The Good Old Way, Book · Principle 4 · Member 1
MEMB. I. A man of a contrite and humble ſpirit.
NOW we come to the fourth Principle, which requireth of us, how a man or a woman may be made partakers of Chriſt and his Benefits? In the firſt place (ſaith the Catechiſm) they muſt have contrite and humble ſpirits; A man of a contrite and humble ſpirit. We commend the Point unto you in the form of a Doctrine, thus,
Doct. That a man may be partaker of Chriſt and his Benefits, he muſt have a contrite and humble ſpirit. See Iſai. 55.1. Ho, every one that thirſteth, come ye to the waters (to wit, to Chriſt) and he that hath no money: that is, ſees nothing in himſelfe to truſt unto, and ſo conſequently is of a humble and contrite ſpirit: And Jerem. 50.4. In thoſe dayes, and in that time, ſaith the Lord, the children of Iſrael ſhall come, they and the children of Judah together, going, and weeping they ſhall go, and ſeek the Lord their God: obſerve I pray you, going and weeping ſhall ſeek the Lord their God; as though that were the way and the onelyonly way to find God in Chriſt, to partake of Chriſt and his benefits: And doth not our Saviour tell us this, Matth 9.13. I am not come to call the righteous (that is, ſuch as think themſelves righteous) but ſinners to repentance? to wit, contrite and humble ſinners, to call them to a new life to partake of me and my benefits. And Mat. 11.28 Come unto me (ſaith he) all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt. And hence it is that the Lord is deſcribed, 2 Corinth. 7.6. to be the Comforter of ſuch as are caſt down. And this Doctrine the Apoſtle James informes us of, Jam. 4.6. God reſiſteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble; that is, aſſures ſuch of his favour; and therefore ver. 10. of the ſame Chapter, Humble your ſelves (ſaith he) in the ſight of the Lord, and he ſhall lift you up: And do but ſee that place for all, Luke 4.18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, becauſe he hath annointed me to preach the Goſpel to the poor; he hath ſent me to heal the broken hearted, and to ſet at liberty them that are bruiſed. Now we come to the Reaſons,
Reaſ. 1. Such and only ſuch have an appetite to Chriſt, hunger and thirſt after him and his benefits. Till we be ſick of ſin we can find no need of this Phyſician, neither care much for him, according to that Mat. 9.12. They that be whole need not a Phyſician, but they that are ſick When the fiery Serpent (Numb. 21.9.) had bitten and ſtung an Iſraelite, then he would run and make uſe of the Brazen Serpent, but never till then.
Reaſ. 2. Such and only ſuch do prize Chriſt at his full value, are willing to part with any thing to purchaſe him: See what the Apoſtle Paul ſaith, Philip. 3.8, 9. He eſteemed all things but dung in compariſon of Chriſt and his Benefits: but to make way for this, obſerve the deep ſenſe and feeling he had of his owne unworthineſſe, 1 Timoth. 1.15. This is a faithful ſaying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Chriſt Jeſus came into the world to ſave ſinners, of whom (ſaith he) I am chief.
Reaſ. 3. Such, and only ſuch are made fit to receive Chriſt by faith, and to make him their own: Mark 1.15. Repent and believe the Goſpel: the unhumbled and unbroken-hearted ſinner is altogether unfit to receive Chriſt and his benefits.
Reaſ. 4. Such, and only ſuch truly rejoice and take comfort in Chriſt, account him their chief Treaſure and happineſs. Gal. 6.14. God forbid, that I ſhould glory in any thing, ſave in the Croſs of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; that is, ſave in the Paſſion and Sufferings of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. But who was this that did thus rejoice in Chriſt and his Sufferings? Surely it was one that had ſuch a low opinion of himſelf, as that Epheſ. 3.8. he ſtiles himſelf leſs then the leaſt of all Saints.
But that you may further ſee into this weighty Doctrine, we intend to anſwer the Queſtions following, 1. What that contrition and humiliation is, which truly and ſufficiently prepares a man or a woman to be made partakers of Chriſt and his benefits? 2. Whether every man and woman, that hath this contrite and humble ſpirit, ſhall certainly be made partakers of Chriſt and his benefits.
