The Spirit of Bondage and Adoption, Treatise 1 · Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII. Perſons altogether unacquainted with this work, exhorted.
HEnce alſo we ground a fourth Exhortation to thoſe that are altogether unacquainted with this work. Labor for it in order to converſion.
Object. What can we do towards this work? 'Tis the work of Gods ſpirit, and he bloweth where, and when he liſteth, John 3.
Anſw. (1) True; and yet there are Ordinances and duties, that are vehicula Spiritus, the chariots of the Spirit; although the Spirit may chooſe whether hee will uſe theſe Chariots or no. As Jacob, when Joſeph ſent him the Chariots from Egypt (that was the way, if ever he hoped to conveigh his old Father thither;) but yet he might have choſen whether he would have uſed them or no. So when the Spirit comes in…o the hearts of People, it is by the Chariots of Ordinances and duties. But yet the ſpirit is a free agent. The ſaylor ſpreds his ſayles to receive the wind▪ becauſe he can make no Voyage without it; But yet whether the wind wil fill them (at leaſt ſo as to further his Voyage) he cannot aſſure himſelf. When thou waiteſt upon the ſpirit in his Ordinances, thou doſt, as it were, ſpred thy ſailes, if the Spirit fill them, thou wilt make a good Voyage; if not, thy endeavours are nothing. Yet, as the ſaylor knowes he cannot command the wind, ſo he knows he muſt not therefore neglect to have his ſayles in a readineſſe to receive it when it blows: ſo it concerns thee to take care, that although the Spirit be not neceſſarily tied to Ordinances, yet thou do not therefore neglect attending them. Though the Spirit doe not alwayes come in that way, yet when he comes he will come in that way ordinarily? 'Tis a known ſtory, and the Application of it is no leſſe vulgar, of the poor man that waited at the pool of Betheſda, the water was the inſtrument, the Angel ſtirring it the cauſe of their healing. Had not the Angel come and ſtirred the water, they had waited in vain; but had they not waited there, the Angel would not have ſtirred the water, John 5. 3.
When God hath appointed means of conviction and converſion, it is a tempting of God to look for it in any way elſe with a neglect of thoſe means. 'Tis a ſad thing when people are of Naamans ſpirit (till hee was better adviſed) are not Abanah and Pharphar rivers of Damaſcus, better then all the waters of Iſrael? may I not waſh in them and bee cleane? 2 King▪ 5. 12. No, fooliſh man, thoſe Rivers are unſanctified Rivers, they are not ſet apart by God for that uſe, and therfore they wil do thee no good; ſo many thouſand ſouls cry now adaies, why ſhould we attend upon the word of God in publick, & that from the mouth of a Miniſter (though ſome will ſcarce owne them now by that name) may I not as well profit, and be converted by an honeſt tradeſman in a private houſe?
I anſwer poſitively, no; for God having appointed means, and called men to be publick officers to diſpenſe them for thy good, God will not go out of his way to meete thee: ſuch irregular wayes, are heaven-curſed, heaven-blaſted waies, God hath threatned it long agoe. Jer. 23. 22, 32. when Prophets run upon their owne errands, and pretend the Lord ſent them, there is a curſe upon them, they ſhall do no good, they ſhall not profit this people at all, ſaith the Lord. And find mee any one ſeparated ſociety in the world, that ſlights and tramples upon publick ordinances; where there is any ſound converſion to Jeſus Chriſt, or any building up▪ in holineſſe, humility, ſelf-denial, &c. or where the moſt that is gotten is not errour, and looſeneſſe, and that in ſome knowne, remarkable way; and I profeſſe, I ſhall repent of, and lay aſide much of my zeale and eagerneſſe of ſpirit againſt thoſe wayes, and you will doe very much towards making mee a Proſelite. But I dare confidently affirme that there is no ſuch ſociety to be found, which is not ſo branded by God. And therefore, Friends, if ever you will have your hearts wrought upon, let publick ordinances be precious in your eyes.
(2) You can commend your ſelves and your condition (before) to God in Prayer, that God will make the waters of the ſanctuary healing waters to you, that he will give your ſouls a ſpecial and particular viſit in an ordinance, that he will not ſuffer your fleece to be dry, when others round about you are wet, that he will open your eyes, that you may ſee wonders out of his Law, Pſal. 119 18. and open your hearts, that you may feel them too, that you may not be dead hearers, or bare hearers; that the Law may not be a meer repreſenting glaſſe, to ſhew you the black-moors skin, and leopards ſpots; but an operating glaſſe, working your very hearts and ſoules to loath and abhor them, and fly to the fountaine opened in the Goſpel, for ſin and uncleanneſſe, to waſh them out. The reaſon why the word wounds ſo few, is this, People ſeldome or never lift up ſuch a prayer as this before they come, and therefore tis no wonder if they come and goe ſtones and blocks, and a convert (even when the Goſpel is abundantly diſpenſed) bee as rare as a black Swan; that Gods Miniſters, and thoſe of the richeſt annointings every where complaine that they have laboured in vaine, and ſpent their ſtrength for nought, Iſa. 49. 4. in compariſon to what ſucceſſe there hath beene formerly to the labours of others.
