A Scripture-Map of the Wilderness of Sin, Treatise · Part 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Anſwereth this Query, How may the ſoul of a barren, &c. wilderneſs, become unto Chriſt a fruitful &c. garden? with many precious promiſes unto wilderneſs-like ſouls.
ME thinks I now hear the ſoul ſighing out this Query:Query, How to finde Chriſt a gardener, and to become a garden. Anſw. By coming to and leaning upon Chriſt. I hear his voice indeed that dwells in the gardens; but how ſhall I be able to finde him a gardener unto me, that I may be a garden unto h m?
Poor ſoul! art thou in a wilderneſs? art thou a wilderneſs? I know no way to help thee out of this condition, unleſs, as in the Text, thou come out leaning upon Chriſt: It is touching Chriſt, taking of hold upon Chriſt, and Chriſt alone, that can help thy poor ſoul: O Sirs! did you now but ſee where you are, what flocking ſhould we have after Chriſt this day? even as they in the days of his fleſh, that they might but touch the hem of his garment, Matth. 14.36. for, ſaith the Text, as many as touched, were made perfectly whole; ſo ſay I, as many as touch him, ſhall be perfectly changed from wilderneſſes into gardens; ſo Mark 3.10. as many as had plagues preſſed upon him for to touch him. Haſt thou then the plague of a barren heart, a moiſtureleſs eye, a ſeared conſcience, a waſte, carkaſe-like, lean, ſtarving ſoul: O preſs after Jeſus Chriſt! They there were ſenſible of the plagues, becauſe they were bodily plagued; and our Savior was fain to have a ſhip to receive him, leſt they ſhould throng him, Mark 3.9. but alas, the plagues are ſpiritual, and you do not diſcern them; and therefore, though Chriſt be in the midſt of you, yet who preſſeth amongſt you to lean upon him? I ſhall briefly, according to the preſent occaſion, tell what I mean by leaning upon Chriſt.
Secondly, How you may take hold upon him in order to your finding him a Gardener to you, and your becoming to him a fruitful garden, ſtored with the plants of Paradiſe.
Which leaning imports four things. 1. A ſenſe of thy wilderneſs like barrenneſs, &c.Firſt, then leaning (briefly) imports four things:
Firſt, Art thou ſenſible of thy being a wilderneſs, and that thou art not able of thy ſelf to ſtir towards a better ſtate? elſe canſt thou not, elſe wilt thou not lean upon Chriſt in order thereunto. A man that thinks his ground, his heart, is well husbanded, will not care for Chriſts being a vine, or Gods being an husbandman; tell him of it, hee'l ſay, Pray then take him for your own; my ground, I thank you, is well enough: Therefore 'tis the main obſervable in that parable, Luke 15. where you have an hundred ſheep in the wilderneſs, there's one is a loſt ſheep, but all are bewildred, loſt; what's that? why one that is ſenſible thereof and not able to help himſelf, a ſinner, a repentance-needing ſinner, verſ. 7. the other are in the wilderneſs too, but they ſee it not; they are juſt in their own eyes, they need no repentance, their way is ſo good, they need not turn head (as many unconverted duty-mongers, and ſelf-juſtifiers) the Lord Chriſt leaves all theſe, though 99 in the wilderneſs, and takes care of that poor loſt ſheep, and layes that upon his ſhoulder, and rejoyces more in that then in all the reſt, ver. 4, 5, 6, 7. O Friend! thou that art damned in thy ſelf, undone in thy ſelf, in the midſt of the wilderneſs, bewildred in ſin, in thy very duties, that canſt ſee nothing in thy ſelf but a wilderneſs, thou art the onelyonly fit man thus to improve Chriſt, and to be improved by Chriſt.
