A Scripture-Map of the Wilderness of Sin, Treatise · Part 4 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Containes a farther joynt diſcovery of this weakneſſe and wearineſſe: alſo improvement to the weakening of your Chriſtleſs ſtrength.
THat which I ſhall further doe,A farther inquiry into the ſtate of this weakneſs and wearineſſe. joyntly. ſhall be to enquire joyntly, concerning the true ſtate of theſe qualifications, and to endeavour to worke your hearts farther hereunto. You have heard of weak and weary ones, and what manner of ones they are, for ſurely 'tis not every weakneſſe nor wearineſſe, that drives a ſoule to Jeſus Chriſt: Pharoah was weakened by ſome viſitation, wearied by others, and there are many plagues that weaken and weary many, but drive few to Jeſus Chriſt. Now then the Queſtion yet worth our ſearching into, will be, What weakneſs and wearineſs that is, which we have been ſpeaking of, and which we ſhall deſire to work you to?
A three-fold Declaration of it. 1. As to their kind they muſt be ſpiritual.I anſwer, They muſt be for the kind, ſpiritual, for extenſion, univerſall, for intenſiveneſſe, burthenſome.
Firſt, That weakneſs and wearineſs muſt be ſpirituall. Many there be ſenſible enough, that their Eſtates are weak, thyir bodyes weary, &c. but few that are diſturbed with ſpirits-weakneſſe, or ſouls-wearineſſe. But theſe muſt be ſuch.
1. Spirit-weakneſſe.Firſt, This weakneſs muſt be ſoul-weakneſs, Iſai. 35.4. Say unto them that are of a fearfull heart, be ſtrong. Thy want muſt be heart-ſtrength, or ſpirit-ſtrength; for no man can ſoberly underſtand that of the carnal or corporal heart, you know the ſcripture-Dialect. When thine underſtanding wants ſtrength to conceive, thy will and affections to receive, thy whole heart to practice the things of God, (as is further explained in the following verſes, thou art ſpiritually deafe, and blind, and lame, &c.) that is the weakneſs there, and here ſpoken of.
Queſtion. How that ſhall be known. Anſw. By ſpirit-complainings.But perhaps wilt thou ſay, How ſhall I do to know then, whether my weakneſſes be ſpiritual or no?
I anſwer, Let me but heare thy complaint, and I will ſalve thy doubt. Oh! I have a poor weak Husband, ſaith one, and weeps bitterly: I have a poor weak Child, ſaith another, and wrings her hands: I have a poor weake ſtomack that can take nothing, ſaith a third: My ſtrength is even done, I am at deaths door, ſaith a fourth: Oh! How weak is mine Eſtate now come to be, ſaith a fifth? Where was the Childs weakneſſe? 2 King. 4.19. Oh! you may quickly know, if you but hear him ſpeake, he cryes to his Father, My head, my head. Now ſpeake Conſcience, and tell me what thy complaint is, and i'le tell thee what thy weakneſſe is. Oh! there are amongſt the many other mourners over weakneſſe (that I ſpeake of) ſome precious ones, whoſe dayly groans are, my ſoul, my ſoul; Woe is me, how weak my prayers are! how unfit and unable am I for any the leaſt thing that is ſpiritual? Thus David cryed; and what waſt he cryed for? He cryed to be ſtrengthened with ſtrength in his ſoule, Pſal. 138.3. In his ſoul, mark that. Sirs, If you have but a weak Eſtate in the world, and are yet more weak in ſpirituals, I would have you narrowly to watch, when as your hearts are moſt feelingly carryed out in prayer; when you come to that Petition, Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven; or that, Give us this day our dayly bread. If to the former, 'tis a ſigne that thy weakneſſe is truly a ſoule-weakneſſe, and ſuch as will ſpur thee unto Jeſus Chriſt.
