Comfort and Counsel for Dejected Souls, Section 2 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
Satisfaction to ſoules caſt downe, and diſcovering their feares about the truth of the worke of grace.
HAving in the former Section hinted at ſeverall fears, which appeare in ſoules caſt downe, I ſhall now apply my ſelfe to ſatisfie dejected ſoules, with reference to thoſe particular feares. And I ſhall proceed in that order which I mentioned them in, and beginne with the feare of a ſoule caſt downe, and venting it ſelfe about the work of grace.
Oh ſay ſome ſoules! the worke of grace is precious, but I feare in me its not perfect. Caſe.Satan hath had his workings in me,Eph. 2.2. foreign but I feare whether Chriſt hath wrought the good worke in me. I have found the Devill powerfully working in me: But I feare Chriſt hath not as yet begun to worke upon me, &c.
In order to the raiſing of a ſoul caſt down,Satisfaction. and fearing this, I ſhall offer briefly.
Some
1 Cautions, and
2 Conſiderations.
Firſt, Some Cautions, we had need be wary in our concluſions which we make about our ſoules ſtate.
'Tis eaſie, but 'tis dangerous, to conclude amiſſe here. Its as well (I will not ſay as much) a fault to conclude againſt our ſoules, as having no worke of grace; as 'tis to couſen our ſoules, as if we had. Be cautious therefore O ſoule! who ſayeſt, thou feareſt Chriſt hath not yet wrought upon thee. Take heed how thou judgeſt, even thy ſelfe, in this caſe, and for this end, take with thee theſe 3 Cautions.
viz.
1 Of binding your ſelves to particular examples.
2 Of confining Chriſt to any methods or wayes.
3 Of concluding any thing from preſent ſence.
Firſt, Take heed of binding your ſelves to particular examples. Oh ſay ſome, Chriſt hath not wrought upon us,
Queſt. Why, Oh ſoules, not upon you?
Anſ. Why? Hee hoth not wrought upon us, as upon ſuch and ſuch.
Reply. But conſider (O ſoules) Gods workes are not alway alike: Though the worke of grace be the ſame in all, in regard of the matter, yet it is not the ſame alwayes in regard of the manner. The manner of Chriſts working is divers, Its bad eyeing (in order to the judgement of our worke of grace) examples. Chriſt comes to Matthew at the receit of cuſtome: and ſpeakes to his heart ſo home; that Matthew leaves all, and followes him, and of a Publican becomes a Preacher. But he rides after Paul (as I may ſay) and overtakes him in the way to Damaſcus, and throwes him downe, invirons him with a Pillar of light, appears to him from heaven: ſpeakes to him, reaſons with him; directs him whether to go, what to do, &c. Theſe examples are not alike. Should you bind the work of grace to Pauls example, you would condemn Matthew: or ſhould you make the example of Matthew the pattern of the worke of grace, you would, or might queſtion Paul. Be cautious therefore O ſoule of what you ſay. Do not fear that God hath not wrought upon you, becauſe not after the example of ſuch an one: examples are not here ſtrictly to be eyed, this is the firſt caution.
The ſecond is this, Take heed of confining Chriſt to methods. I wiſh ſome Preachers were in this particular faultleſſe: they confine Chriſt (as I may ſay) to ſuch and ſuch wayes, and methods, as if the ſpirit were not as free as the wind, to blow where, and when, and how he liſteth. You have ſome ſo punctuall in their antecedents, concomitants, and conſequents (words which many poore ſoules ſcarce underſtand:) And ſo preciſe, and ſtrict in preſſing ſoules with them, that many gracious ſoules feare, whether they have any worke of grace wrought, becauſe not in ſuch a way and method. Now I beſeech you, beware of this, Chriſt walkes not alwayes the ſame way to many ſoules; Some ſoules he overtakes ere ever they are aware of him, as is hinted Cant. 6.12. and makes them as the chariots of Aminidab; i. e. a willing people. Others indeed he deales with all in a more violent way: and is faine to make it a day of power, that they may be a willing people. In the ſame ſtory Act. 1.6. you have Chriſt as it were,foreign Softly comming into Lydia's he art (as if he did but lift up the Hatch and enter) and you have him loudly knocking at the Jaylers doore, making (as I may ſay) an earthquake in his ſoul, to make way for himſelfe. So various are Chriſts wayes in working: Some Chriſt makes ſicke of love, and winnes upon their hearts by the mercies of the Goſpell: Others he makes ſore with wrath; and frights them to himſelfe by the terrours of the Law. Mind this, oh poore ſoule; It may be thou feareſt Chriſt hath not wrought on thee, becauſe it was not in ſuch or ſuch a way: your feare (if ſo) is groundleſſe; and you muſt take heed, leſt you confine Chriſt unto methods. He will worke, and who ſhall let it, and to whom hath he made knowne all his wayes of working. This is the ſecond Caution. Now the
Third is this, Beware how you conclude any thing upon preſent ſence. The worke of grace at firſt is but little, as a grain of muſtard ſeed; And tis not at firſt ſo viſible: Its like leaven [hid] in meale, as tis Matth. 13.33. Now that which is little, and hidden too; that is not ſeen ſtraite. Naturall conceptions are not at firſt perceived; no more are ſupernaturall. The worke of grace may be begun in thy ſoule, although thou doe not perceive it. Be therefore cautious how thou concludes becauſe of preſent viſible ineffectualneſſe. The leaven of the Kingdom, may lye hid in the heart And if thou judge by preſent ſence, thou mayeſt condemne the generation of the righteous. Indeed Chriſt in the ſoul is as Iſaack in Abrahams loynes (at firſt) that is, as dead: And looke as there, even of one, and him as good as dead, ſprang as many as the ſtars of the skie: So likewiſe here, viz. in the ſoule of one graine of grace, and that even as dead to ſence,See Lu. 13.19. there ſprings up the great tree which reacheth as high as heaven. Let this therefore be minded as the third caution, that you conclude not poſitively any thing upon preſent ſence.
