Comfort and Counsel for Dejected Souls, Section 2 · Chapter 3
CHAP. 3.
Satisfaction to ſoules dejected, and fearing that the worke which is wrought in them, is not of the ſpirit.
THe next fear which I ſhall ſpeake unto is, that which concernes the Authour of that worke which is in the ſoule.
Some ſoules when they are caſt downe:Cafe. cry out, they feare, that all that worke which is paſſed upon them, is no more then in the bare letter (as they call it) i. e. they doubt whether it be of the ſpirit, yea, or no; as was opened in the former part &c.
Now for the removing of this feare,Satisfaction. and to raiſe up a ſoule that is caſt downe, and lyes doubting, whether its calling, conviction and comfort be from the ſpirit, yea, or no: I ſhall ſpeak to each of theſe by themſelves.
Firſt, For thy calling (O ſoule) thou ſayſt thou feareſt) thou wert only called by men, i.e. wrought upon to leave thy ſins and former courſe by the meer wit, and oratory of men in perſwading, &c.
There be three things which I would offer to ſcatter thy fear in this particular.
1 Conſider, that thy call may be by the ſpirit, though thou doe thinke it was by man only. Its certaine that the ſpirit ſpeakes to our hearts moſtly by men. Immediate calls are rare: It may be you feare your call was not by the ſpirit becauſe 'twas by men. It might be mans ſpeech, and the ſpirits call. 'Twas Chriſt that preached to the Epheſians, though it were Paul that ſpake. Paul tells them Chriſt came, and preached peace to them, Epheſ. 2.17. And yet we know Chriſt was never at Epheſus; and Paul ſpeakes this, of Chriſt after the time of his ſuffering, as is deducible from verſ. 16. Indeed 'twas Chriſt that preached by Paul: And though man was the trumpet, yet the ſpirit was the breath, that filled it, when thou wert called from thy ſin. Look as in Samuels caſe, it was the Lord called him, and he thought 'twas Eli (as 'tis 1 Sam. 3.) ſo it may be with you, and the reaſon may be, as it was in Samuels caſe: He was a child, and ſo did not know yet (as the text ſaith) the Lord: It may be thou art a child as yet (O ſoule) and art not ſo well able to diſtinguiſh of the Lord from men: Thou as yet mayeſt not be acquainted with the myſteries of the ſpirit? and therefore thou mayeſt thinke tis only man, when it was the ſpirit which called thee. Hereafter when thou ſhalt grow up to a fuller age in Chriſt, this childiſh thing, and feare may be done away: And thou ſhalt no more ſpeake as a child, and ſay thou feareſt 'twas man only that called thee. But thou ſhalt be taught of God, and know thou wert called by the ſpirit.
2 Call to minde, in what frame of ſoule thou wert (if thou canſt call it to mind) when thy firſt call was; and conſider what it was, and is, which doth prevaile with you. Happily thy ſoul was in a direct way of oppoſing God: and thou didſt little thinke of him, when he called thee: The more unexpected it was, the more of the ſpirit was in the call. Beſides, ſay O ſoule: was it not naked truth, plaine, ſimple truth, that did, and doth moſt take with thy heart. Surely, the more plaine truth was, which did worke upon you, the more of the ſpirit was in that worke. Its a rule caſe; the leſſe of man, the more of God: Art not able to ſay (O ſoule) that thou wert going on in a vaine, vile way of living without God; and that thou wert ſo taken up with the world, and vanity, &c. that God was not in all thy thoughts: And that at a time thou didſt either read or hear ſuch or ſuch a naked truth: As to inſtance, that thou wert a child of wrath by nature, that out of Chriſt there is no hope of ſalvation, &c. And that hereupon unexpectedly, thou didſt find thy heart moved to take another courſe: Peradventure, thou hadſt read or heard and didſt know the ſame truth before; O but at ſuch or ſuch a time, thou didſt find thy heart more wrought upon, by it, then ever. I beſeech you ſeriouſly ſay, hath it not been thus with you? If it hath, why doubt ye, that your call is not by the ſpirit? But
3 Call to mind, And in ſincerity tell, and confeſſe, what it was that thou wert ialled from; and what it is that thou wert called to, Canſt not thou ſay, thy call was not ſo much (at leſt) not only from miſery, but it was from ſinne. Tis true, many a man by naturall conſcience, and fleſhly principles is thus far wrought upon in a call, that it is willing to come out of miſery; I but thy ſoule can ſay, it was willing to come from ſinne: and 'twas from that, which in thy call, thy heart was taken off. Yea, and art not thou able to ſay, thou didſt find thy heart in thy call, really going out after (as conceiving thou wert called, unto holineſſe, (as tis 1 Theſ. 4.7.) Cannot you appeale to God, that in your call, you did (at leſt that now you do,) find your hearts, not only called and made willing to leave a ſorrowfull eſtate, and come into a happy one: But alſo to leave a ſinfull eſtate, and come into a holy eſtate. Certainly, if your call were not only from miſery, but from ſinne: And if it were to be as well, and as much (nay more) unto holineſſe, then unto freedom from miſery: I ſay if you can clear this: (And do not your conſciences, oh ye dejected ſouls witneſſe to this) then why do ye doubt? what reaſon have you to feare, that your call was not of the ſpirit? To come therefore to the other thing, viz.