3. Whether this contrition and humiliation be wrought in the like meaſure, in all that are made partakers of Chriſt and his benefits.
Queſt. 1 What that contrition and humiliation is, which truly, and ſufficiently prepares a man or a woman to be made partakers of Chriſt, and his benefits?
Anſw. This contrition and humiliation, contains the particulars following.
1. A true and diſtinct ſight of ſin, and not onelyonly as puniſhment doth attend it, but as it is vile and lothſome in its own nature; as Ezek. 36.31. Then ſhall ye remember your own evil wayes, and your doings that were not good, and ſhall loath your ſelves in your own ſight, for your iniquities, and for your abominations.
2. Unfained and ſound ſorrow: and as for the conſequent, ſo for the cauſe; as for puniſhment, ſo for ſin; Acts 2.37. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in the is hearts; to wit, that they were guilty of the death of the Lord of Life.
3. A being weary of ſin, finding it a load, and burden upon the conſcience, Matth. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt. Our Saviour means here, all that have contrite and humble ſpirits.
4. Humble and hearty confeſſion of ſin, as Luke 15.21. Father (ſaith the Prodigal) I have ſinned againſt heaven, and in thy ſight, and am no more worthy to be called thy ſon. Lu. 23.40, 41.
5. Earneſt ſuit to the God of heaven for mercy, as the Publicane, Luke 18.13. God be merciful to me a ſinner. And Saul, (afterwards called Paul) Acts 9.11. Behold he prayeth: ſurely the three dayes he was without ſight, he ſent up many a loud cry to heaven for mercy.
6. The ſixth particular. This Contrition and Humiliation contains a diſtaſte, and diſlike of ſin; as Iſaiah 30.22. Ye ſhall defile alſo the covering of the graven Images of ſilver, and the ornament of thy molten Images of gold, thou ſhalt caſt them away as a menſturous cloth, (to wit, in the day of thy repentance) thou ſhalt ſay unto it, get thee hence. And Luke 19.8. Zacheus ſtood and ſaid unto the Lord, Behold Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor, and if I have taken any thing from any man by falſe accuſation, I reſtore him four fold. Thus we ſee now what Contrition and Humiliation is, which truly and ſufficiently prepares a man, or a woman to be made partakers of Chriſt, and his benefits.
But yet we muſt not think this preparatory work in the particulars aforeſaid, to be the ſame that is in the ſoul after Chriſt is received, and partaked of; for that flows from the Principle of grace, and ſo works more freely, and abſolutely: But in this the ſoul is onelyonly a Patient;, this is a ſaving work, but not a ſanctifying work; but yet alwayes ſanctification followes upon the ſame.
Now we come to the ſecond queſtion.
Queſt. 2. Whether every man and woman that hath this Contrite and Humble ſpirit, ſhall certainly be made partakers of Chriſt and his benefits?
Anſw. Yes, becauſe this is the loſt ſoul which Chriſt came to ſeek, and to ſave; for of this ſoul, we muſt underſtand our Saviour, when he ſaith, Luke 19.20. The Son of man is come to ſeek, and to ſave that which was loſt. And this is the bruiſed reed, which in no caſe he will break; Matth. 12.20. And do but ſee Pſal. 51.17. A broken and a contrite heart, O God thou wilt not deſpiſe: not the broken and contrite heart aforeſaid. And Iſaiah 57.15. Thus ſaith the high and lofty One, that inhabiteth eternity, whoſe Name is HOLY: I dwell in the high and holy place; with him alſo that is of a contrite and humble ſpirit, to revive the ſpirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. And ſo Matth. 5.3.4. Our Saviour ſaith, Bleſſed are the poor in ſpirit, for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven. And Bleſſed are they that mourn, for they ſhall be comforted: It is the contrite and humble ones, which our Saviour here intends. Thus we ſee diſtinctly and plainly, that every man and woman, that hath the contrite and humble ſpirit aforeſaid, ſhall certainly be made partakers of Chriſt, and his benefits.
