The Spirit of Bondage and Adoption, Treatise 1 · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. Converts examined, whether ſoundly or unſoundly wrought upon.
THis alſo informs us, how neceſſary a work of the Miniſters of the Goſpel it is, to awaken the conſcience of men. O the madneſſe of moſt hearers in England! Let a faithful preacher rip open their boſomes, and diſcover their ſinnes, and lay the Law to their conſciences, and the axe to the roote of their deceitfull conſciences, how many gall'd hearers will fling and kick againſt his doctrin; how many, that cannot endure to be handled (ſo ſinfully tender are their conſciences) will fly from his miniſtery? They cannot endure to hear him, he preacheth ſo much damnation, &c. Alas poor ſouls, had you rather be damned indeed, then hear of damnation, that you may be warned to fly from it whiles it is time? Do you love to ſleepe your ſelves into hell, that ye are angry at them that pinch you for awakening your conſciences, & diſcovering your danger? The gnat in Virgil was requited but ill by the ſhepherd, when he killed him for ſtinging him out of his ſleep at that very inſtant when a ſerpent was about to ſting him to death. But juſt ſuch uſage have Gods Miniſters from this generation.
Obj. Yea, but they be Saints, and ſuch doctrine doth not belong to them, it is unproper for them to hear.
Anſw. 1. Oh that the perſons that call themſelves ſo, would give Gods Miniſters ſufficient cauſe to think them ſuch! Certainly, I am not to believe every mans eſtate to be ſo good as he pretend, or (it may be) himſelfe thinks it to be. The Phyſician will not believe every patient that tells him he is well, and nothing ayles him. He knowes it is a ſigne the diſeaſe is moſt dangerous when the patient feels it not. I am ſure this is no ſigne of Saintſhip not to be able to bear a reproof, nay not to hear a convincing ſermon. Nay it gives ſuſpicion that they are not ſound but rotten, that cannot endure to have their conſciences handled. If ſuch perſons be Saints, I know not who be ſinners: if they be ſound and ſincere, I know not who are hypocrites. Sure it was a note of Davids ſincerity to yield up himſelfe to the Lord to ſearch and try him, Pſ. 139. 23. to invite the righteous to ſmite him (not ſtroke him) and account it a precious balme that ſhould not break his head, Pſal. 141. 5. Believe it, there is no more certain ſigne of an hypocrite in the World, then to pick and chooſe truths; this he muſt have preached, and that he muſt not. You know who ſay, preach to us pleaſing things. Iſ. 30. 16.
2. There is no truth but one way or other belongs to every Saint, either in relation to his paſt, preſent, or future condition. Law truths concern him, either in way of direction, as the duties thereof; or by way of inducement to thankfulneſſe, conſolation, humiliation, dutifulneſſe, as its curſe and terrours, Many Goſpel-truths are not ſuitable to a mans preſent condition, as the doctrine of afflictions, temptations, &c. ſometimes; but ſhall they be therefore thrown away? may there not come a time of uſe? and ſhould not Saints lay up ſuch things in their heart? ought not the heart of a Saint to be a treaſury of things old, as well as new? And may it not be of uſe if you are paſt theſe throwes, to remember you of the days of old; to ſhew you your former debts, when you can ſhew the diſcharge? will not this occaſion a thankfull acknowledgment of Gods goodneſſe, and Chriſts love, &c. when the heart ſhall ſay, This was my caſe, I once felt thoſe ſorrows, lay under thoſe chains of the Spirit, but the Lord hath delivered me, I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.
3. Suppoſe it no way belongs to thee, as thy condition is now; yet it may belong to others that are now in the condition wherein thou once waſt. If the Miniſter were bound to confine his diſcourſe to thoſe of thy condition and growth onelyonly, what would become of the work of converſion upon others? A Miniſter is not only a nurſe, or a waterer, but a father, and a planter alſo. He muſt preach for converſion, that Chriſts body may be compleat in members, as well as for edification, that thoſe members may be compleat in graces and comforts.
Obj. But this kind of preaching may occaſion the grieving of many whom the Lord will not have grieved, may rub old ſores and make them ſmart again, which the Lord hath cloſed, may diſturb the peace of many a Saint; and make them a freſh to queſtion their condition.
Anſ. 1. Will it ſo, Suppoſe it, and it may not be for their hurt if it do. It may be they may have built too haſtily, and though God will not overthrow the building for every failing of the builder, yet he may exerciſe it with ſome ſtormes, to diſcover its cracks, and ſhew where it needs props, and where it was cemented with untempered morter. A Chriſtians comfort and peace may have many materials of his own mixing, hay and ſtubble in the frame, and thoſe will God one way or other work out: there may be more of reaſon in it, then of Faith; it may be rather a ſilencing conſcience, then a ſatisfaction of conſcience. As a diſputant may be nonpluſt many times by a plauſible argument, that yet is not ſatisfied. Now the hand of the Spirit may ſometimes apply a word to ſuch a ſoul, which may partially ſhake its grounds, that he may thereby rectifie, and confirme them.
2. If the worſt come of it that can be, viz. that ſome Saint in the preaching the L…w; and the Spirit of Bondage be deepely wounded, and made to queſtion all its former evidences, by a word which the Miniſter in his intentions, and according to the mind of God in the Scripture directs to others; he is not blameable for this, ſuppoſing he lay down ſuch truths with all poſſible caution to prevent their injuriouſneſſe to any real Saint: but the fault is in the want of judgement and diſcretion in the hearer ſo offended, to take his proper portion; or in the cunning of Satan, making the truths of God the matter of temptation: and (as to the ordering and diſpoſing of the thing and occaſion) this ought to be looked upon as a providence of God, by which he will do ſomething extraordinary in ſuch a ſoul. But the Miniſter is doing his duty, he is dealing blowes according to his commiſſion among the enemies of God; if a friend of God will needs run out of his way, and put his head under the ſword, 'tis his own fault if he bleed. Much of this often comes to paſſe through our neglect of prayer before we come to the ordinance, that God will manage his own ſword with his own hand, directing the Miniſter to give every one his portion, and enabling us to diſcerne and receive ours, and an overtenderneſſe and ſcrupulouſneſſe of ſpirit that ſome Saints are ſubject unto: of which, in the end of the ſecond Book.
3. Suppoſe it be the Miniſters fault, not wilfully and purpoſely (for that is a wicked Prophets character, wilfully, and of ſet purpoſe to make ſad the hearts of the righteous whom the Lord will not have made ſad, Ezek. 13. 22.) but through indiſcretion or want of caution in the delivery of terrifying truths, to wound the conſcience of a ſpirit; yet he would doe farre more miſchiefe, if by the neglect of preaching ſuch Truths from a feare of ſo doing, he ſhould ſuffer the wicked whom the Lord would have ſaddened, to flatter himſelfe in his own eyes, either by a perpetual handling comfortable Doctrines in mixed Auditories, or convincing ones ſo coldly, flatly, and worthleſſely, as ſhall never lend a downright blow to the conſciences of carnal and ſecure ſinners. Better a thouſand times, that a Saints conſcience be groundleſſely troubled (if one of the two cannot be avoyded) then a great many hardned, and obſtinate ſinners deluded by a falſe peace; this may and likely will damne theſe, but that cannot poſſiby deſtroy the other, ſeeing the foundation of God ſtands ſure, and they are gold that fire even of temptations will not waſte, but purify.