Now having hinted theſe Cautions, I ſhall offer three Conſiderations, unto ſuch as feare and doubt, the true worke of grace in their hearts.
Firſt, This fear may peradventure be a fruit of the worke of grace. Sinners as they never deſire the worke, ſo they trouble not themſelves with doubts about the work: Solomon tels us, Bleſſed is the man that feareth alway: yea, we know he alſo ſaid, the way of a foole is right in his owne eyes. Thou poore ſoule, who are dejected, and doſt much doubt whether ever as yet, God hath wrought upon thy heart: why, this feare of thine, may bee a good ſigne that hee hath. But
Secondly, This fear may argue a beginning of the worke. Certain this fear is of God: and how doſt thou know, but that now God is beginning, (at leſt) to worke upon thee. Its a ſtanding truth,foreign The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wiſdome: Now the meaning hereof may be, that the firſt thing (for ſo the word ſignifieth) which is wrought in the ſoule, in the worke of wiſdom, (i.e. of grace and bolineſſe (for ſo wiſdom ſignifies) is feare. Thy feare therefore may hint, that the worke is in ſieri, i. e. begining, if it be not in factu, i. e. begun already. However God may make uſe of it to that end. What canſt thou tell, but now that thy ſoule is troubled with doubtings about the worke of grace: God may make uſe of this feare to drive thee out of thy ſtate of nature, and to draw thee into the ſtate of grace. How many poore ſouls have cryed out; I have no true grace: God hath not at all wrought upon my heart: woe is me what ſhall I doe; Ile run after him, Ile cry for him, &c. And while the ſoul hath been in this feare, God hath begunne (making uſe therof) to worke really upon their ſoule. Thus it hath been with ſome, conſider it may be with thee ſo, And therefore,
Thirdly, Suppoſe it be as you feare; Suppoſe God hath as yet never effectually wrought the worke of grace in your Soule. Conſider, bee may doe it now. Why may not free grace worke the worke now? I ſay (O ſoule) why not now?
Queſt. Say (O ſad ſoule) what reaſon can you given that Chriſt ſhould not now worke upon you, if he hath not heretofore?
Anſ. Why, Ile give a reaſon (will the ſoule ſay) I am not fitted for ſuch a worke. The worke of preparation bath not paſſed on me.
Reply, Suppoſe I ſhould grant it; yet this feare and doubt may be that work. All the preparation that can be, it tends but to this, to make you willing, and art not willing ſoul?
Qu: Yes, O yes, I am willing; but alas, what though I will, if God will not.
Reply, Why, God is willing (O ſoule) this is the will of God, even your ſanctification. He wills it: and if God will, and thou wilt too, what ſhould hinder?
Qu: Nay, but what ſhould move God to work on me: Alas, I am a poor polluted ſinner, and will the Lord take pleaſure in ſuch a ſoule as I am, and beſtow paines to worke on me?
Anſ. In Anſwer to this, know (O ſoul) free grace ſhall move God, For of grace we are ſaved, and not of our ſelves: its the gift of God, we are his worke-man-ſhip, Epheſ. 2.8, 10. And know (O ſoule) as God doth worke in thee the will, ſo alſo he will worke in thee the deed, and that of his good pleaſure (as tis Phil. 2.13.) though he cannot take pleaſure in thee, yet he can, and will in his worke.
Wherefore bear up, O thou dejected ſoule; Be not ſo caſt down. Suppoſe the work of grace be not yet wrought, the Lord can, (and doe thou beleeve it) hee will worke it now. Ere long thou ſhalt ſee Chriſt formed in thee, and though now thou art in paine, and feare (as a ſoule in travell) yet then thou ſhalt rejoyce for joy, that grace is come into thy heart.