The Spirit of Bondage and Adoption, Treatise 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. A branch of the fourth Caution of the preceding Chapter, concerning over-haſtening of comfort. Wherein is alſo a caſe concerning meaſures of conviction and humiliation.
NOr are thoſe impatient ſouls altogether blamefree, who becauſe they long for the peace-full fruit of the lips, will not ſtay the ripening of it, but greedily devour it green; who though the ſpirit have them in cure, and the neceſſity of their diſeaſe require their confinement to rules of Phyſick, yet will be ruled by their own heads, and adventurouſly break thoſe bonds▪ and caſt thoſe cords from them, as grievous and unneceſſary. They Pſal. 2. 3.cannot endure to ſerve an apprenticeſhip under a Spirit of bondage, and then be made free in his way and time, but haſtily lay violent hands on Chriſtian liberty, and are very angry (though perhaps they more need it) if a Miniſter do but mention a ſearching convincing truth, which may reduce them to their Master again. I have (my ſelf) viſited thoſe ignorant ſouls upon their death-beds, who have called out for nothing, but, comfort, comfort, when they might, had they ſeen their own need, have rather cry'd for conviction, conviction. Nay among ſome perſons, 'tis as much accounted a ſolaeciſme in Divinity, to ſearch any ones conſcience, as it is in manners to be iniquiſitive into his ſecrets, But beloved, take this for a certain rule, thoſe that run away from a Spirit of bondage, and will ſet up with a ſtock of comforts without his leave, (as too many do) wil quickly break, and turn arrant bankerupts in the matter of their ſpirituall condition. Hee that beleeves makes not haſte.
Q. But Sir, how long will you have us continue under a Spirit of bondage? what meaſures of humiliation are requiſite to true converſion, and ſound comfort, how many years muſt wee ſerve, ere you will allow us to ſet up?
A. Truly friends it is paſt my Skill to determine preciſely, neither is it neceſſary I ſhould. The Lord knowes, I could wiſh it were in my power to heal every conſcience the firſt houre in which it is ſmitten. But the Lord thinks not fit to deal ſo with many of his Saints; and therefore, I ſay, there is danger leſt wee ſnatch comfort before it is fit for us, or wee for it. And this is all that I deſire to caution you againſt, in this that hath been ſaid. But that I may not leave you altogether unſatisfied in this point, and eſpecially that I may wound no broken ones, I ſhal give you ſome rules to judg when God gives you a manumiſſion from the Spirit of bondage, and by that you may gueſſe when you are too haſty.
1. In generall. As ſoon as the ſoul is brought to ſee a through neceſſity of Jeſus Chriſt, and accordingly to cloſe with him, with true Faith, it may take comfort. For (certainly) to ſuch an one Chriſt belongs. The waters belong to every one that thirſteth, and they are in a bleſſed condition that hunger and Iſa. 51. 1.thirſt after righteouſneſſe. And to whomſoever Matt. 5. 6Chriſt belongs, immediatly comfort belongs, as he that hath right to an inheritance hath right to all the incomes of it. Gods Miniſters are bound not to defer comfort one minute from a ſoul, concerning whom they have but ſufficient grounds in charity to believe in Chriſt, Comfort ye, comfort ye my people ſaith the Lord, Iſ 40. 1. And Heb. 6. 17, 18. the H. Ghoſt tells us that God intends comfort to all that fly for refuge to lay hold on the hope ſet before them.
2. As ſoon as I am within any promiſes reach and compaſſe, ſo ſoon belongs comfort to mee. And that depends on the former.
Obj. But will not any troubled ſoul cry out for Chriſt, and lay hold upon Chriſt in extremity? A dying man will never diſpute with himſelf whether he ſhall ſend for a Phyſician, a condemned man upon the gallows whether he ſhall accept of a pardon, and a drowning man whether he ſhall ſcramble up a rock if it be within his reach. And is every ſuch ſoul fit for comfort?
