A Scripture-Map of the Wilderness of Sin, Treatise · Part 4 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Begins five Queries. 1. Who are fit to leane. Anſw. The weake and weary. How weakneſſe fits for leaning on Chriſt, opened and applyed.
THus much for proofe of this point.The opinion of the point in five Queſtions. The opening of it I ſhall endeavour by diſcuſſing theſe ſeverall Queries.
1. Who they are that (amongſt bewildred ſinners) are onelyonly fit (according to the Goſpel) to lean upon the Lord Jeſus?
2. What it is that they are to lean for, or in Order to?
3. What this leaning upon Chriſt (in reference to thoſe ends,) is?
4. What are the hinderances of our leaning thus upon Chriſt?
5. What are the advantages by ſuch leanings upon Chriſt?
Firſt,1. Queſtion. Who they are that are fit and truly able to leane upon Chriſt. viz. Who they are that alone are fit and apt to leane upon Jeſus Chriſt? Who is this (ſaith the Text,) That comes out of the Wilderneſs, leaning upon her beloved? So ſay I, Who are they amongſt loſt ſoules, (for all are bewildred) that can come leaning upon Chriſt out of the Wilderneſſe? There are an hundred loſt in the VVilderneſſe, Luk. 15. And there is but one that comes home leaning. Though all be loſt, yet few be leaning ſoules.
Now who are thoſe few?
Anſwer. I durſt adventure to anſwer this Queſtion by asking another. Amongſt you, (let me ask you) Who are they that need, that care for a ſtay, a leaning ſtock, a crutch, a litter, a couch, a bed, or any thing proper to be leaned upon?The weake and the wearie. you'l ſay, the weake are for leaning, and the weary are for reſt. The ſtrong and the freſh, what care they for a leaning ſtock? But to the weake and weary, it is precious; and indeed the more weake and weary they are, the more precious it is unto them. I obſerve the principal ſcope of that excellent experimental and incomparable Book of the Preacher, Is the conviction and demonſtration of the weakneſſe and wearyingneſſe of all that is here below, Eccle. 1.14. I have ſeen all the works that are under the Sun, and behold, all is vanity and vexation of ſpirit. Vanity, there's their weakneſſe and impotency to helpe us: and vexation of ſpirit, there's their wearyſomneſſe unto us, for that which is vexing to the Spirit, is tyring and tedious to the Spirit. Now this is the preaching of Solomon, and unleſſe you be under the power of it in this point, it will be vaine to preſſe you to leane upon the Lord Jeſus, although a greater then Solomon be here; but who ſo believeth that Text in Eccleſiaſtes, will readily cloſe with this Text in the Canticles: But as for Phariſees, that can feed without feare on the feaſt of their own cooking; and Worldlings that can battle themſelves in their ſinnes, is it not ſtrange that they are too ſtrong and too luſty, too freſh and too lively, to leane on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: ſo then, 'tis onelyonly weake and weary ones, that either will, or can ſavingly leane upon the Lord Chriſt. I crave leave to be full both in proving and preſſing this practical truth.
1. Loſt ſoules that will be leaning ſoules,1. Weak ſouls may be leaning ſoules, and onelyonly they. A fourefold account. muſt be weak ſoules; and they that are weak ſoules, had need be leaning ſoules: this truth looks both wayes, and will manifeſt it ſelfe on this four-fold account.
1. That God would never have engaged the ſtrength of Chriſt hereunto, if any ſtrength of ours, or any others on this ſide Chriſt would have ſerved the turn.
2. As long as a ſoul hath ſtrength on this ſide Chriſt, it will not care for leaning for ſtrength upon Chriſt.
3. The ſtrength of Jeſus Chriſt, is at firſt laid out for this very end, to weaken our ſtrength.
4. Jeſus Chriſt will never give in of his ſtrength, until he hath weakened ours.
Firſt, This Propoſition I ſhall lay down,1. Ieſus Chriſt had not laid out his ſtrength upon loſt ſouls, if any other ſtrength would have ſerved the turne. That if our ſtrength might have ſerved to the ſaving of our loſt ſouls, the Lord would never have laid the ſtrength of Jeſus Chriſt out unto ſuch an end. Friends, you may not think, that that God who is ſo loath that your blood ſhould be loſt, would be prodigal of the blood of his owne deare Sonne, ſurely he would never have ſuffered Jeſus Chriſt to have dyed in vaine: Now therefore it was that Chriſt loved not his life unto the death, that as by his wounding we might be healed, as by his poverty we might be made rich, ſo by his weakning through the fleſh, we might be ſtrengthened with all might by his Spirit in the inner man: which if all things elſe had not been too weak to have accompliſhed, Jeſus Chriſt would not at ſo deare a rate have effected it. If any thing might have been ſupportant to our bewildred ſoules beſides Jeſus, it muſt have been Moſes; I meane performances, ſervices, righteouſneſs of the Law. Our ſtrength in the Old Covenant was by doing, in the New Covenant 'tis by believing; Now if that firſt Covenant could have ſtood loſt ſoules in ſtead unto ſalvation, Jeſus Chriſt had not been engaged, but in this the Apoſtle is expreſſe, Rom. 8.3. For what the Law could not do, in that it was weak through the fleſh, God ſent his own Sonne in the likeneſſe of ſinful fleſh, &c. If any thing could be our ſtrength on this ſide Chriſt, it muſt be the Law. But the Law cannot, being weake through the fleſh, that is, our carnal hearts and converſations: therefore God ſent his own Son. Now if Chriſt were ſent in default of other ſtrength, into the world for loſt ſoules, I hence conclude; that any ſoule that expects ſalvation by leaning upon Chriſt, muſt lye under weakneſſe, as to any and every other ſtrength.