2. The diſcovery of a ſufficiency in Chriſt.Secondly, Leaning requires the diſcovery of a ſufficiency in another; if the ſoul be a wilderneſs, yet if it ſee not Chriſt to be an all-ſufficient redeemer, it will ſtay as it is, and not not care for changing: A man will not lean, unleſs there be diſcovered a ſtrength in that whereon he leans, ſutable to the end for which he leans upon it; that is a choice Scripture, perſwading and inviting poor wilderneſs-like ſouls to a change, Iſa. 27.4. Fury is not in me (ſaith God) yet who would ſet bryars and thorns againſt me in battel (if you will be ſtill a wilderneſs, and if this briery and thorny wilderneſs will ſtill ſtand out againſt me, and reject my gracious motions) I would go through them; I would (ſaith he) burn them together (if thou reſolve to be a thorny wilderneſs, he alſo will reſolve to be a flaming fire) But as if his earneſt deſire were, that it ſhould be otherwiſe, ſee what he puts them upon in the immediately following words, verſ. 5. Or let them take hold of my strength (that's Chriſt) who you know is Gods strength to believers; without whom God will (I may ſay with reverence, as God ſtands covenanted) God can do nothing, that he may make peace with me, and he ſhall make peace with me; or let them (I am much taken with the maner of expreſſion) If they will fight, if they will ſet up their briars and thorns againſt me, let them; then I will d…ſtroy them, or let them (Oh! God had rather make peace then conquer, though he be ſure of victory) take hold of my strength; let them, that is (as we muſt needs take it by reaſon of this particle (or let them) the briars and thorns take hold of my strength: Why? what good ſhall they get by it? Why? they were as barren as bryers and thorns before; my ſtrength (that's Chriſt, if they take hold on him) ſhall cauſe them to take root, to bloſſom, to bud, to fill the face of the world with fruits, ver. 6. What canſt thou, that ſeeſt thy ſoul a wilderneſs, deſire more? Now I beſeech you mark, if you would effectually take hold upon Chriſt for ſuch a change, from a thorny wilderneſs into a bloſſoming, budding, fruitful garden, you muſt ſee Chriſt to be Gods ſtrength, no… onelyonly to make peace for your ſouls, but to work fruitfulneſs in your ſouls
We have alſo another full Scripture, Iſa. 51. God promiſeth to turn the wilderneſs into Eden, and the deſert into his own garden: now how ſhall this be effected? verſe 4. you have Chriſt repreſented as a light to the people, verſe 5. you have his plain names righteouſneſs and ſalvation; but now how ſhall the people ſhare in ſuch ſalvation as ſhall make them of a wilderneſs to become a garden of the Lord? Why on mine arm (that's Chriſt) ſhall the iſles truſt: You muſt then diſcover Chriſt to be that ſtrength, yea, that arm of God, by which the Lord turns the deſert into Eden, or elſe, though you be a deſert, you will not care for leaning upon Chriſt.3. Laying our burthens of barrenneſs, &c: upon Chriſt.
Thirdly, Leaning imports the caſting of our burthens of barrenneſs and fearedneſs, &c. upon that ſtrength whereon we lean: If you would then ſo lean upon Chriſt, as to come up from your wilderneſs-like ſtate, then you muſt lay the burthens of your barrenneſs, your dryneſs, your deſolateneſs, your leanneſs, your waſtneſs upon Chriſt; and verily to encourage you, you ſhould know that Chriſt was for this very buſineſs ſent into the wilderneſs of this world, that he might bear all the burthens of poor bewildred broken-hearted ſinners, Lev. 16.21. Aaron ſhall confeſs all the iniquities of the children of Iſrael, and all their tranſgreſſions (that's their bewildrings, their goings aſide) in their ſins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and ſhall ſend him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderneſs; and the goat ſhall bear upon him their iniquities, unto a land not inhabited, and he ſhall let go the goat into the wilderneſs: How and if we ſhould expound it thus? Chriſt in his reſurrection was this ſcape-goat, or his Divinity, in which he could not ſee death, and by which he was rai…ed after death, though as man he was the ſin-offering goat, mentioned verſe 15. Iſraels bewildrings (what elſe mean you by tranſgreſſions?) are charged upon his ſcore; from Iſrael he is ſent by a fit man (thats the Goſpel-miniſter, who ſhould be apt (that's fit) to teach this Goſpel) into a land not inhabited (ſo ordinarily are the Gentiles (in reſpect of the then ordinances of God) repreſented) and there even in this wilderneſs is he let go; this ſalvation is free to us a poor wilderneſs in reſpect of the Jews, as well as to them: If I miſtake in the place, I am ſure I miſtake not in the thing; you ſinners, ſaith my Text, are in the wilderneſs; and Chriſt the ſcape-goat (ſaith that Text) is there alſo, if you meet him, lay your burthens upon him (I ſpeak to ſuch as are loſt) his buſineſs, his errand in coming thither, is to bea… your tranſgreſſions, Iſa. 53.4. Surely he hath born our griefs, and carried our ſorrows, yea, upon him they are, ver. 5. yea upon him the Lord hath laid them, ver. 6. Art thou unable to carry thine own grievances, and to bear thine own barrenneſs? fear not,4. Receiving ſtreng…h from Chriſt … a change. onelyonly believe, lay them in the humility of thy ſoul upon thy Savior; he will, he can bear them for thee.
