The Spirit of Bondage and Adoption, Treatise 1 · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI: Four main Duties preſſed upon them.
THis Truth alſo affords ſeaſonable and ſutable Exhortation, to four ſorts of perſons.
1. To thoſe that have been in this condition, and have had a good iſſue of it.
2. To thoſe that have been under it, and have loſt both the ſenſe and fruit of it.
3. To thoſe that are yet under it.
4. To thoſe that yet are altogether ſtrangers to it.
The firſt of whom we ſhall ſpeak to in this Chapter; viz.
1 To thoſe whom the Spirit hath led through the wilderneſſe, ſo as after all their difficulties to cauſe them to reſt on the other ſide Jordan; I commend theſe Duties to them.
(1) The practice of Humility. Pride is in no perſon ſo odious, as in him, that (as Solomon ſpeaks) comes out of priſon to reigne, Eccleſ. 4. 14. Thence God alwayes minds his people of the Wilderneſſe, and of Egypt, to keep their hearts low in Canaan, Deut. 8. 2. 3, 14, 15, 16, 17. I have read of a King, who being advanced to the Throne from a Agathocles.Potter, would alwayes be ſerved in earthen ware, to mind him of his original. And heard of a Doctor who attained to great dignities in our memory, who preſerved as a monument the very skin breeches in which he came firſt into the Univerſity. And truly, let the choiceſt of Gods Saints conſider the fears, and terrors, the tears, and ſighs, and groans of the ſtate of bondage, let him think how often he hath layen at Gods doors, and begged for a crum of Grace, a grain of Comfort, how often he hath (with the returning Prodigal) been willing to take it for a great engagement, if he might but be admitted among Gods hired Servants: or with the poor woman in the Goſpel, if ſhe might but have the gnawing of the ſcraps that fell from his table, and think whether a proud lifting up the head, to a ſelf-boaſting, and ſelf-pleaſing frame, be a ſutable iſſue of ſuch a condition, a proper concluſion from ſuch premiſes.
Pone hoſtes, vulnúſque tuum, ſolitúm que timorem,
Poſt clypeúm que late, & mecum contende ſub illo.
Saith Ajax in the Poet to Ʋlyſſes, who from being his ſubmiſſive petitioner for protection in the field, was now become his confident Antagoniſt and Competitor for Achilles his arms in the camp. And think how God may then mind you of thoſe former paſſages; and that with juſt indignation, if now you any way lift up the heele againſt him.
(2) Watchfulneſſe: conſidering,
1. That (although the Holy Spirit be not the Author of it) yet freſh ſins may occaſion the reducing you into the ſame troubles. True, thy condition (being once in Chriſt) can never be ſo unſafe as formerly, but it may be altogether as uncomfortable, nay perhaps more uncomfortable then it was before. I ſay, more uncomfortable; becauſe your ſins will have aggravations then, that they were not capable of before, and the hopes which you have been raiſed unto by converſion, and it may be comfort, will increaſe the miſery of your falling from them.
That which I have ſaid before concerning the ends of the Spirit in bringing us into ſuch an houſe of bondage, would afford us a new meditation here; it being our duty to accompliſh the ends of the Spirit in all his works. And therefore I ſhall for the farther proſecution of this head, refer you to the fourth of thoſe ends before mentioned, only remember what I ſay, Sins after converſion may make us doubt whether ever we were converted, and ſo make us act over all our former Tragical parts again, which ever wee paſſed through before converſion, even ſins of omiſſion: and I cannot but think, that the Apoſtle may intend ſome ſuch intimation, 2 Pet. 1. 9 He that lacketh theſe things; i. e. that neglects to grow in grace (as is preſſed in the preceding verſes) is blind, &c. and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old ſinnes, i. e. may queſtion whether ever he were or no, and the following words more encline me to this interpretation. It follows, Wherefore the rather brethren, labour to make your calling and election ſure, &c. v. 10.
2. That Sathan watcheth all advantages to reduce you back again, if not to a ſtate of condemnation, yet to an apprehenſion of it. Keep your evidences, and your aſſurances ever in your eye. Watch againſt temptations that tend to enſlave you again. So will a captive to the Turk, when once eſcaped, take heed of ſtaying within the reach of his cruel task-maſter.
But I ſhall take up this again hereafter, on the fifth Doctrine, and thither refer you.
