Comfort and Counsel for Dejected Souls, Section 2 · Chapter 6
CHAP. 6.
Satisfaction for ſoules who fear they ſhall never get the victory over corruptions.
THe next ſort of caſt down ſoules, which I would indeavour to raiſe up,Caſe. are ſuch as are much diſquieted; and cry out upon their corruptions, Oh (ſay they) corruptions are ſtrong, and we are weake: They fight, we oppoſe as well as we can, but we doubt the conqueſt. We feare corruption will get the day; well may we be caſt downe, while we lye under this fear, &c.
Now for the ſatisfaction of ſuch ſouls, and in order to the lifting up of their dejected ſpirits, I would offer, & have them to conſider theſe things.
Firſt, This combate may conſiſt with, Satisfaction.and indeed ever is with a ſtate of grace. Its the weakneſſe of ſome to think, and ſay, that their conqueſt is compleate, and that they are in perfect quiet. Surely, (I ſay) theſe words are rather diſcoveries of weakneſſe, then of ſtrength, and perfection. Iſrael was not at reſt, when in Canaan: Neither are thoſe ſoules who are troubled with, and for ſinnes, in Aegypt. Its not an Iſraelitiſh ſpirit, to ſay either others, or our ſelves are in Aegypt, becauſe we have ſtill combatings. Even in Canaan they had their combatings. God left ſome there, to keep his people in action. Doe not thinke, eſpecially do not conclude thou art ſtill in Aegypt, becauſe thou art not freed from fightings, and feares. Beleive (O ſoule) thou mayeſt be in the land of promiſe, and yet be troubled with the combates. For
Secondly, Even choyce Saints have been as you are, i.e. peſtered with corruptions, and troubled with fear of conqueſt. Paul had been as high as any (even in the third heavens) and yet he had his buffettings, yea, and he crys out of them again, and again, You think your ſelves ſometimes in a ſadder eſtate then any: And you ſay, were ever any ſo wretched as you are? Yes, O ſoule! Paul, even Paul who came behind none; nay, who was before any in grace, and guifts, he was as wretched as you are; And he crys out ſo, O wretched man that I am! Marke, that I am (as if none other were as he.) Its a comfortable, and raiſing thought, O ye caſt downe ſoules; Other choyce Saints have been in as wretched a condition as you are, by reaſon of the combatings of corruption.
Thirdly, Conſider, its a rich mercy to have a heart to ſtrive with, and to be affraid of corruption. Many a wretch is at peace with ſin; yea, many are in Covenant with hell and death. Some there be who are ſo far from fighting with, and fearing of corruption, that they pay tribute to it, and make proviſion for it. Many a wretch is a voluntary conquered captive unto ſin. And its mercy that you have a heart to ſtrive. Time was when you were free from righteouſneſſe (i.e. had none at all) and then you ſerved ſin. Its grace that now you do oppoſe it, and deny to yeeld ſervice to it. Were you at peace with ſin, you might feare your enmity with God. But being at warre with it, you may have peace in him. But.
Fourthly, As long as your ſoul is kept up in a ſtriving way, its a ſign of ſtrength. Why ſhould you ſay, you are weake, and feare &c. ſith you are ſo ſtrong as to fight. Weake ones are not fighters: had you not ſome divine ſtrength, you could not ſtand before corruption: But ſeeing you are (after long fighting) able yet to ſtand, and ſtrive, why are you caſt downe, as if you ſhould not get the day? Conſider (O dejected ſoul) that it argues a tree to be well rooted, that ſtands after much blowing; And its a ſigne of a ſtrong and valiant ſouldier, if he keepe to his ground and flinch not, notwithſtanding great combating. And certainly, it may argue unto thee, that (through Chriſt) thou art yet ſtrong; In as much as ſtill thou art able to ſtrive.
Object. Oh but I feare for future (thou wilt ſay) becauſe (as yet) ſin ſtands ſtrong, notwithſtanding all I doe againſt it, I feare I ſhall never, after all my ſtriving, get the victory over it.