2. A. I anſwer therefore more particularly. 1. I ought not to refuſe comfort, when I find my ſoul weary of the bonds and fetters of ſin; as much or more then of the fetters of trouble and anguiſh for ſinne. Beloved, when the chains of corruption are as grievous, as pangs of conſcience; when I hate Satan as a tempter, as much as I hate him as a troubler; when I groan as much to be delivered from the body of death as from the weight of wrath, then I am ripe for comfort. But Rom. 7. 24when I hear my heart cry louder, Oh my ſorrow, and oh, my grief; then oh, my ſinne, and oh, my guilt; when it follows God and Means with oh, give me comfort; and never, with oh, give me grace; when it cryes, oh, that I had peace, and cryes not, Oh that I had holineſſe, this ſoul is not ripe for comfort. Comfort would undo that ſoul.
2. I ought not to refuſe comfort, when I can be contented to take Chriſt upon his own termes, to teach, and rule, as well as redeem and ſave my ſoul. When I can freely deny, reſigne, part with every thing for him, can give up my ſelf to be made any thing by him, when I value Chriſt ſo as that I will not entertain any thing a minute longer, though it bee never ſo dear to me, that diſpleaſeth him, even my deareſt luſt, my greateſt profit, my entireſt friends, my fulleſt comforts. For then I am emptyed of ſelf, and hungry after Chriſt, and ſo fall under the promiſe, he filleth the hungry with good things. But when I am diſpoſed only to take Chriſt partially, cling Luke 1. 53.about the Croſſe of Chriſt, but hang looſe from the yoke of Chriſt; when my mouth is open to Chriſt, but my ear ſhut, this is ſad. When I drive the bargain for Chriſt to farthings and half pence, (the Lord bee gracious to me in this one thing, &c.) Comfort to me (in ſuch a condition) is bane. See how the Apoſtle joynes Prince and Saviour together, Act. 5. 31. how Chriſt joines a promiſe of eaſe and layes on his yoke at once, Mat. 11. 28, 29, 30.
3. Then I am fit for comfort when I can be contented if God ſee fit and needfull for me, to be longer without it; when I can in the ſincerity of my heart pray, Lord, if my rotten …eart be not broken enough, break it more; if my ſ…ſ…erd wounds be not throughly ſearched, lance them and ſearch them more. If there be any way of wickedneſſe within me, ſearch me, Lord, and try me, till thou find it out: if I Pſal. 139 23, 24.would be proud of thy favour, if thou ſhouldest diſcover it to me, or turn thy grace into wantonneſſe, or get above ordinances, and duties of Religion, or proudly deſpiſe my bretheren that are lower then I, or any infirmity of this kind would attend my full ſtomach, let me faſt from comfort longer: here is a ſoul that (if any) is ripe for comfort. But till a man come to this frame, it is a ſigne hee is not throughly broken, his bondage hath not tamed him enough, and therefore comfort to this man would be like raw meat, it would never digeſt with him, the Lord hath not yet gotten the abſolute maſtery over, and poſſeſſion of his will, and therefore no wonder if he lay more Irons upon him. Some parents will not give their children any thing of that diſh that they impatiently cry for; and (they ſay) our Biſhops were not to be admitted, till they three times refuſed it. I am ſure David was not long kept out of his kingdome when hee had profeſſed an indifferency to keep or loſe it as the Lord ſaw moſt fit. 2 Sam. 15. 25. And (obſerve the Lords uſual dealings with his people) he ſeldome gives any comfort when men muſt have it, or there is no quiet with them; what ever grace they have, or luſt they maſter by the continuance of ſoul troubles, they muſt have comfort, or elſe (in Hamans unthankfull ſtrain) they cry, All this availeth me nothing. And if perſons Ruth 5. 13.of ſuch impatient ſpirits get comfort under that diſpoſition & temper of ſoul, 'tis as Rachel became a mother by importunity, but died in child-birth with Benjamin. So do ſuch oftentimes undo themſelves with the comfort which their importunity haſtened to them.
More of this kind might be added, but I forbear now, as knowing ſhall have cauſe to reſume the ſame Argument again.