3. Thou canſt ſet thy ſelfe in a grave, reverend, and attentive poſiture of body in the Congregation; ſtir thy ſelfe up when thou art ſleepy and dull, with the thoughts of the greatneſſe, glory, and Majeſtie of him with whom thou haſt to doe. For this is but the ſame moral preparation, that you would bring to the hearing of an earthly great man. Thus had Cornelius and all his family ſet themſelves in a readineſſe for Peters Sermon, Act. 10. 24, 25, 33. And we ſee how effectual it was upon them, ver. 44. whiles Peter yet ſpake, the Holy Ghoſt fell on all them which heard. True, the Spirit of God can, and doth often times meet with ſuch as come on purpoſe to ſcoff at a Miniſter and his Doctrine; and ſuch as have come to catch a Miniſter in malice, God hath caught them ere their departure in mercy: And therfore even from this ground I wiſh with my ſoul, that I could but prevaile with people to heare the word, (even the bittereſt enemies) for who knows, but God may ſpread nets for them at that very time? Saul was a ſpreading his nets to take the Saints at Damaſcus, and at the ſame time God caught him. True, Paul was not at an ordinance, but that ſo much more aggravates the miraculouſneſſe of Gods mercy in his converſion. But ſundry examples God hath made in ordinances of this kind; A more eſpecial example we have John 7. 32, 45, 46.yet leſt God ſhould hereby give encouragement to men in ſuch inſolent acts of rebellion, God hath not made any promiſe to any ſuch hearers; nay, hee expreſly threatens them, Ezek. 33. 30, 31. Son of man, ſaith he, the people are ſpeaking againſt thee ſtill, by the wall, and in the doors of the houſes, &c. Come ſay they, and let us hear the word of the Lord, (i. e. in a ſcoff) come let us go hear a preachment to day, &c. (for my part, I am not ſo skilled in their language as to be able to repeat it at large.) They ſit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they wil not do them. Now the next words are read very variouſly (as you may ſee in the Margin of your Bibles) with their mouth they ſhew much love; but the Hebrew is foreign (ſo ſhir gnagabim afterward, a ſong of loves) They make loves, or jeſts.their mouths are full of ſcurrilous laughter, as at a filthy ſong, &c. Theſe were more modeſt then divers of ours, for it ſeemes they did this but in corners (ut ſupra;) but wee meete with thoſe that can ſcarce refraine ſuch carriage in a Congregation. But what ſaith God to them? ſee v. 33. When theſe things come to paſſe (i. e. the truths they ſet ſo light by) then they ſhal know, (i. e. by ſad experience) that there was a Prophet among them: and ſee what things thoſe are in the preceding part of the Chapter. God doth uſually prepare people to receive a preacher, before he doth them good by the word, ſee Gal 4. 14. Reverend attendance upon the Word is certainly a great meanes to fit the heart for ſerious impreſſions from it. As in any affaires of weight, there is nothing that is more apt to impreſſe ſerious thoughts, then the reverence which we beare to the managers of them. Thence all affaires of juſtice are diſpenſed in ſuch a way of ſolemnity, as may ſtir up reverend thoughts in thoſe preſent: this is the uſe of ſcarlet Robes, and Halberts, and Trumpets, and ſtanding uncovered in civill Courts.
4. 'Tis in thy power to call in ſuch ſtragling thoughts, as carry thy heart away from the buſineſſe in hand. For certainly, I have power of mine owne thoughts, and I can command them, if I have many buſineſſes, off from one to the attendance of another; and if I have one of more ſerious importance then all the reſt, I can fix them upon that. And when the heart is fixed on a buſineſſe, it is moſt likely to be affected. Tranſient objects are quickly forgotten, but objects that are long in our eye, which we take a through view of, remain longer: Now I ſhal eaſily grant here, that a natural man cannot by his longeſt dwelling upon ſuch a ſubject, affect his owne heart; but I ſay ſtill, that hee may thereby put himſelfe into a poſiture of ſoule as is moſt likely to be affected. The very reaſon why he T people but now ſpoken of, Ezek. 33, 32 did not make benefit of the word, was becauſe their hearts were after their covetouſneſs whilſt they ſate before the Lord. Gather in your ſtragling thoughts at ſuch a time, with conſiderations of this nature, that tis God ſpeakes; that the things he ſpeakes are of neareſt concernment to you, that you heare them now, and perhaps may heare them no more, this opportunity may be the laſt; or it may bee, however, this the laſt time that you may heare ſuch a Sermon, ſo cloſe, ſo particular; that if man thy equal, much more thy better, ſpake to thee a thing that concerned thee far leſſe, nay not at all, thou wouldſt in good manners hear and mind what he ſaid.