Queſt. 3. Whether this contrition and humiliation be wrought in the like meaſure, in all that are made partakers of Chriſt and his benefits?
Anſw. No; and for the Cauſes and Reaſons following:
1. Some have committed more groſs and heinous ſins then others, and therefore have cauſe, and need to be more terrified and humbled then others.
2. The Lord intends to beſtow a greater meaſure of grace upon ſome then upon others; to do greater works by them, then by others; and therefore prepares them accordingly by contrition and humiliation.
3. Some have been Religiouſly educated from their Child-hood, whereby as they were kept from groſs ſins, ſo corruption was ſubdued in them gently, and ſecretly, by little and little, without any great meaſure of contrition and humiliation; grace and comfort being inſtilled into them almoſt inſenſibly.
4. Some by natural conſtitution, and temper of body, are more fearful and ſenſible of anguiſh then others.
5. Some after the Wound, have the Medicine ſooner revealed and applyed to them then others.
Now we proceed to the Uſes.
Ʋſe 1. To acquaint us, that there is but a few, comparatively, that partake of Chriſt, and his benefits; and this will be evident, if ſo be we weigh the particulars, which the contrition and humiliation aforeſaid contains.
As firſt, a true and diſtinct ſight of ſin: many ſee their ſins in a general, ſlight, and confuſed way; but where is the man that ſees ſin to be the greateſt evil, even ſeparating from the greateſt good; to wit, God himſelf? Iſaiah 59.2. nay, that ſo far as he gives way unto it, ſo far he joynes with the Divel, and fights againſt God; that ſees into the vile and loathſom nature of ſin? And where is the man that ſees himſelf to be guilty of Adams fall, himſelf to be ſtained, and polluted univerſally with natural corruption, himſelf to be guilty of ſuch, and ſuch actual ſins, ſins of Omiſſion, and ſins of Commiſſion, that turns his ſins upſide down, conſiders them in the circumſtances of them, Pſal. 119.59.
2. The ſecond particular the contrition and humiliation aforeſaid contains, is, unfained and ſound ſorrow for ſin, Pſal. 94.16, 17. Alas, the moſt, ſin is their meat, and their drink, their very delight; they ſtorm, and grieve, becauſe they cannot ſin as they would; are ſorry, and angry they have ſuch a Miniſter as will reprove them for their ſins, that they may not go on in ſin without any controul; or if they have any ſorrow in them at any time, it is onelyonly becauſe of the puniſhment that attends ſin. Many that mourn for this and that outward croſs and calamity preſent, and imminent; but do not at al mourn for ſin, the cauſe of it; but a few whoſe hearts are rightly pricked for their ſins. Acts 2.37.
And ſo for the other particulars: Where is the man that finds ſin a load and burden upon his conſcience? that doth humbly, and heartily confeſs his ſins? that importunately cryes to heaven for mercy? and that truly diſlikes ſin, even to a ſinful thought? The particulars aforeſaid being perpended, it will appear, that there is but a few that have contrite and humble ſpirits, and ſo conſequently but a few that partake of Chriſt, and his benefits.
Ʋſe 2. For the comfort and conſolation of all ſuch as have contrite and humble ſpirits: they, all they ſhall partake of Chriſt, and his benefits: ſuch, all ſuch are they whom Chriſt came to ſeek, and to ſave, Pſal. 51.17. The ſacrifices of God are a broken ſpirit, a broken and a contrite heart, O God thou wilt not deſpiſe. Iſa. 57.15. And Matth. 11.28. Come unto me (ſaith Chriſt) all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt. The Lord doth not deal with the burdened conſcience, as Satan and his Inſtruments: Satan, (Revel. 12.4.) when the woman was ready to be delivered of her Child, was ready to devour her Child; and ſo are his Inſtruments: Now we hope (ſay they) you have followed Preachers, gone to Sermons long enough; no, no, Pſal. 147.3. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds: to wit, the Lord, Iſaiah 61.1. And to this purpoſe, it is a wondrous thing to obſerve, how the Lord ſuſtains and bears up the wounded ſoul, by a ſecret hope of mercy; as we may ſee in the King of Niniveh, Jonah 3.9. 9. Who can tell if God will turn, and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we periſh not? But for this hope, the bruiſed heart would break; and but for this hope, the means of recovery and raiſing up, would not be endeavored. This hope keeps from deſpair, and provokes to the uſe of holy means. It is true, ſaith the wounded ſoul, I am in a miſerable caſe; but if there be any hope, I will cry to heaven for mercy; I will depend upon the Miniſtry of the word conſtantly; I will creep into the company of thoſe that make profeſſion of Religion, in a ſpecial manner; who can tell but that the Lord may ſhew mercy to my poor ſoul?