Secondly,2ly. Spirit-wearineſſe. This Wearineſſe muſt alſo be a ſpirit-wearineſs. Many are wearied with their ſutes of Law, that never come to be wearied with their ſins againſt the Goſpel: but ſaith Sion, My ſoul is wearied, Jer. 4.31. It is ſoules wearineſſe, and not barely ſo, but ſoul-wearineſſe. This alſo you may diſcerne by your Complainings. What ſaiſt thou herein? art thou weary of the world, becauſe of poverty, or iniquity? art thou weary of thy life, becauſe thou continueſt ſhining? or becauſe thou continueſt ſuffering? Thou art ſick, but ſinfull, which tyres thee moſt; which complain'ſt thou of moſt? which is moſt wearying to thee, to go without the Creature, or without the Creator? You know the complainings of that holy Aſaph, Pſal. 77.1, 2, 3. He could not get God to hear his prayer, nor to cure his ſoul, and therefore he complained, and his ſpirit was overwhelmed, Selah: (that is, mark that,) it was ſpirit-complaining.
Secondly, This weakneſs and wearineſs, 2ly. As to their extent they muſt be univerſal. 1. Weakneſſe.muſt be for the extent of it whole and univerſall.
Firſt, The weakneſſe muſt be univerſall weakneſs, as they that have Iſai. 35. Neither eye to ſee, nor ear to heare, nor tongue to ſpeak, nor feet to walk, verſes 5.6. All this is ſumm'd up in the fourth verſe, where the heart is ſaid to be weak, for heart-weakneſs you know is whole-weakneſs, ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, I will glory in my infirmities, that the power of Chriſt may reſt upon me, or that I may reſt upon the power of Chriſt weakneſſes, not weakneſſe. Paul oppoſeth, and ſo muſt thou, Chriſts ſingle power to all thy weakneſſes. I tell you, if you fail of unniverſall weakneſs, when you come to Chriſt, you ſhall be ſure to fail of univerſall ſtrength, when you come away from Chriſt; for where ever thou haſt any ſtrength of thine own, the ſtrength of Chriſt ſhall not advantage thee; and as the Lord ſaith to Iſrael concerning Egypt, Iſai. 30.3. So ſay I to you, That ſtrength of yours ſhall be your ſhame, and your truſt under the ſhadow thereof, your confuſion. You ſhall heare ſome ſay, I confeſs I have but a weak memory, and I am not able to diſcourſe as many of them are, but I thank God I have as good an heart as any of them all. Fie, fie, if you have any thing good, all is naught. So
2ly. Vniverſal wearineſſe.Secondly, Thy wearineſſe muſt be univerſall, (which neceſſarily followes from what I ſaid in anſwer to the firſt Queſtion whereof we muſt be weary;) and therefore if thy ſoul have any reſting place on this ſide Chriſt, thy wearineſſe of one ſinne or another, of one ſupport or another, can no wayes amount to true wearineſſe.
3ly. As to the intenſiveneſſe, it muſt be burthenſome. 1. So thy weakneſſe.Thirdly, Thy weakneſs and wearineſs muſt be burthenſome as to the intenſiveneſs of it.
Firſt, Thy weakneſſe muſt be burthenſome. Many there are that are weak in duty, and weak in grace, (if ſo be they have enough to denominate them weak in it) and that ſee it too, and yet are not burthened with it. This is not the load that lyes upon their ſpirits; but an Habakkuk trembles, his lips quiver, and his heart faints at it, Hab. 3.16. And the Lord God ſhall be his ſtrength, ver. 18. A Paul will cry out of it, O wretched man! and who ſhall deliver me? and 'tis a body of death, q. d. It could not be a greater burthen to me to have a dead body fixed to me to carry about me, then to carry about this dead heart, &c. And then he can thanke God through Jeſus Chriſt, Rom. 7.24.25.
Secondly,2ly. So thy wearineſſe. Thy wearineſſe muſt be burthenſome wearineſſe, never be thou well till thou be rid of it, Mat. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laiden. Many are weary, that are not greatly burthened with their wearineſſe: but Aſaph was ſo loaden, that he was even over-whelmed again, Pſa. 77.3.
