The Poor Doubting Christian Drawn to Christ, Part 3
Meanes to obtaine an intereſt in the Promiſes.
Now I will ſhew you ſome meanes whereby a man may ſo improve his time, that at laſt hee may obtaine this bleſſed eſtate; which are foure; but before I do begin with them, you muſt be advertiſed of thus much, that wee may uſe the meanes, but there is no meanes under heaven alone will doe it, yet you muſt wait upon God in the uſe of the meanes, for it is not the meanes that will worke faith, but the Spirit of God in the uſe of the meanes; and therefore the Text ſaith, To you it is given to beleeve, for faith is the free gift of God; it is God that muſt doe it, and yet hee will not doe it without us, becauſe wee are reaſonable men and women. The Lord affords us meanes, and therefore we are to waite upon him in the uſe of thoſe meanes; let the Lord doe what he will, and let us doe what wee ſhould: wee muſt not thinke when wee have the meanes then we can get faith preſently, for as Paul ſaith, The ſame power that raiſed up Ieſus from the dead muſt make us able to beleeve, Eph. 1.20.or elſe all the Angels in heaven, and all the Miniſters on earth, and all the helpe that men and meanes can doe thee, will doe thee no good: the meanes are divers, as hearing and prayer, which are the Conduits whereby God communicates faith; but I let thoſe paſſe, and onelyonly faſten upon thoſe which are needfull for feeble Chriſtians to bring them into this bleſſed ſtate, and thoſe are theſe.
Firſt, we muſt,1. Meanes. as much as in us lies, labour to pluck away all thoſe props that the ſoule leanes upon, and all thoſe outward ſuccours, and whatſoever outward contentment it is, which a poore ſinner doth repaire and betake himſelfe to for reliefe and helpe, that when all theſe are taken from us, we may bee forced to goe for ſuccour there where it is to be had. It is that which remaines in the nature of man, and that which is naturall to us all even from our firſt Parents, that we would have the ſtaffe in our owne hands, and ſupport our owne ſoules, and ſupply all thoſe neceſſities that lie upon us.
Now the way to make the ſoule leane upon CHRIST, is, to plucke away all other props; for the laſt thing that wee come to is the promiſe, and if we could finde good any where elſe, we would never goe to Chriſt; God heares laſt of us, and therefore wee ſhould doe with our ſelves as the enemie doth with a City beſieged, when he would make them yeeld, the onelyonly way is to famiſh them, cut off all proviſion, and ſtop all paſſages that none may come to relieve them, and then they will be forced to yeeld themſelves to the mercy of the enemy; ſo it is with our nature, wee are ſtill truſting to our owne ſtrength, and relying upon ſomething of our own; therfore famiſh thy heart, and cut off all the meanes and comfort whereby thy heart may bee ſuccoured, and thy conſcience quieted, and when thy heart is famiſhed, it will then ſeeke out to a Saviour, and lie there, becauſe there is no other thing to ſupport it.
Mar. 5.26, 27.The poore woman in the Goſpell had ſpent all her goods upon the Phyſitians, and if ſhe had had but a little meanes left, yea, but one farthing token, for any thing I know ſhee would never have gone to Chriſt; but when all theſe failed, then ſhee was forced to ſeeke to Chriſt, that was ready and willing to doe any thing for her diſtreſſed nature: ſo our ſoules muſt have ſomething to ſupport themſelves upon, for they cannot live without ſome ſupport. Now therefore when all our carnall hopes are taken away, wee muſt needs ſtay upon the promiſe, becauſe we have nothing elſe. It is not required that a man ſhould caſt away thoſe outward comforts that GOD affords him, but onelyonly this, that though you have all, yet labour to get your heart to ſee and acknowledge the emptineſſe of all theſe, and let not the heart ſeeke too much content in them, for theſe are all but lying vanities, & broken ſtaves, which will not onelyonly cozen a man, but pierce him too.
