The Tempestuous Soul Calmed by Jesus Christ, Observation 3
Jeſus Chriſt for a time ſeems to take no notice of a tempeſtuous periſhing ſoul, though nigh unto it.—But he was aſleep.
Now this ſeems not conſiſtent with all thoſe gracious and melting invitations of Chriſt, of poor wearied ſouls to come unto him, that beſpeak the yearnings and pantings of his bowels towards them; but yet ſee how conſiſtent it will be.
1. That 'tis his uſuall way of dealing, See Mat. 15.22. The poor woman there cried after Chriſt for mercy to her daughter, but it holds, and is ſo applied in ſpirituall mercies alſo, for ſhe came in ſaving faith; The Lord at firſt anſwers not a word, as if he were careleſſe of her, as if it had been no part of his buſineſſe in the world to take notice of poor ſinners at his feet; and when he did anſwer (for ſhe would not from him without her errand) his words were full of diſcouragement, Send her away, ſay the Diſciples, ver. 23. I am not come but to Iſrael, (yet ſtill ſhe worſhiped him, Lord help me,) And yet a more reſerved Reply, It is not meet to caſt the Childrens bread to dogs; Yet ſtill ſhe preſſed, and had her errand, though Chriſt ſeem'd thus to chide her: So with Mary Magdalene, Joh. 26.11. Mary was ſeeking Chriſt alone, and ſeeking him in a proper notion, a crucified Chriſt, and ſhe ſought him in a ſweet poſture, weeping after him, reſtleſſe till ſhe found him; Now, Chriſt ſeemed for a time to take no notice of her, though he were ſtanding by her, and his heart full of love to her; See the Spouſe Cant. 3.1,2. I ſought him but I found him not, &c.
There are many choice Reaſons of the Lords dealing thus with a ſoul for a time.
1. This works for the heightning and drawing forth of faith; for a ſoul to follow after Chriſt when the tempeſt is upon it, in a periſhing condition, and Chriſt ſeems to take no notice of it; When his preſent dealings ſeem to thwart with his Invitations and promiſes, this heightens faith, as in the woman of Canaan, and draws it forth to purſue Chriſt the more.
2. When Jeſus Chriſt thus withholds his ſmiles and comfort for a time, he is preparing the heart to be a fit place for him, to break the pride and ſtubbornneſſe of our hearts, to ſubdue the roughneſſe of them, to make crooked things ſtraight, and then when our ſpirits are thus ſubdued and broken, there's no more but for Chriſt to come in and dwell with us, when our hearts are thus prepared to receive him.
3. He for a time thus clouds himſelf, ſeems to take no notice of a poor ſoul, that the' ſoul may the more experimentally ſee, that all other refuges cannot quiet the tempeſt upon it; A ſoul will be apt to be making trial in ſuch a caſe of creatures, and fly from one created contentment to another, and to try what they are able to afford in ſuch an hour; And when the ſoul can finde quietneſſe in none, but ſtill reſtleſſe (as I have already ſhew'd it will be) Then it will cloſely and ſtrongly cleave to Chriſt, Then it will clearly ſee (when Chriſt ſpeaks) that all its quietneſſe, comfort, peace, was from Jeſus Chriſt alone.
4. It makes for the honour of the Lord Jeſus, for a poor creature to continue ſeeking and panting after him, and will not off, even when Chriſt hides his face from it; This gives more honour to Chriſt then to live upon him, when he ſweetly reveals himſelf to a ſoul: 'Tis an honour to a friend to truſt him when abſent from him, yea, when he ſeems to frown; ſo for a poor ſoul to follow and beleeve Jeſus Chriſt ſweet, and gracious, and faithfull, though it never taſted him, gives moſt glory unto him.