Reply, But why (O ſoule) ſhouldſt thou thus feare? Peradventure as yet, thou haſt not reſiſted unto blood, in ſtriving againſt ſin. Bear up yet a little longer, ſtrive yet ſtill, ſin will bleed, and fall ere long. For
Fiftly, Conſider, Its no argument that you ſhall not conquer; becauſe as yet you have not. Thy ſoule may be victorious, though not yet. That party that is put hard to it at firſt, may come off with the conqueſt afterward. Its a certaine truth, that Jeſus Chriſt ſhall get the full conqueſt over all things: and that he ſhall bring every thing into ſubjection to himſelfe. But now we ſee not [yet] all things under him, Heb. 2.8. It were a ſaying fallacious at firſt hearing, to ſay Chriſt ſhall not put all things under him, becauſe as yet we do not now ſee it. What if as yet thou haſt not got the victory over corruption? Mayeſt not thou be a conqueror hereafter, although not new. Some that have been worſted in the morning, have yet been conquerers ere …ight. Operis victoria finis; Its the end that declares the conqueſt. Be not caſt down O ſoule, notwithſtanding thy corruption doth as yet hold up, thou mayſt in the end conquer for all that. But beſides, pray conſider.
Sixtly, That your ſoul gets many a victory that you mind not. You rout ſin many a time, if you did but marke it. Your ſoule is ſo eager after a full, and finall conqueſt, that you do not obſerve many particular ſucceſſes, you give pride, unbeleefe, uncleanneſſe, &c. many a deſperate gaſh, but though it be deſperate (in the heat and height of your ſpirits) you regard it not, becauſe tis not dead. Say (O dejected ſoule) hath not Chriſt helped thee many a time, to put a temptation to flight; yea, and to give thy corruptions a wound? And if ſo, why art thou caſt downe with feare of being conquered. Chriſt will perfect victory for thee in the end. However mind it.
Seventhly, Sin ſhall never get the victory ever you. Had you but faith, (at leſt) could you beleeve this,foreign: ſo is it uſed and tranſlated, Lu. 22.25. you would not feare. Is it not expreſly ſaid, Ro. 6.14. Sin ſhall not have dominion over you: The word ſignifies to have Lordſhip. Peradventure it may give you a foile, but it ſhall not finally give you a fall. It ſhall never Lord it over you, by vertue of a full and finall conqueſt. 'Twas ſaid of the Romans, that they were ſometimes overcome in battell, Victi in praelio aliquando, in bello nunquam. Caeſar Com.but never in the War the meaning is, they were ſometimes routed in an on-ſet, but never conquered. Certainly, (O poor dejected ſpirits) you ſhall never be totally conquered by your corruptions. Chriſt hath ſaid it, that the gates of hell ſhall never prevaile againſt his Church. So ſaid D. Sibs upon the Cant. page 5.And there is the ſame regard of the whole Church, and of every particular member, in regard of the cheifeſt priviledges, … graces that accompany ſalvation. Hell (neither without thee, in temptations, nor within thee in corruptions) ſhall never prevaile againſt thee (O ſoule) thy Lord hath delivered it, and why ſhouldeſt thou doubt it. Adde to all this,
Laſtly, If you could but beleeve, you might ſee victory waiting on you, over every corruption. Had you Pauls eys (even in that combate) the ſence of which makes you (as it did him) groane) you could ſee the conqueſt. And be able to be ſo farre from being caſt downe, with a feare of being conquered: as that in the faith of conqueſt you would (as he did) thank God through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, Rom. 7.21. Chriſt dyed as well to free you from the conqueſt of ſin here, as the condemnation of it hereafter. In his death you dyed, and by the vertue thereof ſin in you ſhall be crucified. The Apoſtle bids you indeed reckon upon this, as tis Rom. 6.11.
Mind theſe things, O caſt down ſoule, and in the conſideration of them, rouze, and raiſe up your ſpirits; and ſay, why are we caſt down and diſquieted, with fears leſt corruption ſhould be too hard for us; or doubts, that we ſhould never conquer it? The Apoſtle hath ſaid it ſhall not have dominion over us; yea, and that we are (in all things) more then conquerors through Chriſt.