May ſome man ſay, this is very comfortable, that every contrite and humble ſpirit ſhall certainly pertake of Chriſt, and his benefits. But how may I know that my heart is truly contrite and humble?
Signes 1. If thou judgeſt ſin to be the greateſt evil, and the favour of God to be the greateſt good.
2. If thou hadſt rather hear of mercy to thy poor ſoul then of an earthly Kingdome to be beſtowed upon thee.
3. If thou thinkeſt thoſe that have true Peace of conſcience, and Joy in the Holy Ghoſt to be the happieſt people under the ſun.
4. If thou tremble at the Word, and honour the very feet of thoſe Inſtruments that bring glad tydings of peace to ſuch as thy ſelf; to wit, to wounded conſciences.
5. If thou ſend up ſtrong and unceſſant cryes to God for the aſſurance of his favour in and through Chriſt.
6. If thou doſt pity and compaſſionate all ſuch, as have broken and bruiſed hearts.
Ʋſe 3. To exhort all ſuch, as for the preſent have not contrite and humble ſpirits, to labour and endeavour for that diſpoſition.
Motives. 1. The contrary diſpoſition, to wit, hardneſs of heart, and impenitency, is a great ſin, and a grievous judgement: A great ſin, Rom. 2.5. But thou after thy hard and impenitent heart, treaſureſt up unto thy ſelf wrath againſt the day of wrath. A grievous judgement: Exod. 9.12. And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh. See John 12.40. Now there be two kinds of hardneſs of heart: 1. Senſible, that which is perceived and felt; and this may be in the godly, as Iſa. 63.17. Oh Lord, why haſt thou made us to erre from thy wayes, and heardened our hearts from thy fear? 2. Inſenſible, that which is not perceived and felt; and this indeed is a great ſin and plague.
2. The ſecond Motive. The ſooner we labour after this diſpoſition, the more eaſily in likelyhood we ſhall attain unto it: when a heart hath been long hardened with the deceitfulneſs of ſin, it will not eaſily become a contrite and humble heart; and therefore Pſalm 95.7.8. To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. So Joel 2.12, 13. Beſides, it may be hereafter we ſhall not enjoy the like means this way, we do for the preſent.
3. Without this contrite and humble ſpirit (according to the Doctrine) we cannot partake of Chriſt, and his benefits: this is the Meſſenger that Chriſt ever ſends before him unto thoſe of years, (for we do not now ſpeak of Infants) and wo be unto us, if we do not partake of Chriſt, and his benefits; it had been good for us, we had never been born.
4. Whoſoever hath this contrite and humble ſpirit, ſhall certainly partake of Chriſt, and his benefits. Now this may greatly induce us to labour for this diſpoſition, when the iſſue undoubtedly ſhall be ſo good, and ſo happy. Suppoſe this buſineſs be difficult and tedious, why yet ſuch an iſſue muſt needs put us on in it. Theſe are the Motives.
Now we proceed to the Means of a contrite and humble ſpirit.
Means. 1. Prayer to God in the beſt manner we can; it is he that muſt bruiſe our hard and ſtony hearts, Ezek. 36.26. I will take away the ſtony heart out of your fleſh, and I will give you an heart of fleſh; to wit, a contrite and humble heart.