Now when the ſoule ſeeth theſe things cannot ſuccour him, but lay him in the duſt, then he will be content to have his heart ſevered from them. It is with the ſoule as it was with Noahs Dove, when the Arke began to reſt upon the Mountaine of Arraret, Noah ſent out the Dove, but the Dove found no reſt for the ſole of her foot: No queſtion there were many dead carkaſes, but the dove, found no reſt till ſhe came to the Arke againe; ſo when a man findes no reſt in any thing the creature affords, and can get no footing for the ſoule to ſtay it ſelfe upon them, then it betakes it ſelfe to Chriſt, and goes home to the promiſe, and reſts there, and expects from thence what is needfull; as in the Art of ſwimming, he that will ſwimme muſt plucke his feete from the bottome, and commit himſelfe to the ſtreame to beare him up; ſo wee muſt plucke our hearts from theſe things, & them from us; and though wee have honour and preferments, yet wee muſt not put any confidence in them, but learne by our beleeving to commit our ſelves wholly to the power of the promiſe, and receive comfort from thence onelyonly.
Let not the gods of this world, honour, and profit, and pleaſure deceive thee; did the pride of Pharaohs heart deliver him? did the riches of Dives ſave him? did Herods applauſe that he had, deliver him? did theſe gods ſecure them? nay, have they not left them in the lurch? therefore let us take our hearts off from theſe things, and have a baſe eſteeme of them, and ſee a vanity, and emptineſſe, and inſufficiency in them, that wee may bee forced to ſeeke to Chriſt, and ſay as David ſaid, Helpe Lord, for vaine is the helpe of man. Labour therefore to ſee the privie pranks of thine own heart, and hunt out all thoſe mazes, and turnings and windings of thy ſpirit, for it is wonderfull to ſee how the ſoule is ready to hang her comforts upon every hedge, and ſhift and ſhark in every by-corner for comfort: Now when thou ſeeſt thy heart thus ſeeking to ſettle it ſelfe, pluck away that prop, and ſee the emptineſſe of it, and then thy heart will bee fit and ready to goe unto Chriſt.
Now when this is done there is a little way made that the promiſe may come to the ſoul,2. Meanes. therfore labour in the ſecond place to have your hearts poſſeſſed throughly, and perſwaded effectually of the fulneſſe of that good which is in the promiſe, and of that ſatisfactory mercy and freeneſſe of the grace of God in Chriſt, that ſo the ſoule may bee eſtabliſht with that full content which is to bee had in the riches of the promiſe. But marke what I ſay, perſwade your heart of it, and content not your ſelves that you are able to diſpute ſomewhat fully of the excellency of the promiſe and of the riches of Gods free grace; What is this to the purpoſe that the heart knowes this, and yet is fore-ſtalled that it comes not to the promiſe? therefore leave not thy heart till it come to make that account of the promiſe, that the word ſaith it is worth; I ſay leave not thy heart till thou ſee the promiſe of grace moſt beautifull in thy eye, and that thy heart may gaine ſome earneſt touching the goodneſſe of God, and the riches of his grace towards thee; and bring thy heart to know and ſee, that the promiſe is better than all the riches & honours that thou canſt have, or the world can beſtow,Pſal. 9.10. They that know thee will truſt in thee, for thou Lord haſt never failed them that ſeeke thee: This kinde of knowledge ever breeds confidence and reſolution, and perſwades the heart; Wee dare truſt a friend whoſe faithfulneſſe we have tryed; and reſt upon that which wee know by experience. The promiſes are of a tryed truth; ſeek from one end of the heavens to the other, turne all the Bible over, and ſee if ever any man leaned on the promiſe, and the Lord did not performe that which hee had promiſed for the good of his ſoule?Pſal. 119.92. Except the Lord had beene my delight, I ſhould have periſhed in my troubles (ſaith David.) My fleſh faileth and my heart alſo, Pſa. 73.26.but thou art the ſtrength of my heart and my portion for ever. Here lyes a great weight, and it is a worke of marvellous difficulty and great neceſſity, and therefore that thy heart may ſit downe ſatisfied in the ſufficiency of the promiſe, I will propound three rules how you may improve the promiſe for your uttermoſt benefit.
