Comfort and Counsel for Dejected Souls, Section 2 · Chapter 7
CHAP. 7.
Satisfaction for ſoules doubting whether as yet they have cloſed with Chriſt.
THe ſeventh ſort of feares which fill the ſoule when its caſt downe, are about its cloſing with Chriſt, Caſe.Some there are (as I noted) that (when they are caſt downe) cry out, Oh they fear! they never did truly cloſe with Chriſt in all their lives, at leſt in a ſaving way. They have ſo many feares, and ſo little faith; ſo much doubting, and ſo little aſſurance, that they thinke and fear, they never did in a right Goſpell way cloſe with Jeſus Chriſt.
Now that I might ſatisfie ſuch ſoules, and raiſe them; I ſhall propoſe theſe particulars.
Firſt,Satisfaction Its poſſible, to have cloſed with Chriſt, and yet to doubt it. All experienced Divines, and Chriſtians know, that faith, and doubting may dwell together. Its true, faith (as faith) doth not doubt, but yet where faith is, there doubting may be, Experience witneſſeth to this, that hypocrites may and doe thinke, they have cloſed with Chriſt, when they have not: And why ſhould not we conceive as well on the other hard; that Saints may have cloſed with Chriſt, and yet think they have not? It may indeed be queſtioned, whether the ſoule doth act faith, and know it not: But I thinke it cannot be denyed, but that the ſoule may have faith, and not act it. Peradventure, its not poſſible in the act of cloſing, to be ignorant thereof; But certainly after the act, tis poſſible to doubt. Inaſmuch, as the ſoule may queſtion, whether that act were right. I do not fear to lay downe this as an undenyable truth, that ſoules may have cloſed with Chriſt, and yet doubt it. This is the firſt thing I propoſe.
The ſecond is, Its poſſible, that all the grounds upon which the ſoule queſtions its cloſing with Chriſt, may be weake and falſe. As the grounds upon which hypocrites conceit their faith to be good, may be, and are falſe, and inſufficient; So likewiſe the grounds upon which a ſound beleever may queſtion his faith as bad, may be fallible and falſe too. In this caſe a Saints feare, and an hypocrites preſumption, may be both alike groundleſſe.
Theſe grounds I find amongſt others, as the main of this feare.
1 Want of aſſurance.
2 A not ſeeing of Chriſt ſweetly.
3 An inabillity to truſt Chriſt for other things.
4 Some kinde of blaſphemous thoughts of Chriſt.
Now neither of theſe are grounds firm enough to build this upon, that ones cloſing with Chriſt is falſe.
Firſt, Want of aſſurance cannot make …ut a not cloſing with Chriſt. Aſſurance is rather a conſequent, i.e. a thing that followes; then a concomitant, i.e. a thing that goes with our cloſing with Chriſt. I know ſome that make aſſurance and faith all one: But as yet I am unconvinced of any thing that might make that good, that every ſoule that hath cloſed with Chriſt is aſſured thereof. I can perſwade my ſelfe, that many have cloſed with Chriſt, who yet cannot ſay they have aſſurance, nay, who cry out thus, they doubt they never cloſed with Chriſt. Many ſoules ſay indeed, they fear they never cloſed with Chriſt becauſe they want aſſurance. O ſay they, could we doubt ſo much, if we did beleeve; had we cloſed with Chriſt aright, we ſhould have been aſſured of ſalvation, long ere this &c.
But ſurely, the ſoules miſtake, 1 themſelves, and 2 aſſurance.
Firſt, They miſtake themſelves, in that they thinke aſſurance is an act of theirs. Its a part of the ſpirits ſealing, not of their cloſing. Its true, he that beleeveth hath the witneſſe in himſelfe as tis 1 Iohn 5.10. But that witneſſe is, that God is true, in what he ſaith of Chriſt (as is clear by the context there) but its not this aſſurance, that really I have cloſed with, and am one with Jeſus Chriſt. Yea,
Secondly, They miſtake aſſurance, in that they make it the formallity of faith, which is rather a fruit. Faith is this, That the ſoule fully beleeving a free tender of Chriſt to ſinners, goes forth, to cloſe with, and rely upon Chriſt. Its not an aſſurance of an intereſt in Chriſt, that is the evidence, not the act of cloſing. So that its not ground enough for thee (O ſoule) to doubt thy aright cloſing with Chriſt, becauſe thou wanteſt aſſurance. No nor
Secondly, Its not ground enough for thee to doubt thy cloſing with Chriſt, becauſe of his not ſmiling upon thee. Verily, (ſay ſome poor dejected ſoules) we never as yet did in a right way cloſe with Chriſt: for he never as yet ſmiled on us. Ah! his ſmiles are our life: but alas! we ſee not them, and therefore we cannot but queſtion our cloſing with him.