Now if thy ſoule be thus burthened with thy ſpiritual either weakneſſe or wearineſſe,And if it be ſo, thou maiſt thus diſcover it.
Firſt,1. Thou wilt willingly part with that which ſo weakens and wearies. Thou wilt be marvellouſly willing to part with thy burthen, to part with that that weakneth or wearieth thee, when Chriſt at any time offers to take it from off thy ſhoulders. Come to me and I will give you reſt, ver. 28. Nay, there is not a Goſpel Sermon you heare, but in ſome ſort or other, ſuch a tender is made unto you, and how few do then account their infirmities their burthen?
Secondly, Yea, you will be glad at heart, but to change burthens with one that hath a lighter and eaſier then yours: Why ſuch is Chriſts, (if you be truly weak and wearied) Mat. 11.29. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for my yoke is eaſie, and my burthen light. Thy ſoule will think it an happy exchange, to paſſe from Satans plough, to the Lords plough; when once thou feeleſt the weight of Satans Chayne, thou wilt eſteeme the greateſt of the Lords Commandements, or thy duties, as a chaine of gold to hang about thy neck. Every neck would be willing to be ſo burthened.
From all that hath been ſpoken,A Concluſion from the precedent truth, that no ſoule comes home to God in the ſtrength of its own legges. to me it is eaſily to be concluded, that there is no loſt ſoul that ever yet was, or ever ſhall be brought home unto God by the ſtrength of its own leggs: I ſhall therefore conclude the ſtate of theſe qualifications, according to the expreſſe doctrin of Lu. 15.5: The ſhepheard laies the loſt ſheep on his ſhoulders rejoycing; that is, he takes the loſt ſheep off its own leggs, and we read of its carrying, before its curing, (as of the Prodigals comming, before his cloathing) that relates to another particle (as I may ſo ſay) of converſion. Firſt; God acts when we act not, I meane in the firſt moment (I doe not meane of the time, but) of the work: next, that acting of God makes us act together, as to time. Chriſt carryeth (in the firſt parable) and we come (in the next) Arminians deny the one, Antinomians the other: I aſſert both. In that primely-prime act (as I may call it) Jeſus Chriſt doth not cut off our legs, but yet he doth not uſe them, for he layeth us upon his ſhoulders. And who can conceive, if there be any portion of the converſion-act, wherein that may be truly ſaid, that in ſuch an act the ſheep uſeth its own leggs, when it is carryed upon the ſhepheards ſhoulders?
And this doth genuinely fall in with what I have ſpoken of the ſpiritual and univerſal weakneſſe and wearineſſe, that muſt burthen us, before we have advantage from the ſtrength of Jeſus Chriſt. This ſheepe had neither legge to ſtand on, or to go with, (though it had all its legges ſtill) for if it had, it would undoubtedly have had legs to run away with; and ſuppoſe that Chriſt ſhould cure us, whileſt we lie weak and weary upon the ground, and ſo ſet us upon our own legges, (which bleſſed be God ſhall never be) and not bind us to his owne ſhoulders, (or bring us as the Spouſe to leane upon him) by an union indiſſoluble; I need no argument, but ſad experience to convince mine owne baſe heart, that I ſhould quickly uſe (or abuſe rather) my cured legges, and the rene…ings of ſtrength, and of refreſhment unto the turning aſide into the crooked paths of the wilderneſs ſtill, or to the running away from him that healed me. But now by vertue of this union, our legges gather ſtrength, as the woman that touched him, drew vertue from him, and now they can walke and runne; they are the old legs ſtill (the ſame affections, will, and underſtanding, &c.) But it is not their old ſtrength that they move by, but Chriſt's put into them, Chriſt gives them his Wine to refreſh them, and make glad their hearts, his Oyle to heale, and make ſtrong their bones, his life to act, and to inform their Organs: And thus, they that were weak in the Wilderneſſe, and not able (as Iſrael, Ezek. 16) They that had wearied themſelves with wandering, and were too weary to go (as the loſt ſheep, Lu. 15. doe now come inſeparably to wait upon the Lord (Chriſt, and by leaning on him) to renew their ſtrength that they may run and not be weary, that they may walke and not faint, Iſai. 40.31. And what is this precious Scripture but the ſumme, or the Epilogue of all that I have beene ſpeaking? viz. That it is onelyonly the weake and weary that can profitably leane, and by leaning, comfortably draw ſtrength and refreſhment from the Lord Chriſt.