Firſt,How to improve the promiſes for our benefit. labour daily to preſent to thy ſoule a greater good in the promiſe than thou canſt ſee any where elſe: It is a mans ſkill, and it ſhould bee his endeavour daily to dogge his heart, and to looke what it is that the heart deſires moſt, and preſent a greater good to thy ſoule therein, than in all things thou canſt have elſewhere. Wee ſhould deale with our hearts as a man would doe with a corrupt Juſtice, when hee would have him to be on his ſide, the onelyonly way is to bribe him; (though that is ſinfull) yet it is good to bribe the corrupt heart with the goodneſſe of the promiſe, that the heart may cleave to it, and long after it. Doe honours, or riches, or the applauſe of men, or any earthly pleaſures offer thee content and ſatisfaction? then perſwade thy heart there is a greater worth and excellency in the promiſe then can bee had in all the world. Here is an exceeding waight of glory, hee that hath this promiſe ſhall be made a King, and ſhall have glory that will never vaniſh: doth thy heart hanker after earthly joy and mirth? thou ſhalt finde a grea… … promiſe, then in … …ing of theſe thornes, … ſo I may ſay of any thing elſe) Doth thy heart hanker after riches? then tell thy heart that there are unſearchable riches in Chriſt, and through him we have title to all the promiſes of this life and a better; we know he that offers moſt for the bargaine hath it: therefore wee ſhould obſerve the goings out of our hearts, and what offers it ſelfe to give us moſt content, and preſent our ſoules with a greater good in God then in all things elſe.
Oh the height, and depth, and length, and breadth of the … paſſeth … conſideration of … as it works a longing after Chriſt, and the promiſes, ſo it ſhould fill our faces with ſhame and confuſion, that ever we ſhould ſet light by ſuch riches of mercy, and walke unworthy of ſo great ſalvation. Could wee comprehend the unmeaſurable dimenſions of Gods love and goodneſſe revealed in his word, how would our hearts bee enflamed towards him? When the ſinner thinks thus with himſelfe, I that have done all that I could againſt ſo good a God, that my heart even bleeds to thinke of it, there … under heaven … in pieces but Gods … his wounds, and life, a… heart-blood I have rent and torne a thouſand times. Nay, there was no command in the world that my ſoul ſo much deſpiſed, as the command of the Lord Jeſus. There was no ſpirit that ever ſpake to me, which I ſo much reſiſted as the Spirit of the Lord. Oh how many ſweet motions hath the Lord let into my ſoule, thereby to pluck mee from my baſe courſes & ſinfull practiſes! By how many mercies hath he allured me, by how many gracious promiſes hath he invited me, to forſake … turne … but I have … the face of his …ers and bleſſed ſpirit, and rejected all tearmes of reconciliation. If I had lyen in a dungeon, and beene plagued with torments all my life time, yea, though I had another world full of miſery to live in, I ſhould count it infinite mercy, ſo the Lord would paſſe by my ſinfull miſcarriages, and pardon theſe inward rebellions.
But that God ſhould ſend his deareſt Sonne to love mee, and that ſo incomparably, ſo inconceivably, that I could not poſſibly hate him, ſo much as hee loves and affects mee, I could not ſo exceede in unkindneſſe towards him, as hee hath exceeded in tender compaſſion towards mee? Were it not righteous with God, never to ſpeake comfort more to my ſoule, that have ſo lightly eſteemed his promiſe and word of comfort? Had it not beene juſt with GOD to take advantage againſt mee? Was it not juſt that I which lived in ſinne, ſhould have periſhed in my ſinne? Had it not beene juſt that I who have ſo much loved corruption, ſhould have reaped the bitter fruit of it long ere this? But that the Lord ſhould finde an enemie, and not ſlay him; nay, that he ſhould give his beloved Sonne out of his boſome to ſave him; is love not to be expreſſed. Oh the height of this mercy beyond my deſire. Oh the bredth of this mercy without all bounds. Oh the length of this mercy beyond all times. Oh the depth of this mercy beyond all ſinne and miſery!
