Comfort and Counsel for Dejected Souls, Section 2 · Chapter 14
CHAP. 14.
There remaines yet one Caſe more, which being ſpoke unto, puts an end to this Section.
NOw this Caſe is, the feare of falling away after all.Caſe. Many a poor ſoul which is ſatisfied (it may be) for the preſent in its ſtate, yet queſtions it for the future; Oh! ſay ſome ſoules, we feare we ſhall never hold out, many have gone farte, and yet have periſhed at laſt, for want of perſeverance; indeed this is uſually the laſt trouble of dejected ſoules, and in this, as in a laſt refuge they ſhelter their feares. Suppoſe, ſay they, our caſe be now as good as the Angels at firſt, as good as Adams in Paradice, yet Adam fel, and Angels fel, and we fear the like.
Now unto theſe ſoules I would offer theſe particulars,Satisfaction. in order, to raiſe them from under this dejection.
Firſt, Bleſſed is the ſoule that feareth alway; The ſoule ſtandeth ſureſt while it trembleth, the Apoſtle adviſeth him that ſtandeth, to take heed leaſt he fall. And the way to ſtand, is not to be high minded, but to feare; as it is, Rom. 11.20. Many had never fell had they ever feared; Peters preſumption was his fayling, and the cauſe of his falling; ſecurity expoſeth to falls, but feare preſerves. Chriſt may therefore ſuffer thee to feare,, that he may ſanctifie that feare unto perſeverance. But,
Secondly, Though you fall, yet you may riſe againe, foreign Strapſ. apud Ariſtophan.as tis, Micha 7.8. Its one thing to fall in part, another thing to fall in whole; the Spouſe, ſlept, yet her heart waked, Cant. 5.2. Peter fell, but he was raiſed up againe; many a man hath ſtumbled, and yet not fell flat on all foure (as we ſay) and many a Saint hath, and may fall a while, and yet not wholly fa… away, Beſides, conſider
Thirdly, The promiſe is to reſtore you; Chriſt will heale our back-ſlidings, and love us freely. Hoſ. 14.4. and its his worke, as well to raiſe us up after converſion in caſe of d…linings, as to raiſe us before converſion from the grave of death. Its a command, that we ſhould reſtore one another in caſe of falls, Gal. 6.1. and ſurely that which Chriſt bids us to doe, himſelfe will doe much more. An obligation lyes upon him, and its his Fathers will that he ſhould loſe none, Joh. 6.39. And ſurely if Chriſt ſhould not reſtore you, he ſhould loſe you. Therefore,
Fourthly, Know your ſtate in regeneration, is ſurer then that of the Angels, and Adam in creation. They were their owne Keepers, but Chriſt is yours; they ſtood upon their owne leggs, but you are held in Chriſts hand. Suppoſe them great ſhips, and your ſelves but little barkes; yet a barke faſtned to a rock in Harbour, is ſafer then a great ſhip at ſea. Suppoſe two Children, the one bigger going alone, the other leſſer, but in the Fathers armes, that which is in the Fathers armes is ſurer, then he which is upon his owne leggs: Why, the caſe is yours (Beleevers) you are in the armes, the boſome of the Lord Jeſus, &c.
Laſtly, There are ſure grounds of your perſeverance; minde them, draw comfort from them, and be not caſt downe,
Obj. But alas! what grounds have I to build my perſeverance on? I have little knowledge, leſſe faith, leaſt aſſurance; I have many corruptions, more temptations, moſt rubs, &c.
Anſ. Your way is not to looke upon your ſelves, but upon your Saviour; he is the Rock that is higher then you, and on him you are ſafe.
Five grounds there are (amongſt others) upon which you may build your beleefe of perſeverance.
Firſt, The unchangeable love of God; he loves you with an everlaſting love (therefore he called you, as tis, Jer. 31.3.) He is unchangable in his love (therefore he'l not conſume you, Mal. 3.6.) Chriſts love to you is (as himſelfe) Yeſterday, to day, and for ever the ſame. Having loved his owne, he loveth them to the end, as it is, Joh. 13.1.
Secondly, The everlaſting decree of God; this foundation of the Lord abideth ſure, and it hath this ſeale, The Lord knoweth who are his, 2 Tim. 2.19. Divine decrees alter not, God will not caſt off bis people whom he fore-knew, Rom. 11.1. for whom he fore-knew, them he predeſtinated, Rom. 8.28. and his purpoſe according to election ſhall ſtand, Romans 9.11.
Thirdly, You have in you an immortall ſeed; you are borne againe of God, and your ſeed remaines, 1 Joh. 3.9. Certainly that which is borne of the Spirit, is Spirit; as that which is borne of the fleſh, is fleſh; Fleſhly births may dye, but Spirituall births will live.