2ly. There are none but weak ſoules that will be leaning ſouls.Secondly, There are none but weak ſouls that will be leaning ſoules, becauſe there is no ſoule that hath ſtrength of its owne, that will care for the ſtrength of Jeſus Chriſt. This you have eminently obſervable in the ſtory of the woman with the bloody iſſue; as long as ſhe had either money in her Purſe, or Phyſitian to go to, ſhe never comes to Jeſus Chriſt: that is, As long as there were any other courſe to be taken, if ſecurity will do it, or formality, or any other meanes may be uſed, our hearts naturally abhor comming to Jeſus Chriſt. But when all was gone, money out of her Purſe, and hope out of her heart, &c. then ſhe comes to Chriſt to take hold on the hemme of his Garment, and (as ſmall a meaſure of leaning as that was) it reſtored her ſtrength unto her, Luk. 8.43, 44. You ſometime ſay, That you are not weak enough to lye by it, though you be ſcarce well enough to ſit up: So, though foules halfe-convicted, are ſcarce well enough to live without Chriſt, yet are there but few of them weake enough to lye by it; that is, to leane upon Jeſus Chriſt.
Thirdly, It is the buſineſſe of Jeſus Chriſt, to weaken, as wel as to ſtrengthen ſouls.3ly. Chriſt will take away thy ſtrength before he will beſtow his own. To weaken the ſtrong, as well as to ſtrengthen the weake: and therefore no ſoule can be a leaning ſoule, till it be a weake ſoule; for Chriſt will weaken it, as to its own ſtrength, before he ſtrengthen it with his owne. What David complains of in another caſe, Pſal. 102.23. That God had weakened his ſtrength in the way, the ſame muſt thou ſay in thy ſoules experience, for Chriſt weakens whomſoever he ſtrengtheneth. Thus Rev. 3.17. He takes a courſe to make them out of love with their own riches, &c. and then counſels them to buy of him. And truly (my friends) Chriſt hath as hard worke of the one, almoſt as of the other; and our buſineſſe in his Goſpel, is to weaken your ſtrength, as well as to ſtrengthen your weakneſſe. Haſt thou any ſelfe-ſtrength? if Chriſt love thee he will never leave thee, till he hath weakened thee, 2 Cor. 10.4. The weapons of our warfare are ſpiritual, mighty through God, to the pulling down of ſtrong holds. God will pull down what is ſtrong in thee, before ever he build up what is weak in thee, 1 Cor. 1.27. God hath choſen the weake things of this World, to confound what is mighty, weak preaching to confound mighty corruptions and ſtrong luſts. If you build a Babel, ſtrong holds of your owne of one ſort or another, the Lord Chriſt will bring them to naught, he will confound them: Whether thou be ſtrong in thine own corruptions, or mighty in thine own righteouſneſs, he wil weaken thy ſtrength in the way: therefore unleſſe thou be weake, there's no leaning upon him.
Fourthly, It is the way and method,4ly. In thy weakneſſe only will he glorifie his owne ſtrength: and onelyonly method of the Lord Jeſus, to give in ſtrength unto thoſe that are made thus weak. Hear Chriſts voyce, 2 Cor. 12.9. My ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſs, ſaith he to Paul. And hear the anſwer of Pauls experience, ver. 10. For when I am weake, ſaith he, then am I ſtrong. Yea, this is the conſtant experience of all that receive ſtrength in the way of Faith; that is, leaning upon Chriſt. When the Apoſtle had ſpoken of ſo many believers, and thought of more, that the time would faile to reckon them up, and what they did by faith, this he inſerts in the cloſe of all Heb. 11.34.A double inſtance. 1. Wouldſt thou have thine underſtanding ſtrenthened, thou muſt become a fool. That out of weakeneſſe they were made ſtrong.
I ſhall illuſtrate this in a double inſtance.
