better by the Power of Divine Grace, ſo long as that they are ſo bad as we cannot come to Chriſt for life? We have been lying in this ſtate at the Pool of Betheſda, under the Ordinances of God, many months and years; others within the time have been rolled in; here we lie ſtill as weak as ever. I will but offer two things to the relief of a Soul thus complaining.
1. That every Chriſtian drawn to Chriſt, doth not preſently diſcern it. Faith, is one thing, the ſenſe of that Faith is another thing. Many a Child of Light doth not walk in the Light. I would hope charitably, that that Soul which complains that it cannot believe, and ſeriouſly bemoans its impotency, doth believe; a ſerious deſire to believe, is generally the fruit of believing. I would ſay to the Soul that thus complaineth, Thou art awakened to conſider an Eternity, and that thy Soul is haſtening towards an Eternity; yet thou doſt not deſpair, thou haſt ſome hope: In what is thy hope? What doſt thou truſt in, with reference to thy Eternal Happineſs? Such a Soul will eaſily ſee, that its Moral Righteouſneſs, or Formal Performance of Duties, are not the things it hopeth in; Where then is thy hope, (thoſe degrees of hope which keep thee out of the Pit of deſpair,) fixed? Where can it be fixed but in Chriſt exhibited in the Promiſes of the Goſpel, ſo as thou rather complaineſt for want of ſenſe, than for want of …
2. If thou doſt but pray, and wait, thou ſhalt ſee. Chriſt will make thee to ſee, that he hath drawn thy Soul unto himſelf. Never poor Soul periſhed under thy circumſtances, that is, heavy loaden under the ſenſe of ſin, and weary of its ſinful courſes, and ſenſible that it hath no Righteouſneſs wherein it can ſtand before God, and panting and thirſting after the Lord and his Righteouſneſs. I have alwaies thought that God would not be wanting to any as to his ſpecial Grace, that had made the beſt improvement he could of common Grace. But this caſe riſeth higher; God hath begun his good work in thy Soul, and he will perfect it; he hath begun with thee in a way of ſpecial Grace, and more ſhall be added; he hath brought to the birth, and ſhall he not give ſtrength to bring forth? ſo as thou haſt nothing to do but to pray, to wait upon God in his Ordinances, and to wait for God with patience.
Secondly, I hear others complaining, They would run after God, they would follow the Lord fully; the Spirit is willing, but the Fleſh is weak; they find their corruptions, their temptations ſo ſtrong, their ſtrength againſt them ſo ſmall, that they wonder they hold out ſo long, and fear they ſhall one day fall. They cannot find that they run after Chriſt; ſomething of duty they do, but with ſo much dulneſs and heavineſs, as is far from running. Chriſtian! be of good comfort:
1. The Lord will draw thee; do what in thee lieth, the Lord will draw thee. Who (ſaith Paul) ſhall deliver me from this body of death? He preſently ſubjoyns, I thank God through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. The Spouſe prayeth in Faith, when ſhe ſaith, Draw me, and we will run after thee. If Abraham had conſidered his own body, at that time dead (as to ſuch acts) or the deadneſs of Sarah's womb, he had never glorified God by a ſtrong Faith in the Promiſe; Rom. 3. 21. He conſidered none of theſe, but the Promiſe only, and concluded, that what the Lord had promiſed, he was able to perform. Thou conſidereſt how buſie the Devil is, and what he can do: How ſtrong thy luſts are, how weak thou art, and how little thou art able to do. But thou doſt not conſider what a mighty God can do; what he can do who hath ſaid, To him that hath ſhall be given, and he ſhall have in more abundance. Thou ſeeſt a great Mountain of luſts and corruptions, great Mountains of temptations, and thou art afraid: But what art thou O great Mountain before the Lord's Zerubbabel? If it be the Lord's work, who ſhall let him?
2. Conſider, The Lord may ſometimes not draw … as at other times, and our running will bear a proportion to his drawing. The Mother will never leave the little Child to go wholly alone, for fear it falls; ſhe will alwaies have an hand upon it; but ſhe may ſometimes put forth more, ſometimes leſs of the ſtrength of that hand. God never leaveth us wholly to our ſelves; he knows we cannot ſtand, or go without him; but he ſometimes lets us feel more of his ſtrength, ſometimes leſs.
3. Going ſlowly when God ſlackens his hand, is indeed running, that is, equivalent to a going faſter with a further influence. It is like the Widdows Mite, who hath no more to put in. Like Hezekiah's chattering like a Crane. Like the voice of David's weeping. Like the ſorrowful ſighings of the Priſoners which God heareth and accepteth.