(3.) Thankfulneſſe, which will alſo be heightened by theſe conſiderations.
1. How important a work it is, that God hath wrought in you. It is a work that accompanies ſalvation, for whom he calls, he juſtifies, and (by conſequence) glorifies, Rom. 8. 30. So that although it were troubleſome in working, yet you may bleſſe God however, ſeeing it is thus wrought, to all eternity. O how little was the trouble to the benefit of it!
2. How many difficulties and improbabilities, ſuch as quite damped your hopes, and ſunk your ſpirits, you met withall, in that dangerous▪ paſſage. It may be there be thoſe that can ſay, At ſuch a time I was quite beaten off from all my hopes. I ſaid from day to night, he will make an end of me. Iſ. 38. 13. And I ſhall ſurely one day periſh by the hand 1 Sam. 2…. 1.of Saul. I am caſt out of thy ſight. Jonah. 2. 4. I have fought many a ſingle combate, hand to fiſt (as we ſay) with the red dragon, the old Serpent, the roaring Lion, and I have even been ready to croſſe the cudgels, and give out in the perplexity and agony of my ſpirit; nay I have even fallen out with my ſelf, and been out of love with my very life, and thought my preſent condition ſo bad, that hell it ſelf would amend it, and have been within an hairs bredth many a time of ſending my ſelf thither with my own hands, and the Lord hath ſtepped in, and taken hold upon me even on the pits brinke, and now here I am through his goodneſſe, a monument of his mercy in the land of the living. The living, the living, they ſhall praiſe thee, &c. Iſa. 38. 17, 18, 19.
3. The many provocations peculiar to that condition which you were guilty of in your darkneſſe. Here follow me again with your experiences, ye redeemed of the Lord; let you and I read over Pſalm 78. and 106. and let us look back upon our wilderneſſe-ſins how oft did we ſpeak againſt God, ſaying, Can God furniſh a table in the wilderneſſe? How often have we murmured becauſe of the length and tediouſneſſe of our troubles, and wiſhed that we had dyed in Egypt? How often have we longed for quails for our luſt, bin diſcontented at Gods allowance, and thought all we had (even precious manna, gracious meltings for ſin, a tender fear of offending God, an holy importunity in following after God, &c.) nothing, if we were not preſently aſſured of his love, and kiſſed with the kiſſes of his mouth?
Think how much of unbeliefe, impatience, pride, peeviſhneſſe, unthankfulneſſe, deſpaire, hard thoughts againſt God, wearineſſe of his ſervice, unjuſt cenſures againſt your ſelves, blaſphemous, murtherous thoughts, &c. hath God paſt by, and in all theſe provocations kept you from falling off from your preſent convictions, and the benefit of them, and held you in his hand, and conducted you through the wild and roaring wilderneſſe, till he hath brought you to Canaan.
4. The multitude of thoſe who periſh under convictions, and notwithſtanding them, nay periſh the deeper for them. When a man conſiders that the ſame troubles of ſpirit which drove Judas to the Gallowes, and Cain to deſpair, and to many thouſands under the means of grace, become barely means of hardening the heart, and increaſing their condemnation; prove to him the throws of a new birth, the rough paſſage to a Kingdom of liberty and glory, the ſtraight doore to a pallace of ſpiritual peace, and comfort. Diſtinguiſhing mercy is engaging mercy. And diſtinguiſhing mercy is greateſt, when to the perſons diſtinguiſhed every thing is common, but that very diſtinction. As if, in a common guilt, ſome are pardoned whiles others dye, and in a common diſeaſe, ſome periſh, and others are preſerved: ſo here in common ſoul troubles, one man deſpairs, and ſends himſelf to hell the ſooner; another preſumes, and fends himſelf thither the ſurer, &c. Others are effectually converted, and eternally ſaved. Oh what a deep engagement to thankfulneſſe is this!
(4.) Pitifulneſſe and tenderneſſe to other perſons in that condition. Our own experience may tell us what grievous burthens ſoul troubles are, and how much need there is that thoſe that are with young ſhould be gently led. Our Saviour was pleaſed to ſubmit to temptation for that very reaſon, that he might be a mercifull high Prieſt, able to ſuccour them that are tempted, Heb. 2. 18. But I have ſpoken to this alſo before.