5 Minding what is thus preached; it is very hard, if thy memory (without much adoe with it) will not carry away ſomthing of what thou haſt heard; if not, I am ſure, to moſt it is an eaſie thing to helpe memory with their pens. And truly friends, let mee tell you this, if you were now at the barre to be tryed for your lives, you would, if you diſtruſted your memories, have your note book by you, and write down all material paſſages; and if you could not your ſelfe, you would deſire ſome friend to helpe you; and ſhould you not take like care when the word of God is paſſing judgment upon your ſouls? I confeſſe, that if wee watch not over our hearts, much of the life and power of a Sermon may be loſt at preſent to a man, but that evil is not neceſſary here; a man neede not take every word, but only what moſt conconcerns or affects him, and hee may be affected in hearing, without being prejudiced in writing what he hears. Friends, I feare few families among us, for want of putting themſelves to this paine, hear (as they …hould) for afterwards. Now a truth laid …p in memory, may perhaps worke after…ard when a man is minded of it againe; although a man go away at preſent, and follow his ſinful courſes. As pills may be taken over-night, and a man may ſleepe well upon them, and all night think nothing of them, but when hee awakes in the morning they then will worke. Yea, Sermons …penned (if they be not as ordinarily) written only to ſerve the turne for a formal repet…tion at home, and never looked on afterward, may many years after they are preached, do thee good.
6. Tis in thy power before thou comeſt, when thou art there, and when thou departeſt thence, to lift up a Petition to God, that hee will handle his owne hammer with his owne hand, make the word mighty through God, to break down ſtrong holds, and overthrow whatever within thy heart oppoſeth his own glory and thy ſalvation. Tis no hard matter when a word is ſpoken that ſuites thee, to lift up an Ejaculation, Lord ſet home this word. Lord, thine own word needs thine own bleſſing, and ſpecial application to make it effectuall. Lord fasten this nayle, and clinch it firmely in my heart.
7. 'Tis in thy power when …hou comeſt home to ſit downe and meditate ſeriouſly upon what thou haſt heard; to repeat this word in thy family, and confer of it with others, and to apply it occaſionally to others: the word that thou doſt another good by, may do thee good too. For all theſe acts are conſtantly performed by rational men in worldly affaires, and certainly the change of the object doth not take from mee the power of my owne act upon it, ſo long as both act and object are ſtill ſuitable each to other; now although the ſpiritual nature of the word be not ſutable to a carnal and unſanctified apprehenſion, yet the ſound of it, and its Grammatical and common ſenſe is, and I require no more of thee in theſe acts, then may make uſe of theſe, as far as they may be improved in a ſerious way, as thou wouldeſt confer, and diſcourſe with a Lawyer about thy eſtate, or a Phyſician about thy health.
8. 'Tis in thy power to endeavour to improve this word in a rational way. As ſuppoſe it ſpeaks conviction of ſinne, to exerciſe ſuch an act of application as this, this is my ſin; if of judgment, to exerciſe ſuch an act as this, this is my caſe: if direction or motive, to apply it thus, why ſhould not I doe thus, and thus, as I am directed, and exhorted? Heart, what have you to ſay why I ſhould not follow this counſel that is given me? This is called communing with a mans owne heart, Pſ. 4. 4. and enquiring what have I done? Jer. 8. 6.
9. You can deſire and importune the prayers of others in the condition you are in. God may heare ſuch as are his own people for you, when hee will not hear your ſelves. You wil doe ſo in temporal plagues. So Pharaoh, Exod. 8. 8. And in ſpecial, Simon Magus, Acts 8. 23.
10. It is in my power to check my heart, for thoſe unreaſonable prejudices which it hath againſt the word, and to labour the removal of them. Imean, to endeavor to reaſon my ſelf out of them. 'Tis true, no total removal of prejudice againſt the word can be wrought but by grace, it is grace only that kills the enmity of the heart againſt God; but reaſon may ſilence and ſuppreſſe them for the time; as a Judge in the Court may command ſilence at preſent, but cannot, except hee can cut out the tongues of men, force them to …ee totally ſilent, and perpetually: So reaſon can. It cannot dig up the roots of prejudice, but it may conſider the word praeſcinded and abſtracted, 1. From all prejudicate fancies and conceits. If I have prejudice againſt the preacher, that hee ſayes what hee doth out of ſpleene, &c. why cannot I put my heart upon this iſſue? But let the mans intentions be what they will, what is it that hee ſayes? &c. So Eliah, though certainly he had a legal prejudice againſt the raven (if at leaſt I may call that a prejudice, that judged him an unclean bird according to the Law) that brought him food; yet ſaith Eliah, here is food God, and I have no other lawfull way of ſupply, if the meat be wholſome, I will eat it. 1 Kings 17. 4. 6. A man is beholding to a watchfull enemy.