5. When Chriſt thus withholds himſelf for a time, it makes his preſence the more welcome when he comes; The Lord Jeſus loves to come welcome to a ſoul; And how welcome is he? what a heaven is his appearance to a poor, tempeſtuous, clouded, periſhing ſoul? When we have looked for a dear frieud till we are ready to give off expectation, and then he comes ſuddenly upon us with ſmiles and kindeneſſe, what a joy is it? So when the poor friends of Chriſt who lay hold on the Covenant of his peace, and cry after him, Ah, when Lord, when? And then he comes with a ſudden ſmiling voice, Why Soul, I am thine, and I have betrothed thee unto me, yea, but one word, as to Mary Magdalene, Mary, and ſhe anſwers Rabboni, oh my Maſter; This reaſon may be further illuſtrated in the caſe of Joſeph and his Brethren, Gen. 44. When they came to him as diſtreſſed men, Joſeph reſerves himſelf for a time, did not make known himſelf, though his heart were full of yearnings after them, and what was it for but to make way for the greater endearments of them unto him? So much unexpected love let out upon them, that it even brake their hearts, for they were troubled at his preſence, ſaith that Scripture, being overcome with the loving-kindeneſs he ſhewed them: whether Joſeph were in this a type of Chriſt, I ſhall not diſpute, but the way of Chriſt is ſometimes the ſame; His ſtays and reſerves ere he ſmiles upon a diſtreſſed ſoul, do make way for ſweeter endearing heart-breaking love to be let out upon it; And further indeed, As Joſephs Brethen were troubled at his preſence, between the two conſiderations of the injuries they had done him, and the exceeding love he ſhewed them; As for Joſeph (ſay they) we ſold, &c. ſo poor ſouls ſeeking Jeſus Chriſt, when he appears comfortably unto them, They are even troubled at Chriſts preſence, conſidering the injuries they have done him, and the exceeding great love he hath ſhewed them, and this doth kindely melt the heart, when they wiſtly look him; Till Chriſt anſwer as Joſeph, ver. 5. of Gen. 45. Come hither, ſaith good Joſeph to his Brethren, for God did ſend me before to preſerve life; ſo ſaith the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, Ah poor ſoul, come hither, God did ſend me on purpoſe to preſerve thy ſoul, to bear thy ſins, to eſtabliſh a Covenant of peace for thee; And how endearing and melting is this to a ſoul that ſo enjoys him!
6. Chriſt thus withholding himſelf for a time, as it makes way for the greater joy and more abundant conſolation to a tempeſtuous ſoul, ſo it will make a ſoul more watchful and careful to keep Chriſt, Cant. 3.4. I held him and would not let him go; If ſo tempeſtuous, periſhing, and ſuccourleſſe, when I enjoyed him not; Oh let them never take away my Lord; Here, Here, (his Soul claſping him) let him lodge; One hour of his fellowſhip, is a heaven; Oh no, thou muſt not go, my deareſt Lord, 'till I go with thee and lie in thy boſome to all eternity; I will love thee and honour thee while I am here, and therefore do not, ah do not depart from me, I will not let thee go: But of this more in the cloſe.
Is it ſo then, that Chriſt may for a time cloud himſelf from a poor ſoul at his feet, why then, Soul, let me return to the firſt poſture I ſtated thee in, in this Point; Art thou one that haſt ſaid ſeriouſly within thy ſelf from the ſight of thy helpleſſe condition, I will ariſe now and go about, Cant. 3.2. I have been ſitting all this while in the ſhadow of the vain world; But now, I will ariſe and ſeek him who hath life and peace in himſelf, though but now, yet I will enquire of the watchmen after him, v. 3. I will wait at the poſts of his doors, his bleſſed and powerfull Ordinances, till my ſoul findes him; Well, Take with thee this leſſon, If thou findeſt him not in joy and comfort, aſſoon as thou expecteſt; Here's encouragement for thee, not no give off thy purſuit, as Satan and thy own unbeleeving heart will be ſtill prompting thee; To return to thy former eaſe and peace in ſinne and vanity, and the world again, or that thou hadſt a good intereſt enough in Chriſt before thou thus troubledſt thy ſelf, or it may be Satan will ſuggeſt, it is too late for thee, and thy day of grace is over, becauſe thou haſt ſleighted many; Well (I ſay) let none of theſe prevail with thee; Thou heareſt upon what weighty and endearing Reaſons Chriſt may for a time withhold comfort and peace; therefore let deniall encreaſe thy diligence, and not dead and flat it: Thou ſeeſt (Soul) that if thou wilt have Jeſus Chriſt, that he hath other work beſides filling thee with perfumes, and ſtaying thee with flaggons of love; And if thou beeſt truly convinced of ſin, and ſo of thy abſolute need of Chriſt, thou wilt be glad of him, and ſeek to him for thoſe works too; He hath ſtrong-holds of ſinne to break down; He hath Atheiſm Pride, Self-love, Obſtinacy, all manner of fleſhly and earthy luſts to ſubdue within thee, that have by nature the poſſeſſion of thy heart, and theſe will grapple with him, and are unwilling to let thy heart go; all theſe unclean ſpirits muſt be caſt out, if thou wouldeſt have Chriſt dwell there; So that if thou wilt have him thou muſt have him on ſuch terms, thou muſt thus ſuffer him to prepare his way, to have a reſting-place within thee, And thoſe luſts muſt not domineer with him; If thy debate within thy ſelf be rather to venture his loſſe then to part with the old gueſts of thy heart that he wold caſt out, then thou doſt not yet know what belongs to the guilt, and filth, and reign of ſinne, which thou wilt cry to be rid of, when thou truly ſeeſt what miſchief it hath done thee: If that be indeed the terms thou inſiſteſt on, 'tis but a little ſtirring of meer naturall conſcience, and not the convictions of the Spirit; Many ſouls, no doubt, from ſome ſuch temporary common enlightning of the natural conſcience, go and make an eſſay at Chriſt, liking well of peace and ſalvation, but finding that luſts muſt die for it, they give up the purſuit again, or elſe will have him (pretend to have ſo) and make him lodge with their unclean luſts, to protect and countenance them, and ſo make him a half-Chriſt, divide his work, make him indeed (like thoſe blaſphemers in the Goſpel) to have an unclean Spirit, and ſin to be nothing; As many wretches in this age do aſſert, and indeed all carnall profeſſors of Chriſt do in their converſations imply, when they ſerve their luſts, and cry Chriſt, Chriſt; No Soul, yeeld up a heart freely to him, and let him make one luſt after another bleed for it, Let him make good his way and poſſeſſion, Let him ſubdue all oppoſition in thy heart. and lay low all the crooked waies of it, and ſee what a Temple he will make for himſelf in the cloſe; In a word, follow him, and hold out in his ſtrength, and thou ſhalt have more then thy errand.