2. Becauſe the Lord doth many times make uſe of afflictions and judgements, for the bruiſing of mens hearts; when he ſends any great affliction upon us, let us not ſtand out againſt him, but joyn with him: when he goes a bout to humble us, let us labour to humble our ſelves, as Saul (afterwards called Paul) Acts 9.6. trembling, and aſtoniſhed, ſaid, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? When the hand of God is upon us, let us not ſtand murmuring and repining, but fall to examination of our Spiritual eſtates and caſes, as the Wiſe-man adviſeth us, Eccleſ. 7.14. In the day of adverſity, conſider.
3. Conſtant dependance upon the Miniſtry of the Word, Jer. 23.29. Is not my word like as a fire, (ſaith the Lord) and like a hammer that breaketh the Rocks in pieces? Now we are to know that the Law hath a ſtroke in this work, and ſo the Goſpel.
1. The Law, by revealing of ſin, and the woful conſequents of it, and ſo (the Spirit of God co-operating) there is cauſed a ſervile fear, and trembling; a kind of contrition, and humiliation; which the Apoſtle, (Rom. 8.15.) cals the ſpirit of bondage, cauſing fear; when the Spirit of God puts an edge upon the Law, puts a ſword into the hand of the Law, to prick and wound the heart, and to reſtrain it in the wayes of ſin for fear of puniſhment. Many a man and woman hears the Law opened, and the threatnings of it thundringly denounced, but ſtir not, are little moved: but when once the Lord by his Spirit puts an edge upon the Law, then the ſtouteſt heart trembles and quakes. Now that the Law may have a kindly work upon us, 1. By the Law let us labour for a diſtinct knowledge of ſin. 2. Rightly to underſtand what the Curſe is, which the Law threatneth unto ſin and ſinners. 3. Examine our ſelves how guilty we are of that which the Law threatens the Curſe unto; to wit, ſin. 4. Finding our ſelves guilty, to labour our hearts to a deep contrition and humiliation.
Now, (as we have heard before) as the Law hath a ſtroke in this work, why ſo the Goſpel; more and more melting the heart, by diſcovering Chriſt, whom the ſinner hath pierced by his ſins; and by ſupporting the heart by a ſecret hope of mercy, and poſſibility of help, in and through Chriſt; even as Jonah, Chap. 2. verſe 4. Then I ſaid, I am caſt out of thy ſight, yet I will look again toward thy holy Temple. Or as the Prodigal Son, Luke 15.17, 18. And when he came to himſelf, he ſaid, How many hired ſervants of my fathers houſe have bread enough, and to ſpare, and I periſh with hunger? I will ariſe, and go to my father, and will ſay unto him, father, I have ſinned againſt heaven, and before thee, &c. Now after the Law hath humbled us, and the Goſpel conveyed this glimpſe of hope into our hearts, it muſt be nouriſhed and cheriſhed,
1. By conſidering of the Lords Infinite and Almighty Power, how he is able more and more to bruiſe our ſouls, to make us more and more capable of Chriſt, and ſo to bring Chriſt nearer unto us, that we may partake of him, and his benefits; Luke 1.37. With God nothing ſhall be unpoſſible. And Matth. 3.9. God is able of ſtones to raiſe up children unto Abraham.
2. The freeneſs of Gods mercy muſt be conſidered of; he requires nothing of thee to procure this mercy, but ſhewes mercy, becauſe he will ſhew mercy. Suppoſe thou haſt never ſo many exceptions to thy ſelf, why yet thou belonging unto him, and his mercy being a free mercy, he will proceed with thee, until he hath made thee capable of Chriſt, and beſtowed Chriſt upon thee, and his benefits; Ezek. 36.26. I will take away the ſtony heart out of your fleſh, and I will give you an heart of fleſh. And Iſaiah 43.25. I, even I am he that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſions for mine own ſake.
3. For ſupporting of this hope, conſider we of the riches of Gods mercy, unto the proper objects of mercy, Contrite and Humble men and women; ſuch as mourn, becauſe they can mourn no more for their ſins; ſuch as would fain look towards Chriſt, whom nothing can ſatisfie but Chriſt; ſee Iſaiah 55.7. Let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Thus far by occaſion of the firſt Member of the fourth Principle.
Now we come to the ſecond Member thereof.