Labour therefore to have acceſſe to the promiſe with thy ſoule, and ſpeake a good word for it, and ſay, Stand by profits, and pleaſures, and preferments, roome for the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and put a wonderfull price upon the promiſe; this is an everlaſting rule, whatſoever the ſoule doth account as beſt, that it will chuſe and leave all others for it. I would have the ſoule outbid the world, and labour to out-ſhoot the devill in his owne bow, and thoſe things which the devill caſts in thy way, for hindering thy ſoul from comming to the promiſe, let thoſe things bee as meanes to uſher-in the promiſe. As thus, when thou ſeeſt thy heart looke after friends, let thoſe friends uſher the way to thinke on the infinite love and favour of God in Chriſt; and when thy heart would faine hunt after wealth, let this uſher a way to the promiſe, and ſay, If the heart finde ſuch content in riches, what would it finde in the riches of Gods grace in Chriſt? thus preſent a greater good in the promiſe then in any thing elſe.
The ſecond rule is, Labour to convince thy heart of this, that all the things in the world without the promiſe are not good, and hadſt thou all that the earth can afford without a promiſe, they were rather a curſe to thee then a bleſſing.Heb. 11.1. Faith is the ſubſtance of things hoped for, it gives a kinde of being and ſubſtance to all; there is no ſubſtance in honour and riches if they bee not in faith; they are clogges & ſnares to a man, except ſaith give a title thereunto and a bleſſing therewith; all our prayers have no ſubſtance in them, but are poore and empty words without faith in the promiſe to have what wee pray for: the moſt broken and meane prayer, when a poore creature can ſcarce utter foure words with any ſenſe, yet if it be mingled with faith, is a very powerfull prayer; and the ſubſtance of all your hearing, and my preaching lyes in faith, otherwiſe they are but loſt labour, for faith is it that gives a kinde of being to whatſoever we ſpeake or doe.
The third rule in this ſecond meanes, is this, Labour to acquaint thy heart with the goodneſſe of the promiſe, before carnall reaſon comes and poſſeſſes thy heart, how that the promiſe is moſt ſure, and will come when it is moſt ſeaſonable, and is beſt for thee, and when God ſees it moſt fit we ſhall certainly have it;Heb. 4.16. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that wee may receive comfort and mercy in time of need; not when I ſee it fit, but when God ſees it fit, this is it which carries away many poore ſinfull hearts from reſting upon the promiſe of God; ſometimes the heart is a little affected with the excellency of the riches of Gods grace, and ſeeth what great things the Lord hath done for his ſoule, and ſaith, Oh that I were ſuch a one, and let me die the death of the righteous; but when it comes to paſſe that he hath not preſent eaſe and comfort, then hee caſts away the good promiſe of the Lord, and the devill prevailes wonderfully with theſe poore creatures: Therefore ſaith the Prophet, When the figge tree ſhall not bloſſome, Hab. 3.17.neither ſhall the fruit bee on the Vines, when the labour of the Olive ſhall faile and yeeld no fruit, then wil I rejoyce in the Lord, and joy in the God of my ſalvation. Saith the Prophet, Comfort frō the promiſe, and from the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is then ſeaſonable, when I have moſt neede and may receive moſt good thereby; then ſhall I bee ſure to have the promiſe ſo to ſurprize my heart, that it may be poſſeſſed with the al-ſufficiency of it.
3. Meanes.In the third place ſee that thou expecteſt all the good which thou needeſt and canſt deſire from that ſufficiency of the promiſe; doe not thinke to bring any good with thee to the promiſe, but goe to the promiſe for all good; there are all the cords of mercy that muſt draw thee, and there is the al-ſufficiency that can ſupply all thy wants, looke for all from thence, and expect power from the promiſe to inable thee to doe whatſoever thou wouldeſt, and to make thee able to beleeve the promiſe.
Object. It is a weake plea for a man to ſay, I dare not look to the promiſe, I cannot beleeve, if I could then I might expect ſome good.