2. Learn well from hence to underſtand Chriſts meaning in his invitations, not as if the thing promiſed were all to be enjoyed in a moment: Thou maieſt reſt confident in this, that the heart of Chriſt will be true to thee in them, though thou waiteſt for a time, conſidering that one hour of his joy, is worth the waiting of an age, much more a heaven and eternity by it; And 'tis an everlaſting reſt thou ſeekeſt in him.
3. It chides the repinings of our hearts againſt this way of dealing by the Lord Chriſt, It rebukes all our hard thoughts of him, though he ſtay a little when we cry after him; Oh be contented for his wiſedom and love to order all things for his more ſweeter welcome, and more ſure and comfortable abode with thee; But yet to a ſoul under the impatiency of anguiſh of ſpirit,
Conſider 1. Doſt thou truly come to Chriſt, as before, doſt thou frequently ſpread thy caſe before him, and pleade his own bowells, free invitations, promiſes, his intereſt with his Father, with him; ſome lie repining, but not earneſtly follow Chriſt for what they want, &c.
2. Conſider duly, If there be no Action, luſt, that holds up its head, and would not yeeld, that is as a right hand, or right eye; go to God for a more narrow ſearch of thy heart; ſay, (as David) Search me, prove me, and try me; If there be any iniquity in my heart undiſcovered, reveal and mortifie it at the very root.
3. Conſider, that though thou haſt not ſenſible comfort, yet thou art ſupported of the Lord in thy preſent condition, which thou maiſt indeed conſider with comfort, Pſa. 63.8, My ſoul followeth after thee, and thy right hand upholdeth me; So continue to follow hard after God, and if thou findeſt his right hand, his power ſuſtaining thee, thou maiſt conclude as David, v. laſt of that Pſalm, But I ſhall rejoyce in God, &c. thou ſhalt be ſatisfied with his goodneſſe; yea, if thou finde ſuch promiſe breaking in upon thy ſpirit, and thou gathereſt ſupport from it, it may be an evidence, a love-token to thee, that God is in a way of love and comfort to thee.
4. Conſider, that faith and ſenſible enjoyment of Gods love do not inſeparably go together, are not the ſame, as ſome poor creatures be apt to fancy; 'tis faith and not ſenſe, therefore learn to live by faith and not by ſenſe.
But yet may ſome poor Soul ſay, This doth not come to the height of thy condition, the very ſtrength of this tempeſt in the conſcience being upon thee; Ah thou art a forlorn, tempeſtuous ſoul indeed, thou ſaiſt: why now then, I will particularly deal with thee.
Reade thy condition in Iſa. 54.8,9,10,11. &c. 'Tis ſpoken of the State of the Church, but as truly applicable to thy condition; v. 6. the Lord hath called thee as a woman forſaken and grieved in Spirit: yea, v. 11. Oh thou afflicted, toſſed with tempeſt, and not comforted; that fits thee; See v. 7, 8. For a ſmall moment have I forſaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee: In a little wrath I hid my face from thee, but with everlaſting kindeneſſe will I have mercy on thee, ſaith the Lord thy Redeemer; A ſmall moment, and a little wrath, but great and everlaſting kindeneſſe; But may not the Lord, if he pleaſe, reſerve and withhold theſe from poor creatures that come thus afflicted and toſſed with tempeſt? I anſwer from ver. 9, 10. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me, for as I have ſworn that the waters of Noah ſhould no more go over the earth; ſo have I ſworn that I would not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee; For the mountains ſhall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindeneſſe ſhall not depart from thee, neither ſhall the covenant of my peace be removed, ſaith the Lord that hath mercy on thee; Here's the Oath of God upon it, and ſooner ſhall the waters cover the earth again, and the mountains remove themſelves, then the Lord rebuke and utterly caſt off ſuch a ſoul; Neither ſhall the Covenant of his peace be removed, that is, as God tenders a new agreement, and to be at peace with ſinners, contented he is, yea, infinitely deſirous of it; Can he then caſt off a ſoul that comes tendring it ſelf for peace with him, that laies hold on his Covenant, Iſaiah 59.6.