1. Wouldſt thou have ſtrength into thine underſtanding by leaning unto Chriſt for ſtrength, truly thou muſt goe in all manner of ſenſe of the weakneſſe of thine underſtanding, to the Throne of Grace, and complaine of thy blind heart in that language, I am of yeſterday, and know nothing; or in Aſaphs, Pſal. 73. I am brutiſh and ignorant, and as a beaſt before thee. If thou goe knowing to the Lord Jeſus, thou ſhalt come away ignorant; if thou goe blind, thou ſhalt come away ſeeing; if thou be a fool when thou goeſt to him, thou ſhalt come ſavingly wiſe from him; if thou goeſt in the thoughts of ſelfe-wiſdome, thou ſhalt be a fool at thy comming away, 1 Cor. 3.18. Let no man deceive himſelfe, if any man amongſt you thinketh himſelfe to be wiſe, let him become a fool that he may be wiſe.
2ly. Wouldſt have thy whole ſoule ſtrong? thou muſt be ſenſible of thy weakneſs, in will, affections, &c.2. If thou wouldſt by leaning upon Chriſt, derive any ſtrength into thy will or affections, thou muſt goe in the ſenſe of thine infirmity, viz. That thou art not ſufficient of thy ſelfe ſo much as to thinke any thing that is good; that thou haſt from thy ſelfe, neither to will, nor to doe; thou muſt come complaining as Paul, Rom. 7. When I would do good, evill is preſent with me. 21. Nay, that thy will to good is but weake, and thy will to corruption ſtrong, ſo that the law of thy members doth not onelyonly warre, but take thee captive to the Law of ſinne, as he complaines, ver. 23. and cryes out upon it, Oh wretched man that I am! ver. 24. Then comes he out of this Wilderneſs, leaning on the beloved, I thanke God through Jeſus Chriſt, ver. 25.
A two-fold word of improvement.Before I goe farther, I ſhall deſire to faſten this more upon your hearts, by a word of improvement to you that hear me this day. And
1. To thoſe that are truly weak, comfort.1. To thoſe of you that are truly weake. Is it ſo that none can leane upon Chriſt, unleſſe they be as thou art? here then is abundant matter of rejoycing and reviving to thee, where thou thoughteſt there was nothing but ſadneſſe, even ſorrowing unto death. There have ſundry ſoules come ſad unto me upon this account, and this was the great burthen of their complaint. Oh! I am ſo weake in prayer, of ſuch a weake judgement, that I cannot diſcern, or ſo weake a memory, that I cannot retaine the things of God; and ſurely it can never be well with me, and truly mine heart hath often leapt within me, for joy to behold this their ſweet ſorrow: theſe poor ones do not find others complaining ſo much of weakneſſe, and therefore they thinke that every one is indeed ſtronger then they. Now to ſuch let me ſpeake, even to thoſe amongſt you, whoſe ſtrong holds the weapons of our warfare have been pulling down, and whoſe ſtrength the Lord hath weakened, that if there be any cauſe of rejoycing unto any ſoule on this ſide Jeſus Chriſt, it is barely, and onelyonly our being made weake by Chriſt, or our thorough ſenſe and feeling of our weakneſſe out of him: and herein verily we may boaſt, ſo farre as our weakneſſe gives an objective advantage unto the glorifying of the ſtrength of the Lord: ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 12.9, 10. I will glory in mine infirmities, that the power of Chriſt may reſt upon me; yea, I take pleaſure in my weakneſſes, for when I am weake, then am I ſtrong. Methinks, I am ſent this day with that meſſage unto ſuch ſoules that I meet with, Iſai. 35.3. Strengthen you the weake hands, and confirme the feeble knees: Say unto them be ſtrong, ver. 4. What ever infirmity you can complaine of, I think the Lord hath there on purpoſe anſwered you. The blind ſhall ſee, the deafe ſhall heare, the lame ſhall runne, the dumb ſhall ſing, verſes 5.6. Yea, the wayfaring men, though fools, ſhall not erre in that high-way, that way of holineſs; and which is there to be remarked, all theſe promiſes are made to wilderneſs-ſoules, ver. 1.2, 6, &c. As if ſo be the Lord ſhould on purpoſe ſay, whatever weakneſſe you can complaine of, it ſhall not be able to hinder your everlaſting joy ſpoken of v. 10.
Secondly, Let me ſpeak to thoſe of you that are ſtrong,2ly. To thoſe that are ſelfe-ſtrong, confuſion of face. but not by leaning on Jeſus Chriſt. Let me tell you, that had you no more to anſwer for, or to reckon with God for, then your very ſtrength, there is enough for the Lord to confound you; yea, and he will confound you. That God that is reſolved to ſtain the pride, is reſolved to pull down the ſtrength of all fleſh! Woe be to thee, whoſe ſtrength is in thine hearing, or praying, or Alms, as Samſons was in his haire. The Lord will be ſure to cut off thy proud locks, and then where ſhall thy ſtrength be found? Theſe are the ſoules that compaſſe themſelves with ſparks of their own kindling, that warme their hearts at their own fire, and ſay, aha! aha! ſuch as theſe ſhall have no hold on the name of the Lord, no ſtay upon the beloved, but inſtead thereof, this ſhall they have of the hand of the Lord, they ſhall lye down in ſorrow, Iſa. 50.10, 11.