Secondly, To your Conviction. You ſay you doubt whether that were of the ſpirit, and evangelicall, or only by the letter, and legall.
Now to ſatisfie you in this, there are 3 queſtions which I would put unto you. And in the ſincerity of your hearts reſolve them.
1 What was the great ſin, of which you were, and are convicted: when thy heart was convinced of ſin, what was the greateſt ſinne, which then thou wert convinced of. Search your hearts, and conſider what anſwer to give? can you ſay it was unbeleife: Certainly, if you were convinced of that, it was the ſpirit which wrought that conviction. I deſire not to be miſtaken: I do not urge this, as if I thought there either were not, or needed not any more conviction then this: (for certainly, ſaving conviction extends it ſelfe to all ſin, and in particular, to our particular ſpeciall ſinnes.)
But my aime is, to hint ſomething as a ſignall diſcovery of conviction by the ſpirit (and in order to this it is, which I am now ſpeaking.) Now then, wert thou ever convinced of unbeleefe? Haſt thou ſeen this to be a ſin? yea, and to be a great ſin? Certainly, if thou haſt, thy conviction hath been of the Holy Ghoſt. Its the peculiar worke of the ſpirit to convince of unbeleefe, as tis John 16.9.11. Many a ſoule is convinced of theſe, or theſe ſins: But the ſoule convinced by the ſpirit, is convinced of this ſin (as of the ſin of ſinnes) viz. unbeleefe, Oh (ſaith a ſoul) which is convinced by the ſpirit, I know drunkenneſſe is a ſin, uncleanneſſe is a ſinne, pride a ſin, &c. But I know unbeleef is a ſin as great, ray, greater then them all. This is laid upon my ſpirit, that Chriſt is come into the world ſweetly diſcovering the love of God, freely tendering reconcilement in his blood, But I (Oh I!) did little ſee, and much ſlight him; I did not make it my worke to go after him, nor have I been willing when he hath come after me, to accept him. And this (oh this!) hath been (nay, I fear 'tis ſtill) my ſin. Oh this baſe, vile, damnable unbeleefe, is that which hath, and doth lye upon my ſpirit. Other ſins put me in an …ſolute neceſſity, of ſalvation; and this ſealed me under damnation: HEE THAT BELEEVETH NOT, HE IS CONDEMNED ALREADY, Oh that Scripture, tooke hold on me, Chriſt came, and was willing to imbrace, but I would not beleeve; He came ſweetly weeing, and I ſtood out ſinfully rejecting. He tendered grace freely, and I did put off that tender wretchedly; He ſaid come unto me, and ile eaſe you; and I did not, could not, would not beleeve, and therefore came not to him. This (O this!) I am convinced of, as my ſin; and this I doubt is my ſin to this day. The truth is, I can hardly beleive yet, that Chriſt came to ſave ſinners. Why, ſay (Oh ſoul) doth not thy heart anſwer to theſe things, as face to face? is there not a copy of this complaint in the ſecret tables of thy heart? If there be, pray who ſhould, nay, who could write it, but the ſpirit? Who could take theſe things of Chriſt, and reveale them unto thee, but the ſpirit? Surely, if none can call Jeſus Lord, but by the ſpirit (as it is 1 Cor. 12.3. Then none could be convinced ſo far of ſin, for not receiving of, or beleeving in (which is all one) this Lord Chriſt, but by the Holy Ghoſt. But
Secondly, What is the great principle upon which you are moſt convicted: Is it SENSE, or HOPE of divine love. It may be thou haſt ſometimes taſted how good the Lord is: Peradventure you have had ſome ſence of the love of God, Or, It may be you have only ſometimes attained ſome hopes of divine loves: Now is it this, that doth moſt affect thy heart, in thy conviction. Doth not thy ſoule ſay, Oh! what a vile wretch have I been, who have deſpiſed the riches of Gods goodneſſe! and who have not been led thereby unto repentance: Standeſt thou convinced of the greatneſſe of ſins, by the conſideration of the greatneſſe of his love. Becauſe God hath been, is, and (thou hopeſt) will be exceeding good; Art not upon this convinced that thou art and haſt been exceeding bad? Surely ſo much as love, and ſweetneſſe hath had an influence upon thy conviction, ſo much the ſpirit hath been in it. The hand of wrath may convince a Pharoah that he hath ſinned; but an eye of love, will make a Peter weep bitterly. Therfore