And upon theſe accounts it may (by the way) appeare how ſtrangely (ſome that call themſelves Miniſters of the Goſpel of Chriſt) goe to work about poor ſoules.Miniſters ſtrengthning thoſe whom God would yet have to be made weake. One comes to them, that can ſay, Sir, I thank God I have had an honeſt heart from my Cradle, I never wronged any man in my life, no man can ſay that black is mine eye, I have ever had a good mind towards heaven, I uſe prayer often, and give much Alms to the poor, and your ſelfe can bear me witneſs, ſir, that I alwaies pay you Tythes of all that I poſſeſs, and am conſtantly at Church with you every ſunday. But now I grow aged, (or I am ſick, &c.) and I would be ſure what eſtate I am in, I pray ſir, what think you of my condition? Why? …ruly it is the buſineſs of many mens preaching, to ſend away ſuch a ſelf-juſtifying, and ſo ſelf-undoing Phariſee to hell, (as ſome think that the Prophet ſent away Naaman into the houſe of Rimmon) with a Goe in peace, and tels them, You are an happy man, I would we had more ſuch as you are, I would not have you to queſtion farther, you will do very ill to trouble your ſelf with any doubting thoughts; and indeed what ſhould they anſwer more, or other; for the line is like the Co…py they ſet, and the man hath done what they have called for. This is to ſtrengthen the ſtrong whom God would not have ſtrengthened; for had this man come to one that takes up the Goſpel from Chriſt's own mouth, he muſt have ſaid, Oh! but ſir, one thing you lack. You muſt go and ſtrip your ſelf of all this ſtrength, your righteouſneſſe will not here availe you; You muſt part with all, and become a begger, or you can never become Chriſts Diſciple: and although you have been one of the beſt, the ſtrickeſt, the choiceſt of Phariſees, you muſt ſee your ſelfe to be the chiefeſt of ſinners. Go, and ſell all that thou haſt, is a Doctrine ſeldome preached by ſuch Miniſters, or regarded by ſuch hearers.
Miniſters weakening thoſe hearts that God would have made ſtrong.Againe, Let others come to them with hearts full of ſorrow, and eyes full of tears; Oh ſir, I know not what to do, I would pray, but I have no ſtrength to it; I would believe, but I cannot! and why ſay I that I would? alas! alas! I have no strength to will any thing that is good. I find every corruption very ſtrong, and nothing ſtrong but corruption; and truly I am even weary of my life, becauſe of mine infirmities. Good ſir, What muſt I do? how ſhall I get a better heart? &c. Why? ſaith ſome Miniſter, You complain much, but perhaps mend as little? you muſt go and turn from your evill waies, and amend your doings, repent, and pray, and read, and keep your Church; I cannot give you a jo… of comfort, or ſpeak any peace unto you, till you grow better.