Laſtly, Leaning imports a deriving of ſtrength and power from that upon which we lean, in order to that upon which we lean; Would you then ſo lean upon Chriſt as to come out of your wilderneſs? Take hold upon Gods ſtrength ſo long, till your bryars and thorns be rooted up, and the word have taken a new root, brought forth new buds, new bloſſoms, new fruit, Iſa. 27.5, 6. yea, till thy whole converſation be filled therewith.
Oh! but (ſaith the ſoul) how ſhall that be? Query. that's it I would have; Oh! how ſhould I ſo lean upon Jeſus Chriſt. I cannot ſee him, I cannot finde him, I would come out of the wilderneſs leaning upon him? yea I ſought him, but I found him not; Oh! ſaw you my beloved? whither is he gone? whither is he turned aſide?
Poor ſoul! thy beloved is gone down into the gardens, Anſw. to the beds of the ſpices, to the covenant, to the promiſes; the covenant is the garden, the promiſes are the beds of ſpices: Oh! thither is Chriſt gone, there ſeek him, and thou ſhalt find him. Chriſt is engaged unto thee, if the promiſes be improved by thee, to make thee of a wilderneſs to become a ga…den: In general, you have many glorious promiſes of this importance, Iſa. 51.3. The Lord ſhall comfort Zion; how is that? Oh! there is comfort indeed, the Lord will make her wilderneſs like Eden; this word be ſpoken unto you, O ye wilderneſs-like ſouls; and what can comfort you, if this word do not? Before you had Gods ſtrength mentioned, here you have it engaged, lean therefore and take hold upon it, Iſa. 35.1. The wilderneſs ſhall be glad, it ſhall rejoyce even with joy and ſinging; the glory of Lebanon ſhall be given to it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon; how is that? they ſhall ſee the glory of the Lord: and what then? ſtrengthen then the week hands and feeble knees, &c. Who ſees not that this is ſpoken to poor ſouls, to wilderneſs-like ſouls? ſo the Pſalmiſt, ſpeaking of Gods turning the wilderneſs into a ſtanding water, and dry ground into water ſprings, Pſalm 107. cries out, verſ. 36. and there he makes the hungry to dwell, &c. ſouls that are not onelyonly lean, but hungry; not onelyonly ſuch as are in miſery and loſt, but that ſee their miſery; there he makes them to dwell in happpineſs and plenty, verſe 37.38.
1. Promiſes to the barren wilderneſs.But more particularly thou complaineſt thou art a barren wilderneſs, and thy ſouls deſire is to be made a fruitful garden; urge thoſe promiſes, Iſa. 35. the deſert ſhall bloſſom as a roſe (there's the quality, it ſhall bloſſom ſweetly) ver. 1. and as for quantity, it ſhall bloſſom abundantly, ver. 2. and in the habitation of dragon, where each lay, ſhall be graſs, ver. 7. Iſa. 27. whoſoever take hold of his ſtrength, he ſhall cauſe them to take root, to bloſſom, to bud, to fill the face of the world with fruit, verſ. 6. Pſalm 107. there (that's in the wilderneſs) he makes the hungry to dwell, ver. 36. and ſow fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield their increaſe.
2. Promiſes to the dry wilderneſs.Thou complaineſt thou art a dry and ſeared wilderneſs; others can weep for their ſins, thou canſt not; others can mourn for the afflictions of Joſeph, thou canſt not; rivers of tears run down the eyes of others, becauſe men keep not Gods law, yet run none down thine, though thou thy ſelf keep it not; thou groaneſt under a hard heart, a dry eye, a feared conſcience, and fain thou wouldſt it were otherwiſe with thee, poor ſoul; lean thou alſo upon Chriſt in the urging of thoſe promiſes, Iſa. 35.6. The tongue of the dumb ſhall ſing, for in the wilderneſs ſhall waters break out, and streams in the deſert, waters of ſorrow for ſin, ſtreams of affection towards God: if (as I ſaid in the other) thy ſoul be hungry, it ſhall be made fruitful; if now thy ſoul be thirſty, it ſhall be made ſprings of water, and the parched ground ſhall become a pool: ſee the Lords promiſe, Iſa. 44.3. I will pour water upon him that is thirſty, and floods upon dry ground, that is, ſaith he, My ſpirit which ſhall make him ſpring; you, whoſe ſoul God hath turned, can witneſs hereunto by your own experience.