But this is not a ſufficient ground, for the one may be, without the other. The child may truly hang about the mothers necke, and yet ſhe not kiſſe it. Yea, and the mother may ſincerely love, though ſhe do not ſmilingly look upon the child. Chriſt called the woman of Canaan a dog; and yet he loved her as a lamb: ſhe beleeved, and cloſed with him (to ſuch a height that he ſaid, ſhe had great faith) and yet notwithſtanding, Chriſt ſmiled not upon her (at leſt) at firſt. Thou mayſt have cloſed with, though as yet thou ſeeſt not a ſmile in the face of Chriſt towards thee. Do not queſtion thy cloſing with him, for want of his ſmiling upon thee. No neither
Thirdly, Its not your inabillity to truſt Chriſt for other things, that ſhould make you queſtion your cloſing with him. I doe not doubt but that David did truſt God for the life of his ſoule, when yet he did not for the life of his body: Albeit he ſaid he ſhould one day fall (i.e. dye) by the hand of Saul. Yet certainly, he had and did cloſe with Chriſt for his ſoule. The promiſe holding forth Chriſt, is abſolute and full: the promiſe holding forth the creature, is oft conditionall and ſhort: The ſoul may cloſe with the one, and not with the other. A ſoule may not be able to cloſe with a promiſe for life, health, ſafety, wealth, &c. and yet he may cloſe with a promiſe of Chriſt. Hee hath not the ſame ground for the one, that he hath for the other Nay,
Laſtly, Some kind of blaſphemous thoughts of Chriſt, are not a ſufficient ground to queſtion our cloſing with Chriſt. Satan may indeavour to repreſent Chriſt ugly to the ſoule, that cloſeth with him as beautifull. Why ſhould a ſoule think, that Satan may not as well make it queſtion whether Chriſt be the ſon of God: as he did indeavour to make Chriſt himſelfe to doubt it. Many a precious heart,Note this ye dejected hearts! who hath high thoughts of Chriſt as precious; may yet upon Satans injections, be tempted to queſtion his deity. But why ſhould they queſtion their cloſing with Chriſt, upon Satans ſuggeſtions? Suppoſe a woman married to ſome man; loving him as the handſomeſt, and del…ghting in him as her Head, and Husband: Suppoſe that ſome perſon hating and maligning her Husband, ſhould ſtill haunt her, and be bawling in her eare, that her Husband is deformed, unlively, …, &c ſhould ſhe for this, call her marriage in queſtion. Mind it (O ye ſpirituall Spouſes of the Lord Jeſus!) you are married unto Chriſt, your ſoules may cloſe with Chriſt, and yet Satan may dog you, and haunt you, and put in hard and blaſphemous thoughts into you: while yet notwithſtanding you reject them, mourn under them, and are troubled at them; and certainly 'twere weakneſſe in you, to queſtion your cloſing with Chriſt, becauſe of theſe blaſphemous thoughts.
Queſt: But you will ſay, Doth not cloſing with Chriſt deliver the ſoule from blaſphemous thoughts of Chriſt?
Anſw. No, It only ſecures the ſoule from cloſing with them. Its one thing to have, another thing to cloſe with blaſphemous thoughts. The ſoule that is cloſed with Chriſt, will not cloſe with blaſphemous thoughts (no more doſt thou O ſoul, doſt thou? are they not as a dagger unto thy heart.) What though Satan ſpeak ill of thy husband Chriſt to thee; ſhall his blaſphemy (for its not thine) make thee queſtion thy faith? Why then art thou caſt down upon that, as if thou didſt not, haſt not cloſed with him? But to paſſe from this.