And canſt thou not? this truly is to weaken the weake, whom God would have made ſtrong, this is to ſpeak a word altogether out of ſeaſon (like raine in Harveſt, or ſnow in ſummer) unto him that is wearie; 'tis as if a Phyſitian ſhould ſay to a fainting man ready to ſwound away, you muſt ſtay till you be thorough well, before I can give you a cordial. But it is Chriſt's work (and ſhould be ours) to give Cordials unto ſuch, to make them well: and for my part, I hope I ſhall account it my work, where-ever I ſee a loſt ſoul ſtrong, to weaken it, that Chriſt may give it ſtrength; or if another be throughly weake, and weary, to helpe it up (as much as my poore endeavours may any way thereto conduce) unto the ſhoulders of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
And therefore my now-deſign, in ſtead of Application, Improvement.ſhall be an endeavour firſt to Weaken, and then to weary the loſt ſouls that are amongſt you, if ſo be that thereby they may be made ready for the ſhoulders of Jeſus Chriſt. And
Firſt, For the weakening of your Chriſtleſſe ſtrength. 1. To the weakning of your Chriſtleſs ſtrength.Surely the weapons of our (miniſterial) warfare, are peculiarly meant, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. where they are ſaid to be mighty thorough God, to the pulling down of ſtrong holds; this is (as I ſaid) Gods work, and it is to be mine this day, and indeed there is a ſtrong man, and an armed, that is in every Chriſtleſs ſoule, that muſt be caſt out before ever the grace of the Lord dwell in that heart, Mar. 3.27. And 'tis in vaine to ſay to the everlaſting doors, ſtand open, unleſs you have caſt every carnal unregenerate ſtrength out of doors, for every ſuch ſtrength will lay hold on the bolt, and manage the bars; ſo that Chriſt himſelfe ſaith, No man can enter into the houſe. It is our miniſterial charge to pull down, as well as to edifie, to weaken ſtrength, and to ſtrengthen weakneſſe, to root out, and to plant, to throw down, as well as to build, Jer. 1, 10. I ſhall therefore take the Axe of truth, and lay it to the root of your ſtrength this day. Two or thee blowes (if God ſtrike with me) ſhall be ſufficient to cut it downe, and down with it my Brethren even to the ground, why cumbreth it your ſouls?
Firſt,1. Conſid. your choyceſt ſtrength is with very weakneſſe. Conſider the utter weakneſſe of thy choiceſt ſtrength, to ſtand before the immenſe, the inconceivable and infinite juſtice and wrath of God, with which thy ſtrength muſt wreſtle and encounter. Wert thou to contend with man, or to enter into judgement with the Sonnes of men, perhaps thy ſlender, broken, finit ſtrength, might helpe thee to prevaile, but it is God with whom we have do, whoſe very weakneſs is ſtronger then men, 1 Cor. 1.25. And then what is his ſtrength? Thy ſtrength O Phariſee, we know, and thy power we know; but who knowes the power of Gods wrath? even according to his fear, ſo is his anger, Pſal. 90.11. Did thy ſoul feare him more, then woulſt thou underſtand the power of his wrath better; though when all is known that can be underſtood, it paſſeth knowledge; Who knows it? Holy Job was moſt graciouſly under this conviction, Job 9.19, 20, 21, 22. If I ſpeak of ſtrength, lo he is ſtrong; and of judgement, who ſhall ſet me a time to plead? If I juſtifie my ſelfe, mine own mouth ſhall condemne me; If I ſay I am perfect, it ſhall alſo prove me perverſe: Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my ſoul, I would deſpiſe my life. That is, mine own ſtrength were enough to ruine me, therefore had I more of it then I have, I durſt take no notice of it, becauſe I have to doe with the moſt ſtrong. Let this ſerve for the firſt blow.
2d. Conſid. All your Chriſt leſſe ſtrength is idolatrous.Secondly, Conſider that what ever ſtrength thou haſt on this ſide the ſtrength of God in Jeſus Chriſt, it is idolatrous. And wilt thou look to be ſaved by an Idol? I obſerve in Scripture, that amongſt the many expreſſions that it hath for an Idol, the ſtrong is one of them, Iſai. 1.31. The ſtrong ſhall be as tow, (that is, the Idol ſhall be as tow) and the maker of it as a ſpark, and they ſhall both burn together, and none ſhall quench them. What ever thou makeſt thy ſtrength on this ſide Chriſt, thou makeſt it thine Idol. If thou makeſt prayer, or hearing, or alms, thy work, &c. thou doſt well: but if thou makeſt them thy ſtrength, thou makeſt them thine Idol, and ſo thou, and thy prayers, and alms, and juſt dealings, ſhall down to hell together; they ſhall be as tow, that is, as fewel to the flame, that ſhall be in thy Conſcience, and none ſhall be able to quench them from burning together to all eternity. Therefore may I yet ſay unto you, now your Altars, and images, and Ceremonies are gone, as John to thoſe in his time, (when the Goſpel (I believe) had diſpelled thoſe groſſer Egyptian darkneſſes) 1 Joh. 5.21. Little Children, keepe your ſelves from Idols. Amen.