Anſw. Thou ſhalt never beleeve upon theſe tearmes, thou muſt not firſt have faith and then goe to the promiſe, but thou muſt firſt goe to the promiſe, and from thence receive power to make thee able to beleeve the promiſe, O Lord remember thy word to thy ſervant, Pſal. 119.49.wherein thou haſt cauſed me to truſt. When men are enlarged in love to a man, and make faire promiſes, this perſwades the heart to truſt to them, and to rely upon them for good; therefore a man doth uſe to ſay, I durſt not have thought it, nor expected, if you had not promiſed it; ſo the promiſe of God made to the ſoule, makes the ſoule to reſt upon it.
To expect faith without a promiſe, is all one as if a man ſhould expect a crop without ſeed, for the promiſe is the immortall ſeed of Gods Word, whereby the Spirit breeds this faith in the hearts of all that are his.Ioh. 5.25. The houre is comming and now is, when the dead ſhall heare the voice of the Sonne of God, and they that heare it ſhall live: It is ſpoken of raiſing of a dead man from the grave of ſin. Firſt, there is the voice of Chriſt to the ſoule, before there can be an Echo again of the ſoule to Chriſt; ſo the power of the promiſe muſt come to the ſoule, and wee muſt heare the voice of God in the promiſe before we can returne an Echo again to the Lord; The Lord ſaith, Come to mee, and the ſoule ſaith, I come Lord. When thou ſeeſt much deadneſſe and unfitneſſe of heart, doe not thou goe away, and looke off from the promiſe, and ſay, Thus I am, and ſo it is with mee; but rather goe to the promiſe, and ſay, Whatſoever frailties I finde in my ſelfe, yet I will looke to the Lord, and to his promiſe, for if I want faith, the promiſe muſt ſettle me more and more therein, I muſt not bring faith to the promiſe, but receive faith from thence, and therefore I will waite till the Lord pleaſe to worke it.
4. Meanes.Laſtly, labour to yeeld to the equall condition of the promiſe, and make no more conditions then God makes; now the promiſe requires no more of a man, but that hee ſhould come and lay hold on mercy; therefore do thou require no more then God in the promiſe requires; there is enough in the promiſe to do thee good, therefore expect all good from it, and bee content to goe to the promiſe, and take of God whatſoever hee hath therein offered. Buy without money; Eſay 55.12This is the condition that God offers mercy upon, buy wine and Milke, that is, grace and ſalvation without money, that is, without ſufficiency of your owne; if a man ſhould goe running up and downe to borrow money before he come to buy, he may famiſh before hee come; ſo the Lord offers Chriſts mercy and ſalvation, and ſaith, Come take it without money, and wee runne up and downe to borrow money of prayer, and duties, and power againſt corruption, but you may be ſtarved before you buy, if you goe this way to work.
Therefore make Gods cōmodities no dearer then God himſelf makes them, for this is the cauſe why many a poore ſoule is kept from comming to the promiſe: Oh, ſaith one, if I were able to maſter my ſinnes and diſtempers as ſuch a one can doe, then I would beleeve; this is to bring money; but art thou content to have Chriſt, and that Chriſt may have thee, and rule thee, and ſupply thy wants, and reveale thy ſinnes, and heale thy corruptions; then goe to the promiſe, & the Lord thereby will ſupply thy wants, and maſter all thy ſinnes and corruptions; but that muſt come afterwards;Ezek. 16 8, 9. When I paſſed by thee, and ſaw thee in thy blood, (ſaith the Lord) and behold the time was as the time of love, and I ſpread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedneſſe; yea, I entred into a covenant with thee, and thou becameſt mine; (that is, you were content that GOD ſhould marry you in all your ragges) and waſhed thee with water, yea, I throughly waſhed away thy blood from thee, and annointed thee with oyle, I cloathed thee alſo with broydered worke. Firſt, hee marries the Church to himſelfe, and then hee gives grace, and paſſeth over his eſtate to his Spouſe. Were it not a wonderfull great folly if ſome great King ſhould make love to a poore Milkmaid, and ſhee ſhould put it off, and refuſe the match till ſhee were a Queene, whereas, if ſhe will match with the King, hee will make her a Queene afterwards; ſo wee muſt not looke for ſanctification, till wee come to the Lord in vocation; for this is all the Lord requires of thee, to ſee thy ſinnes, and bee weary of them, and bee content that the Lord Jeſus ſhall reveale what is amiſſe, and take it away, and that the Lord ſhould give thee grace, then the Lord will bring thee to himſelfe, and thou ſhalt receive mercy from him, and then all thy corruptions ſhall fall to the ground. To ſumme up the point briefly thus:
Firſt, when wee have pluckt away all carnall props, there is way made for the promiſe to come to us.