Thirdly, In thy convictions for ſin, what ſight haſt thou had of Chriſt? The ſpirit where he convinceth of ſin, he alſo convinceth of righteouſneſſe, as tis John 16.10. i.e. the ſpirit convinceth the ſoule, that albeit it is unrighteous; yet there is a righteouſneſſe in Chriſt, which it may have. The ſpirit, where he is a meſſenger of ſin (comming in and convincing the ſoule thereof) he is alſo an Interpreter (taking the things of Chriſt, and ſo ſhewing thereof unto the ſoule) the ſpirit is, that one of a thouſand, to ſhew unto man his uprightneſſe. (as tis Job 33.23.) An hypocrite may be convinced by the Law, but alas! in that conviction he ſees only a Moſes: But a Saint is convinced not only by the Law but the Goſpell; and therefore in his conviction he ſees a Meſſiah. Canſt not thou ſay (O ſoul) when thou wert convinced, that thou wert a ſinner, thou wert alſo convinced that there was a Saviour? Didſt not thou ſee a remedy, as well as a diſeaſe? a healing plaiſter, as well as a killing wound. A Saviour, as well beſeeching ſinners to come unto him, that they might have life; as blaming of them, for not beleeving in him, that they might be free from death. Surely (ſoule) its the ſpirit who giveth life, the letter killeth. Where the letter convinceth only, it doth leave a ſoule under the ſentence of death: But if together with the ſentence of death for ſin, thou didſt alſo ſee the hopes of life, in a righteouſneſſe; then there was ſomething more, and higher then the letter in thy conviction; even the Holy Ghoſt.
If then when thou wert convinced, thou didſt ſee unbeleife as the great ſin, and divine love as the great aggravation of that unbeleife; and yet withall, a ſight of free and full righteouſneſſe tendred as a cure of both: If (I ſay) thou didſt ſee theſe things in thy conviction; why art thou caſt down O ſoule? and why doſt thou fear the ſpirit was not in thy conviction? To go on then to the laſt branch of this fear and doubt.
Thou ſayſt (O ſoul) that doſt fear, thy comfort was not from the ſpirit: At leſt, thou ſayſt, thou doſt doubt it. Its true, after thy ſtorme, thou didſt heare a ſtill voyce, but (ſayſt thou) was the ſpirit in that voyce? Sometimes even after conviction, thou doſt ſay thou didſt feel comfort, but thou feareſt whether it were from the ſpirit, or from the letter and fancy, &c.
Why now in order to the ſcattering of this fear, let me intreate you to conſider theſe three things.
Firſt, Whence it was that thy comfort was fetched, which was brought to thee? was it not ſuch as one of a thouſand could not bring? came it not from Jeſus Chriſt, who can only give man his righteouſneſſe? as it is Job 33, 23. He ſhall take of mine, and ſhall ſhew it unto you (ſaith Chriſt of the ſpirit) Job. 16.15. Where the ſpirit brings in comfort, it is ſtill ſhewed to be fetched from Chriſt. Alas! canſt not thou ſay, It was not from any creature (men or Angell) that the hope of your comfort came (Alas! miſerable Comforters were they all.) But it was onelyonly from Chriſt: where the ſpirit comforts, he doth it ſtill in a diſcovery of Chriſt. As he ſhewes Chriſt pierced by the ſoule, and uſeth that ſight unto conviction: ſo he diſcovers Chriſt willing to imbrace the ſoul, and uſeth this ſight unto conſolation. The peace and comfort of ſome, is rather from a ceſſation of the trouble of conſcience, then from a ſight, and diſcovery of Chriſt. Now if thy comfort came only from an apprehenſion of Chriſt, and from a ſight of the things in him; why art thou diſquieted as if thy comfort were not from the ſpirit? Since, as no man knoweth the things of a man, ſave the ſpirit of man which is in him: 1 Cor. 2.11Even ſo, the things of Chriſt knoweth no man, but the ſpirit of Chriſt. But
Secondly, How is thy comfort brought in? Is it from Chriſt, in a free word of grace, offering himſelfe to ſinners: or is it (as I may ſay) from a Chriſt fetcht in by ſome performances of thine? Certainly, the leſſe of ſelf in the manner of Chriſts comming into the ſoule, the more of the ſpirit in the comfort that ariſeth thereupon. Some ſoules have their comfort fetcht in rather by ſelfe in Chriſt, (i.e. what they ſee of themſelves, in the way of Chriſts comming in) then by Chriſt in himſelfe: My meaning is, ſome ſoules cannot be comforted in Chriſt, unleſſe they ſee Chriſt (as it were fetched and) comming in by their Humiliations, Repentings, Prayers, &c. Oh if they can upon them, or in them, ſee a Chriſt comming in, they can be comforted: This comfort I ſuſpect is legall. But now if thou canſt ſay, thy comfort as it came from Chriſt, ſo it came, and comes ſtill from Chriſt, held forth purely in a word of grace; and that, when thou couldeſt ſee nothing of ſeife, to fetch in Chriſt: that then in a promiſe of free grace (as that he dyed for, and juſtifies the ungodly) when (I ſay) then, thou wert inabled to receive comfort from Chriſt, ſo brought it, without any ſelfe-qualifications, or performances: Surely, thy comfort is in, and by the ſpirit, for ſtill the leſſe of ſelfe, the more of him.
