Comfort and Counsel for Dejected Souls, Section 2 · Chapter 12
CHAP. 12.
Satisfaction to Soules caſt downe, and troubled about their abſtinence from ſinne, &c,
DEjected ſoules are very weake, and hence it is that they are ready to be troubled about every thing; this Satan ſees, and hence it is that creates trouble in them; even from that, which otherwiſe might comfort them. Abſtinence from ſinne is expreſly commanded,Pſal. 4.4. and yet even about obedience to this command, the dejected ſoule is troubled. Oh ſay ſome, poore hearts (that re caſt downe) we abſtaine from ſinne,Caſe. 'tis true, but from what principles? Are they not rather ſelfiſh, and ſlaviſh, then ſpirituall, and ſincere? A Dogge chained up is a Dogge ſtill; and the reaſon why he doth not this, or that miſchiefe is his chaine, not his change, and we feare 'tis ſo with us▪ &c.
Now to anſwer ſoules ſaying thus,Satisfaction. and (if it may be) to ſatisfie them under this feare, there be foure things which I deſire may be minded.
Firſt, Its mercy to be able to abstaine from any principles; ſinne is ſuch an evill, as that its a great good to be kept from it by any meanes; the heart of ſome is ſo fully bent upon ſin, that nothing can reſtraine them; ſome wretches ruſh into abomination as the Horſe into the battell: Ah Lord! how many are there who will not, are not, cannot be kept from ſinne by all meanes uſed? Its a favour (oh poore ſoule) that thou art not as they are; its well for thee thou art not as wilde as they: I much feare their caſe who are not afraid of, nor abſtaine from ſinne at all; I little feare thine, who art ſo afraid of ſinning, as that thou queſtioneſt not the reality of the act, but the royalty of the principle. Its a kinde of high, and royall hatred of ſinne, when the ſoule cannot be contented only to abſtaine from it; but when its troubled (as thou art O ſoule) that the principles of that abſtinence were not high, and royall enough.
Secondly, God traines up his children in holy things by degrees; as in point of doing good, and fearing him; ſo in point of eſchewing evill, God carries on by degrees. God takes off his owne people from running into ſinne, ſometimes by hedging up their way with thornes, as 'tis, Hoſ. 2.6. Mothers weane their children from the breaſt by Wormwood at firſt: God firſt (at leaſt oft) takes us off from ſinne rather by the bitterneſſe of it, then the ſweetneſſe of himſelfe. Suppoſe (O ſoule) as yet thy abſtinence from ſinne proceeds from feare rather then love, yet know its Gods way thus to traine up his children. How many have firſt abſtained from ſinne out of feare of Hell, who yet afterward have been helped to abſtaine from it out of love to Chriſt? ſome who at firſt could not be kept from ſinne, if they had not been told of Hell, death, and damnation, have yet in time ſincerely profeſt, they would abſtaine, and avoyd ſinne, if there were none of thoſe things at all; ſo it hath been with others, ſo it ſhall be with you. Let thy principles be as low as thou feareſt, oh ſoule! (and yet thy feare argues them higher then thou thinkest) yet (I ſay) ſuppoſe them low now, they may be high ere long; God by degrees will heighten both thy practiſe, and thy principles. But,
Thirdly; Jeſus Chriſt knowes how to paſſe by low principles, as well as pardon lewd practiſes. He that can, and doth forgive acts of ſinne when very high, can and will forgive abſtinence from ſinne, when the principles are low. Indeed Chriſt highly embraces ſoules who are yet principled but low; Nathaniels firſt principle of faith in Chriſt, was it ſeemes but low; Ieſus hints, it was but this, becauſe he had told him that he ſaw him under the figg-tree, as 'tis, Joh. 1.50. Suppoſe thy abſtinence from ſin be as low principled as his faith in Chriſt, yet Chriſt knowes how to love thee, as him: therefore,
Laſtly, Know you, that happineſſe depends not upon your acts, or principles of abſtaining from ſinne, but upon the bloud of Chriſt, that takes away all ſinne. The Apoſtle knew, that if he ſhould have ſaid,1 Joh. 1.7. & 2.1. himſelfe and other beleevers had no ſinne, he ſhould have ſpoke amiſſe; but ſure he was of this, that the bloud of Chriſt would cleanſe from all; and that if any ſinned; they had an Advocate with the Father; and theſe things he writ that they might not ſinne: wherefore then (O ſoule!) who abſtaineſt from ſinne, be not caſt downe for feare thy principles of abſtinence are too low; but rejoyce in this, that the bloud of Chriſt ſhall take away the guilt of all thy lewd practiſes, and much more the guilt of low, and meane principles, But yet (O ſoule) know, this gives no liberty to ſinne; O no (ſayeſt thou) it doth not, and God forbid that I ſhould ſinne, becauſe of this grace; I deſire for ever to avoyd ſinne, and oh that I could doe it from holy and high principles.
Queſt. I pray help me herein.
Anſw. For thy helpe (O ſoule) in this kinde there are three things, which I offer to thy thoughts, as meanes to heighten thy principles in abſtaining from ſinne.
Firſt, Eye Chriſt as dying for ſinne; its low to abſtaine from ſinne for feare leaſt it ſhould ſpill our bloud; but its high to adſtaine from ſinne in faith, that it hath ſhed Chriſts bloud. Eye thy Saviour on the Croſſe (O ſoule!) and that wil ſecretly, and ſpiritually beget theſe thoughts in thee: Shall I ſinne, for whom Chriſt dyed? Did ſinne kill him, and ſhall not I therefore leave it? Did he lay downe his life for my ſins, and ſhall …ot I abſtaine from my luſts, for his ſake? The thoughts of this, that ſinne coſt thy Saviours Bloud, will heighten thy principle in abſtaining from it.
Secondly, Looke upon your ſelves as dead to ſinne, in your Saviours death for ſinne; if thou art dead to it, thou wilt abſtaine from it; and if thou abſtaine from ſinne upon this principle, thy principle is high. The Apoſtle Paul teacheth this principle, Rom. 6.11. Reckon ye your ſelves to be dead indeed unto ſinne; this is a concluſion which Logically he would have Chriſtians to draw from Chriſts death,The word is, foreign i.e. logically, and rationally to conclude. foreign viz. That they are dead to ſinne; and if they thus conclude, he hints, the concluſion may be maintained, for tis ſo indeed. The ſoule is high in holineſſe who avoyds ſinne, becauſe tis dead to it. Why (O ſoule) thou art indeed dead to ſinne, and if upon that reckoning, or if from that reaſoning thou abſtaine from ſinne, thy abſtinence is preciouſly principled. Adde to this:
Laſtly, the remembrance of this, viz. That ſinne alone eclipſeth love; and this thought will beget hatred againſt ſinne to purpoſe. Hatred begotten, or ſpringing from love is great: Why, this thought (O ſoule) that ſinne only cloudeth thy Saviours love, will make thee, out of love to his love, hate ſinne, and ſo abſtaine from it indeed: And abſtinence from ſinne upon this account is high. I know (O ſoule) you love diſcoveries of your Saviours love, now then remember this, Its ſinne, and ſinne only that can hide love; and if thou remembreſt that, thou wilt abſtaine from ſinne upon a principle of love to love; and if thy principle be ſuch, thou wilt not have any cauſe to be caſt downe, or diſquieted about it.