Secondly, whē our hearts are poſſeſſed throughly of the ſufficiency of Gods promiſe and grace, then the promiſe drawes neere to the ſoule.
Thirdly, when wee expect all from the promiſe, even power to come to the promiſe, then the promiſe layes hold upon us.
Fourthly, when we are content to yeeld to the equall conditions of the promiſe, then the promiſe carries us quite away.
Thus we have ſeene the hinderances removed, and the meanes propounded, and now, that we may bee moved and perſwaded importunately to ſeeke after this bleſſed grace of God, let us conſider thus much; if you once get this grace, you get all other graces with it; it is a ground of comfort to ſet a man a …ke, when in the doing of one worke hee may doe another, nay, all workes; ſo it is in the worke of faith, it ſhould encourage us to labour for faith, becauſe if wee get this wee get all: men that are wiſe to provide for themſelves, and to lay out their money in a purchaſe for the beſt advantage, if they ſee it well wooded & watered, eſpecially if there be ſome golden Mines, all their minde will be upon that, becauſe if they have that they have all with it; ſo it is here, get grace and get all, ſtrengthen this and all is ſtrong, want this and want all, once get this, and you need not ſeeke for … …dome,Faith to be laboured for above all graces. for faith will m… you wiſe to ſalvation, and you need not labour for patience, for faith will make you patient, & faith will bring holineſſe wit… it to purge you, for faith brings all grace. Now the Saints of God endeavour with much paines to get grace, and to ſubdue their corruptions; but yet they are feeble & weak therein, becauſe they take not the right way.
Many a poore ſoule mournes and cries to heaven for mercy, and prayes againſt a ſtubborne hard heart, and hee is weary of his life becauſe his vile heart remaines, and yet … wou… … you goe th… … for if you would … grace you muſt firſt of all get faith, and that will bring all the reſt; buy the field, and the Pearle is yours; you muſt not ſtand ſtrugling and ſtriving with your owne hearts, and thinke to maſter a proud heart, that will not doe it, but let ſaith goe to Chriſt, and there is meekneſſe patience, humility and wiſedome, and faith will fetch all theſe to the ſoule. Brethren, if you ſet ſuch a price upon any of thoſe graces, then labo… … …aith, get that … … glaſſe, the … …rd, are changed into the ſame Image from glory to glory. The Lord Chriſt is the glaſſe, and the glorious grace of God in Chriſt, is compared to the glory of the Lord; therefore firſt we muſt behold the grace in Chriſt by faith, before we can receive grace; firſt, ſee humility in Chriſt, and then fetch it there; firſt ſee ſtrength and courage to enable thy weake heart, and then fetch it. Would not you bee content to have a meeke, gracious and … heart? dare un… … of you, … thinke it … that ever you … you ſay, Oh th… …once ſee that day, … this proud heart of mine might bee humbled. If I could ſee the blood of my ſinnes, I ſhould thinke my ſelfe happy, and deſire to live no longer; then get faith, and ſo buy the whole, for they goe all together; you muſt not think to have patience & meekneſſe, without faith, but buy faith and you ſhal… have all together: Would you have the glory of God, and bee more heavenl… minded, then look … … …en you ſhall … hold you there … this will encreaſe all your graces, to your everlaſting peace & comfort. When men uſe to make a purchaſe, they will reckon up all, and ſay, There is ſo much wood worth ſo much, & ſo much ſtock, worth ſo much, and then they offer for the whole, anſwerable to all the parcels: ſo there is Item for an heavenly mind, that is worth thouſands and Item for an humble heart, that is worth millions. And are theſe graces …ſo much? what is faith page missing
End of the text · Thomas Hooker, The Poor Doubting Christian Drawn to Christ (1636)