Thirdly, Whereunto doth thy comfort tend? Confider this: Tends it to a magnifying of Chriſt, to a love and labour unto holineſſe? or tends it to ſelfe glorying, and a kind of wantonneſſe? Pray mind it; If thy comfort have any tendance to magnifie ſelfe (as if it were ſomething) or to leſſen ſin (as if it were nothing:) thou haſt cauſe to ſuſpect thy comfort is not of the ſpirit. For the very hopes of comfort by him tends unto purifying (Be that hath this hope purifies himſelfe, &c.) But now if upon any laſte, or hope of comfort from Chriſt; thy ſoule begin to admire him in his infinite love, for loving thee: And to abhor ſin for provoking him: If thy ſoule is much in adoring him, and not a little in abhorring of ſolfe. If ſence of comfort do make thee melt as it were into a Chriſt-loving, and Sin-loathing frame: and make thee ſtudy what maner of converſation thou ſhouldeſt have for that comfort which thou haſt had. Surely if this be the fruit of thy comfort, thou needeſt not fear, but that thy comfort is a fruit of the ſpirit.
Thus I have offered ſomething in particular, in order to the raiſing of ſuch ſoules as are caſt down, and feare that their call, conviction and comfort is not, was not of, or by the Spirit. To this I will adde ſome things by way of conſideration joyntly, ith reference to the whole. As now,
Firſt, Whatſoever thy call, conviction, and comfort be, its precious, and to be prized. Suppoſe it be only in the letter, (as thou ſayſt) yet in caſe it be at all tis precious. How many thouſands are there, that no way had either call, conviction, or comfort? But live and lye in ſin without any calls, or conviction; and never queſtioning truth, or ground of comfort, go in mirth (as Jobs phraſe is) in a moment downe to Hell.Chap. 21.13.
Secondly, Though your call, conviction and comfort be as yet but common, it may be ere long ſpeciall. That which is firſt, is not alwayes ſpirituall, but that which is naturall, and afterward that which is ſpirituall (as it is 1 Cor. 15.46.) Chriſt many times doth ingraft (as ſome Divines ſay) grace upon nature. Often times Chriſt, ſpeciallizeth, (as I may ſay) and ſpirituallizeth common workings, ſuch as at firſt have only been wrought upon in the letter, have afterwards beene wrought on by the ſpirit. Beſides this;
Thirdly, Conſider, if at preſent thy ſoule be brought up to cloſe with Chriſt, that now thou hangeſt as it were about his feet: mourning onelyonly for the want of his ſmiles, waiting only for the diſcoveries of his loves: If now thy ſoule can ſay: I ſee a need of Chriſt, I am convinced of the want of a Chriſt; I onelyonly pant after, and look for the injoyment of a Chriſt: & all the comfort that I have, all the ſupport of my ſpirit, lyes upon this, that I hope, he that ſhal come, wil come and will not tarry, and that the Lord whom thou lookeſt for, will ſuddenly come: If (I ſay) this be the [preſent frame] of thy ſpirit, (and ſpeake ſoule, is it not ſo?) why then art thou diſquieted? why art thou caſt down? why doſt thou diſturbe thy ſelfe with this fear, that thy call, conviction, and comfort is not of the ſpirit? Certainly, when, and where Chriſt is ſo diſcovered to be all in all, and ſo preſſed after, the ſoul need not caſt down it ſelfe with feare.