3d. Conſid.Thirdly, Conſider what ever ſtrength thou haſt on this ſide the ſtrength of Jeſus Chriſt, it is an Artichriſtian, as well as an Idolatrous ſtrength.Your Chriſtleſſe ſtrength is Antichriſtian. And wilt thou hope to be ſaved by an Antichriſt? Rom. 10.3.4. The Jews going about to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſſe, (that is plainly to make their righteouſneſſe their ſtrength.) They have not ſubmitted themſelves to the righteouſneſſe of God, for Chriſt is the end of the Law, for righteouſneſs to them that believe. Who ſees not what I ſay? they have not ſubmitted: If thou make thy ſtrength thy righteouſneſs, this is very rebellion againſt the Lord, and Antichriſtianitie, even the ſetting of thy ſelf in battel aray againſt the righteouſnes of faith, and the ſtrength that is to be had in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Precious is that language of Davids, Pſal. 21.13. Be thou exalted O Lord in thine own ſtrength, ſo will we ſing and praiſe thy power. Mark that, if we pretend to exalt the Lord, but we will do it in our own ſtrength, (as Arminians in their own free-will, &c. When we come to the matter of praiſe, we ſhall quickly confer it (as I obſerve them to do) upon our owne power, and not the Lords. O the noble Principles, cry they, of the underſtandings, and reaſons, and minds of men! which the ſcriptures, whileſt unregenerate, call darkneſs, and fooliſhneſs, and enmitie againſt God; and ſay they, O that noble principle of free-will! which the ſcriptures call an heart of ſtone, and declare it to be to every good word and worke (of it ſelfe) Reprobate. Let us ariſe in the might of our own principles, ſay they, &c. But, Let God ariſe, and then his Enemies ſhall be ſcattered, ſay we. Yet will we alſo ſay, When the Ark ariſeth, it is not a time for Iſrael to ſit ſtill. It is not their working, but their working in their own ſtrength that I plead againſt.
Let me leave then this word with tender Conſciences which I am not afraid of, declaring as the ſence of my ſoule unto the world, although it be a ſad apprehenſion. Let a poore creature go a begging to two doors, the Maſter of the one houſe takes a knife, and cuts a piece of victuals, and gives it as an Alms to the begger, and thinks when he hath done, that for this he is more in the books of God, (I meane as to the merit of favour and acceptance) and goes away priding and pleaſing his owne heart in what he hath done, and concluding from the bare act, that he offered to God a ſacrifice, ſuch as thereby to make him his Debter. And the Begger comes to an others houſe, where another man (in a paſſion) takes a knife, and cuts the poore wretches throat, and by that act his own Conſcience is wounded, and his heart ſtruck dead, that he now comes trembling and aſtoniſhed before the Lord, whileſt the other boaſting, cryes out, God I thank thee, I cut him bread, but this man cut his throat; But the murtherer cryes out, The Lord be merciful, &c. Deliver me from blood-guiltineſs O God, &c. I believe this Murtherer way be nearer Heaven, then that Alms-giver: The former hath murthered the Begger, the other hath murthered the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Our Saviour reſents it thus, and thus expreſſeth it to the face of the Phariſees, Mat. 21.31. Verily I ſay unto you, that the Publicans, and the Harlots, goe into the Kingdom of God before you. For they believed, verſ. 32. Thoſe that were uncleane Harlots, are ſaved, when often-waſhing Hypocrites are damned. Thoſe that were oppreſſing Publicans, are juſtified, when Beleeving Phariſees are condemned. And thus much be ſpoken in order to the weakening of your ſtrength.