Fourthly, You have a ſure promiſe, Jerem. 32.40. God promiſeth to make an everlaſting Covenant. So likewiſe, Joh. 4.14. The promiſe is of a Well, ſpringing up to everlasting life. Yea, Gods promiſes in this particular are ſurer then the Mountaines, then the ordinances of heaven. Theſe things ſhall paſſe away, but not theſe promiſes; as it is, Iſay 54.10. Jer. 31.36.
Laſtly, You have an Almighty power to keep you; Suck that ſweet place, 1 Pet. 1. Bleſſed be God the Father, who hath begotten us againe to a lively hope, to an inheritance reſerved for you in heaven, who are kept by the power of God unto ſalvation, verſ. 5. There is a power, and that power is the power of a God, and this is put forth in keeping of you.
So that now, you having ſo many grounds of perſeverance, why ſhould you doubt, and be dejected? Your perſeverance doth not depend upon your owne power (which is mutable) but upon Chriſts promiſe (which is immutable) He hath promiſed to give you eternall life, and that you ſhall never periſh, neither ſhall any pull you out of his hand, and his Fathers, as it is, Joh. 10, 28, 29.) now faithfull is he that hath promiſed.
Obj. Oh! but though none can pull me out of Coriſts hand, I may caſt my ſelfe out; and ſo Chriſt may leave me to Satan, and I fall away.
Anſ. Thou art deceived (oh dejected ſoule!) if thou thinke, that Chriſt will permit thee to doe that which hee'l not permit Satan; albeit the Childe would fall out of the Mothers armes, yet ſhe'l not let it. Chriſt will uphold thee by the right hand of his power, Iſa. 41.10ſo as that albeit thou of thy ſelfe (becauſe of thy fickleneſſe wouldeſt fall) yet he (becauſe of his faithfulneſſe) will not let thee.
Object. Nay, but yet I read of the falls of many a Saint, David, and Solomon, and Peter, and others ſtronger by farre then I, have fallen, &c.
Anſw. True, but they were reſtored againe; though they fell, yet they did not fall away; Chriſt raiſed them, and he'le alſo raiſe thee: For he hath promiſed to heale backſlidings; (i. e. falls after love and light) and to love (notwithſtanding) them freely.
Object. But the Apoſtle ſaith, Its impoſſible for thoſe who were once inlightened, and have taſted the heavenly gift, &c. if they fall away to renew them by repentance, &c. Hebrews 6.4.5, 6.
Minde theſe things to cleare this place (O ſad ſoule!)
Anſw. 1. The Apoſtle doth not ſay poſitively, that ſuch as were inlightened, &c. might fall away; he only ſuppoſeth it, If they doe, ſaith he, ver. 6.
Queſt. But if it might not be, why doth the Apoſtle urge it.
Rep. As a Caution to make them carefull. It was impoſſible that Hered could kill Chriſt in his Infancy; yet Joſeph is forewarned upon ſuch a feare to fly. Matthew, 2.13. And albeit it be impoſſible for ſuch as ere indeed inlightened, and have ſavingly taſted, &c. to fall away; yet ſuch a thing may bee urged to beget a holy feare, to make the ſoule diligent, and to keepe it from being ſecure. But,
Secondly, Tis common for Hypocrites (after ſuch inlightenings and enjoyments, which are but common and generall) to fall away; but its impoſſible for Saints, and ſuch as are ſincere, and truly gracious. Here is nothing ſpoken but what an Hypocrite may have, and that ſuch may fall away is not denyed; but what is this to a ſoule truly beleeving, and ſincerely united to Jeſus Chriſt? Though a Shadow may periſh, what is that to the periſhing of a ſubſtance? Doe not diſpute thy ſelfe (O ſoul) into doubts, rather receive ſatisfaction; Chriſt will not loſe any that are given to him: Its his Fathers will he ſhould not (as he ſaith Jo…. 6.39.) And ſurely hee'l be faithfull to his Father; Oh therefore, be not thou fearefull of falling, but if thou wilt fear, let it be with a feare of diligence to keepe thee from ſecurity; let it not be with a feare of diffidence, to fill thee with ſorrowes. Chriſt, who in no wiſe would caſt thee off, when thou commeſt, will in no wiſe loſe thee, now thou art come. If thou wander, hee'l ſeeke thee; if thou fall, hee'l raiſe thee; yea and what ever may be thy feares, hee'l uphold thee in his Grace, even to the Grave; and beſides; hee'l raiſe thee up againe at the laſt day.
Thus have I paſſed through thoſe particular Caſes which I propoſed to my ſelfe to reſolve. But alas, all that I have ſaid, is but dead, unleſſe Chriſt quicken it.
READER; pray over theſe conceptions, that a ſpirit of life may come into them; that they may ſo quicked dejected Soules, that they may ariſe, and ſay to themſelves; Why are we caſt downe, and why are we diſquieted? Let us not give way to our feares and ſadneſſe, but exerciſe our faith and patience; for we ſhall yet ſee God as the health of our countenance, and as our God. But theſe things are more fully to be ſpoken unto in the following Sections.