Thirdly, I would intreate ſoules caſt down, and doubting their cloſing with Chriſt, to conſider, What right cloſing with Chriſt is. Summarily, its this: For the ſoule upon the ſight of a neceſſity of Chriſt, to go out to cloſe with, or to caſt its ſelfe upon Chriſt, as freely tendred. Saith the poor ſoule, I ſee Chriſt tendred freely, and I am ſenſible I need him fully, hereupon I go and lye down at his feet. This is ſummarily to cloſe with him. You muſt remember to diſtinguiſh between taking and taſting of Chriſt; Taking is cloſing, taſting is comfort. The one is not the other. It may be (O ſoule) thou haſt not as yet taſted Chriſt, yet thou mayſt have taken Chriſt. The woman that ſat at Chriſts feet weeping, had taken Chriſt (for Chriſt ſpeakes of her faith:) but ſhe did not taſt him, till he ſaid thy ſins are forgiven thee. Weeping ſoules! you ſit at Chriſts feet, but it may be you have not as yet taſted his favour.
Learn to know that your cloſing with him for forgiveneſſe, is diſtinct from his ſaying to you, your ſinnes are forgiven. This conſideration (weighed) would much ſatisfie ſuch, as being caſt downe, queſtion their cloſing with Chriſt. But to this I ſhall adde more. Therefore.
Fourthly, Pray mind this, Our ſafety and welfare doth more, and rather depend upon Chriſts cloſing with us, then upon our cloſing with him And Chriſt knowes that, when we do not know this. Here is the ſureſt ſeale of our ſalvation, the Lord knoweth who are his, 2 Tim. 2.19. Chriſt (Oh ſoul) cloſeth with thee, and he doth know it, though thou knoweſt not thy cloſing with him. The child is not ſo ſafe in holding about the mothers necke, as it is in being in the mothers armes. Jeſus Chriſt (O ye caſt down ſoules) holds you in his armes: and this is your ſafety. Suppoſe thou cannot ſee thy cloſing with him, yet he knowes his own cloſing with you: And his arme is ſtronger and ſurer to hold us to him, then ours are to hold him to us. Yea,
Fiftly, I propoſe this alſo unto thee O ſoule, who art dejected, and queſtioneſt thy cloſing with Chriſt. Jeſus Chriſt muſt, and doth cloſe with us, ere wee can or do cloſe with him.
The ſhepherd muſt and doth goe after the ſheep, and not the ſheep after him. Chriſt is our ſhepherd, and he leaves the Ninty and nine ſheepe, to ſeeke thee one; and having found he layes it upon his ſhoulders. Did you ever hear of a loſt ſheep that ſought the ſhepherd; and laid hold on the ſhepherd? you have not choſen me, but I have choſen you (ſaith Chriſt) Joh. 15.16. And the Apoſtle tels us, that he loved us firſt. Chriſt (O ſoule) is firſt in the action of cloſing: And he may be ſtretching forth his hand to cloſe with thee, though thou be not ſtretching forth to cloſe with him. Therefore.
Sixtly, and laſtly, Suppoſe (O ſoule dejected and caſt downe!) I ſay ſuppoſe it be as thou feareſt, that as yet, thou haſt not cloſed with Chriſt: What hinders but that thou mayest cloſe with him now? To day if you will heare his voyce, harden not your heart. He begs now, do thou cloſe now. Rouze up thy ſoule, and cloſe with Chriſt (even while thou readeſt) he ſtands with open armes, ready to imbrace thee, yea, and with open mouth (as I may ſay) calling after thee.
Queſt. What is it then that hinders?
Anſw. This hinders (will you ſay) I fear unworthineſſe, and I find unableneſſe: I am neither filling nor able.
Reply, Why know (O ſoule) unworthineſſe ſhould not keep thee off, ſith he calls thee. Becauſe the man was blind when Chriſt called, ſhould be not go? This is that that makes Chriſts grace ſo worthy, that it cloſeth with ſuch as are unworthy.
And as to thy inability; know he'le helpe thee. The mother will ſtoop to take up the child in her armes, that cannot clime up to her necke. Chriſt (O ſoule) will help thee to cloſe with himſelfe. Do but look up to him, and tis don. David ſayes he'le make his prayer and looke up. Do thou (O ſoul) Chriſt bids thee (and let that incourage thee.) Look unto me, and be ſaved, Eſa: 45.22. What canſt thou do leſſe? and behold! he requires no more. Wherefore then art thou caſt down? and why art thou diſquieted, O ſoul? Suppoſe that as yet (however conſidering that which hath been hinted, thou mayeſt have no cauſe to ſuppoſe it) but I ſay ſuppoſe it, that as yet thou haſt not cloſed with Chriſt, the doore of grace is yet open, and tis free for thee to do it now: Bee not therefore dejected, nor caſt downe, for as yet thou mayeſt cloſe with, and rejoyce in Jeſus Chriſt as thine.