3. Promiſes to the ſolitary wilderneſs.Thou complainſt thou art a ſolitary wilderneſs, that thou haſt none of Chriſts company, no communion with the Spirit, no acquaintance with God, urge thoſe words of grace, Iſa. 35.1. The wilderneſs, &c. the ſolitary place ſhall be glad: though thou have been ſolitary, Chriſt will, if thou act faith upon theſe promiſes, come to thee, and be with thee, and thou ſhalt be glad; ſo that the voice of joy, gladneſs, thankſgiving and melody, ſhall be found in thy ſoul, though thou hadſt been a wilderneſs, Iſa. 51.3. Rev. 3.20. I will come in to him; yea, Iſa. 42.16, Theſe things will I do unto them, and not forſake them.
Thou complainſt thou art a wilderneſs,4. Promiſes to the proviſionleſs wilderneſs. deſtitute and proviſionleſs, and art ready to ſay, Can God ſpread a table in this wilderneſs for thy ſoul? Is it poſſible that even thou ſhouldſt be made fat and flouriſhing in the ways and things of God, that art ſo lean? Yes, God can do it, yea he hath ſaid he will do it. Thoſe that are thus removed out of the wilderneſs, and tranſplanted in the houſe of the Lord, ſhall flouriſh in the courts of our God: they ſhall still bring forth fruit, they ſhall be fat and flouriſhing, Pſalm 92. 13, 14.Iſa. 49 9, 10. Mic. 7.14. He ſhall feed the flock which dwells ſolitary in the wilder- (as the Gene.) Rev. 3.20. He ſhall ſup with me: Look what proviſion Chriſt hath, the ſame ſhall be ſet before ſuch a ſoul: It is remarkable, Pſalm 105. The people asked, and he ſatisfied them with the bread of heaven: He opened the rock, &c. and the reaſons rendred, for he remembred his holy promiſe, verſ. 40, 41 42. poor ſoul, art thou hungerbitten? be Gods remembrancer of his promiſes, and thou ſhalt have bread from heaven.
Thou complainſt thy ſoul is bewildred,5. Promiſe to the wayleſs wilderneſs thy condition is wayleſs, and thou knoweſt not on which hand to turn, thou art in the wilderneſs, where there is no way.
Haſt thou not heard, poor ſoul, haſt thou not underſtood the voice of one crying in the wilderneſs? Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make streight in the deſert an high way for our God: John Baptiſt was his prepater, Chriſt was this way, Iſa. 40.3. with Matth. 3.3. and this in purſuance of that promiſe made to poor ſouls in the wilderneſs, Iſa. 35.8. and an high way ſhall be there, &c.
Thou complainſt that thy ſoul lieth waſte and not husbanded, like a deſert land,6. Promiſes to the waſte wilderneſs. and thou art afraid that the Lord hath deſerted thee, and thy God forſaken thee: know that the Lord hath ſaid, The deſert ſhall rejoyce and bloſſom, Iſa. 35.1. I will make her deſert like the garden of the Lord, the Lord will comfort all her waste places, Iſa. 51.3. Here's comfort indeed; her judgement, her will, her affections, her converſation, all were waſte; there came up nothing but briars and thorns, and nettles, &c. and thereefore juſtly was ſhe deſert and forſaken; but now all her waſte places are comforted (how's that?) Why? her very deſert is made as the garden of the Lord: now is ſhe the Lords vineyard, and the Lord will husband her, he will keep it, and water it every moment, Iſa. 27.3. And thus is Chriſt given for a covenant to the people, to cauſe to inherit the deſolate heritages; therefore they ſhall feed in the ways, and their pastures ſhall be in all high places: They ſhall not hunger, not thirſt, becauſe he that hath mercy on them ſhall lead them, and by the ſprings of water ſhall he guide them: and he will make all his mountains a way, and his high-ways ſhall be exalted, Iſa. 49.8, 9, 10, 11. Could you wiſh that God ſhould ſpeak more encouragingly to you? Behold you have a ſtrength to lean upon, that can, that will, that ſtands engaged to make you of a deſolate heritage, ſuch as you deſire to be before the Lord.