2. If againſt his meanneſſe and contemptibleneſſe of perſon, want of parts and learning, plainneſſe of preaching, &c. Why cannot I in reaſon conſider, The richeſt mines are in the moſt barren and mountainous grounds? That 'tis the ordinary garbe of Princes to go clad in bare cloth, which is often more worth then many a gallant Courtiers cloth and trimming? That when God does good upon men, and takes them moſt, his greateſt Art is to hide Art? and there is reaſon for it, becauſe even humane skill loves not to be ſeen in the outſide of every work, and the Artificer loves to ſhew moſt of his skill where you would leaſt expect it, &c.
3. If that he is not of thy own way or opinion; Reaſon may plead for him. For, either thy way and opinion is good, or bad; if good, thou wilt hear what can be ſaid againſt it, know thy adverſaries weapons and play, and ſo wilt be the better able to guard thy ſelfe. If bad, 'tis a great mercy to be convinced of it. &c. Yet would I not in all theſe be miſunderſtood; For,
1. In all theſe I ſo affirm theſe acts to be in the power of the creature, as not to exclude the common, and ſometimes eſpecial influence of the Spirit upon them to produce them. It is in theſe actions as in thoſe other rational acts of ours concerning the affairs of this World, which are in the power of nature to perform, but yet the Spirit of God always in a common, but ſometimes in an eſpecial way draws out thoſe acts, ſo as may be moſt for Gods glory and our good, ſo though it be in the power of Nature to go to Church, and ſit reverently, and hearken out a Sermon, yet that I go at ſuch a time, and that poſſibly much againſt the grain of mine own inclination, that I obſerve ſuch and ſuch truths, and lay them up, and meditate on them when I come home, &c. more then others, this is the Spirits eſpecial influence, i. e. by way of gifts, for in all this there may be no grace. It may be of very great uſe many times to obſerve, how in our common motions and actions about ordinances, there is many times a particular providence ordering, and a particular influence of the Spirit exciting.
2. In all this I imply not any neceſſity of connexion nor tye between theſe Acts and Grace. Nor therein do I any way ſymbolize with the Papiſts and Arminians, who tell us, that if we uſe nature well, and doe its utmoſt, God is bound ex congruo, to give grace. For there is no promiſe in Scripture that ties God to any meerly natural or moral act of ours, but onelyonly to gracious acts; and all thoſe promiſes which reſpect any operation of ours, ſuppoſe the firſt grace already given. And when God therefore makes promiſes to hearing, reading, praying, either thoſe acts muſt be gracious, or elſe they muſt be interpreted thus, Do you ſuch duties, follow ſuch means, and if ever I ſave you, I will meet you onelyonly in that way. I will give as many as belong to the election of grace power to believe &c. through praying, h…aring, meditation, &c.
And thence it is that thoſe promiſes are not fulfilled to al that perfrom theſe actions. Becauſe though God have made ſuch a promiſe of giving grace in ſuch a way, yet it runs not in this ſenſe, I will give grace to all that hear, pray, &c. Whereas promiſes that are made to grace are univerſal. He is rich to al that call upon him, i. e. graciouſly, whoſoever beleeveth ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting life. Rom. 10. 12. ſo 3. 16.
Beſides, theſe acts are meer natural acts, ſplendida peccata, and therefore they can have no moral influence on God.
3. Yet muſt we note for our encouragement, that although God (in truth) be not bound to any mans endeavours, but is as free to give and deny grace, as he was before any of them: yet God ſeldom, if ever, hath been obſerved to fail any in their expectations of grace from him, doing, in the way of means, what they by the power of nature can, and the Spirit of God moves them unto.
So, that no man ever periſhed under the enjoyment of ſuch means, but he may juſtly ſtop his mouth before God, and ſay, I juſtly periſh, notwithſtanding my impotency to do my duty, and Gods decree of not vouchſafing me ſufficient grace for converſion; becauſe I have done leſſe towards the attaining it then I could. For who knows, or how knew I, that God would not have given me ſufficient grace had I done my utmoſt, though notwithſtanding he was abſolutely free to deny me.