But yet further will a weak miſ-giving heart be reaſoning againſt God and it ſelf; I fear, for all this, that 'tis in vain for me to ſeek, my heart ſinks within me; Now mark what the Lord ſaith to this, Iſa. 45.19. I have not ſpoken in ſecret, in a dark place of the earth; I ſaid not unto the Seed of Jacob, Seek me in vain; I the Lord ſpeak in righteouſneſſe, and declare things that are right: This the Lord doth not reſerve as a ſecret, but would have it proclaimed on the houſe top; Let it be known to every poor weak ſoul that ſeeks me, It ſhall not be in vain; As if it were laid down on purpoſe (as indeed it is) to anſwer ſuch a fond reaſoning: And further (ſaith he) I the Lord ſpeak righteouſneſſe, I do not trifle with and delude ſouls, but ſpeak in good earneſt the things that are right, and v. 22. I am a juſt God, true to my word, and therefore not to be reaſoned againſt by men or devils; Away then with ſuch debates as thou doſt foſter in thy heart, yea, with ſuch vile diſputings againſt God, as to ſay within thy ſelf, 'Tis too late, 'Tis in vain, my caſe is deſperate, God will not hear, and therefore why ſhould I ſeek? To what purpoſe is it? Is not this to belye the wiſe and holy, and faithfull God, ſo to adde abundantly to thy former iniquity? In a word, If thou doſt ſeek and venture, and try what God will do, if thou art at laſt caſt off, thou canſt but be damned; And thy ſeeking, if thou couldſt fail, will rather be a mitigation of thy torment then an encreaſe.
Well, but yet further may a Soul object (for the devil hath a world of Sophiſtry this way) If I ſhould be ſtirred up to ſeek, upon theſe grounds, how ſhall I be aſcertain'd that theſe promiſes belong to me? Why, mark thou, doſt thou not ſay, I am an afflicted ſoul, diſquieted, toſſed with tempeſt, and in thy own thoughts forſaken? And ſaiſt, moreover, that thou art contented to ſeek and wait, ſeeing at worſt, thou canſt be no looſer by it; why then by what plea art thou excluded, what law, or what caveat is put in againſt thee? perhaps thou wilt ſay, thy ſinning with ſo high a hand againſt thy God, with many grievous aggravating circumſtances; Why, finful worm, know 'tis written as clear as the Sun, if thou knowſt any thing of the Goſpel and minde of Chriſt, that no ſinner is excluded from acceptance, from the greatneſſe of ſin, but for want of coming to Chriſt that he might have life, Joh. 5. as hath been ſhew'd; The truth is, thou art unwilling to be beholden to Chriſt, or impatient to ſtay his leiſure, or elſe art reſolved to beleeve the lies of the devil againſt him, or elſe thou wouldſt not thus parley againſt him; Therefore bow thy ſelf at his feet, and pleade his own arguments, that he hath left for thee in his word, and do not ſtand asking whether theſe promiſes belong to thee, for they are as much thine, as any ſouls in the world, if thou wilt pleade them.
But yet further may a poor ſoul complain; Ah, I have a dull, dead, heavy, indiſpoſed heart, heartleſſe am I to ſeek and cry, &c. I have ſhewed before, that if thou wilt ask a heart, I will give it thee, ſaith the Lord, and ask his Spirit to raiſe up thy heart above that indiſpoſed diſtemper: Nay Soul, let me ask thee, Canſt thou truly complain of and feel ſuch a diſtemper, oh what a dull, heavy, dead, indiſpoſed heart have I? 'Tis of the ſpirit of life within thee, or thou couldſt not ſo complain; And 'tis an earneſt of more of the ſpirit to be given unto thee, from what hath been now and before ſaid unto thee: Soul, maiſt thou be encouraged to ſeek and wait privately, publikely, be diligent in all means, yea, with ſome meaſure of contentedneſſe, till the Lord ſhall ſpeak, and when thy ſpirit is ſo ſubdued, uſually comfort is not farre off; But as to thy further encouragemen, I will leade thee on to the next Point.
Thus having ſhew'd the condition of a humbled convinced ſinner, coming to Jeſus Chriſt in a periſhing condition, and waiting for the voice of comfort and aſſurance, I ſhall in the next endeavour to ſtate ſuch a faith which Chriſt in the Text cals a little faith; Why are ye fearfull, &c.