CHAPTER VII: The blessings which we have by Christ purely spiritual; how a spiritual heart consid
actings of their spirit have been low, and not risen up eminently above carnal self (as to their sense); for true grace or spirit may be in them carried out with the mixture of the other, and that genuinely
(as to the thing itself) unto what is spiritual.
(2.) In the main and whole ordinary course of a Christian, these two streams run together in one channel, and have no occasion of parting; but they find that loving their own selves, and their affecting spiritual things for themselves, do concur, insomuch as whether they affect themselves most, out of love to themselves, or most affect the things themselves, they cannot discern: as when all the bells strike at once, it is hard to discern distinctly the sound of the loudest above the rest. So as although a man's heart truly affects the things most, yet so much of self, carnal self, is mingled with it, that which is most eminent is not perceived. Only this they find, that their affections are still carried on one way or other to things that are spiritual; and in this case the constancy of the stream (though at some passage of a man's life more shallow than at another) is that which doth best evidence the Holy Ghost to be the spring of all, and that a fountain of spiritualness is sprung up in that heart, which feeds it thus to eternal life. The truest issue therefore which, in examining ourselves, we are to bring our souls unto, is ultimately to search, taking the help of those cautions given along with us, and not to rest satisfied till we have found some dispositions in our souls naturally matching with, and suited unto, what is spiritually good in things that are spiritual.
And although in the meanwhile, till this is some way discerned, the soul may support itself with the thoughts that those affections that have been drawn forth to things spiritual revealed in the word, perhaps in present sense, only out of self-love, may yet in the issue prove to have true strains of spiritualness running along with them.
But yet still thou canst not have an undoubted or infallible evidence of thy regeneration, till thou findest thy heart carried forth to and closing with what is truly spiritual in those blessings.
CHAPTER VII
That the blessings which we have by Christ are purely spiritual, proved by an enumeration of them.—How a spiritual heart considers and affects them in their pure spirituality.
I come now to reduce this inquisition into particular instances; that is, to view over some things spiritual, and to single forth in them what is truly spiritual, severed from what is accidental, and so to bring them and your hearts together, and to see how they will and do match and agree.
I will begin first with such things as may seem less spiritual, because suited unto what is in ourselves. Such are the benefits that come by Christ. Now, in each of these there is something that is purely and truly spiritual, towards which for the heart to be suitably carried forth, argues spiritualness in the heart. Now, to clear our understandings in this, take this for a true and certain general rule, that all the spiritualness that is in every such spiritual benefit consists in its relation and reference unto God himself, who is that great Spirit, and the fountain and measure of whatever is spiritual.
Neither grace, nor any spiritual benefit, is further spiritual than as it is a tenant of his, and holds of him; and both issues and flows from him, and returns again unto him, as redounding to his glory. So as it is the shine, the lustre, the reflection of his glory on these blessings, some way or other, which alone makes them spiritual, as they are streamings down of God upon us, and are redounds and reverberations of glory back again to him; which is more eminent in those blessings, and their being benefits unto us. And without this aspect unto and conjunction with God, they, if simply considered as benefits, would lose their spiritualness. So as although, because they are truly benefits, and for our good, and do make us happy, therefore self-love is admitted to partake of, yea, and to embrace them, for its own good (for they were also ordained thereto), yet unless that self-
love be taken with what is of God, and tends unto God in them, so as really to find its own good to lie therein, it would not be spiritual love.
And the truth of this notion (that you may not think it a mere imagination) discovers itself in things that are human, and in the professions of men, concerning things that are found amongst men.
1. A great king, in bestowing his benefits, puts the worth of them upon what is from himself, and redounds to himself. That story of Alexander illustrates it. You know the great king Alexander, when he thought fit to give a gift, he professes to give as a king, and so gave a city as a reward for a mean service; justifying it thus, 'I give as a king'
(as the scripture phrase also is, 2 Sam. 24:23), as becomes a king to give, and not as becomes the man to receive. So as in that gift or benefit there shined more of honour and glory to Alexander, than there did of good and benefit to the person on whom it was bestowed. The same strain was in Ahasuerus, 'Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour.' Thus it is in the spiritual benefits we have from God; God hath set them out unto us infinitely more by what is in them of benefit to us, and would have us accordingly entertain and embrace them; and when the heart is answerably thus affected, then it is spiritual.
2. The heart of an ingenuous man, though carnal, may understand how it is in this respect with a regenerate man's heart, so as to be convinced of it by what they feel, at least often pretend unto, in human affections. If a person be far your superior, or a friend very dear, and you are either suitors to him for a gift, or place, by reason of which you shall be near to him; or if you be to return thanks and obligations, or if you have a token given in remembrance of a near friend, your hearts prompt you, or your wits, at least, counterfeit such strains as these, Non tam dono (lector) quam abs te dato, I rejoice not so much in the gift, as because it is by so noble a hand and so noble a mind. And what you must profess to regard is, that he who gave it would cast an eye upon you, or that you might come thereby
to have a nearer approximation to him. For instance, will you take one of Paul's realities (I must not term them compliments) in Phil.
4:14, 17. He celebrates and magnifies their gift (ver. 14–16) more than any, from any church; and concludes (ver. 17), 'This I speak, not that I desire a gift, but that fruit may redound to your account.' He considered the benefit as it was to himself apart, and also as in its tendency it redounded unto the givers again, whom he valued. Thus also you value a medal, or a piece of gold, or the picture of a friend, not by its worth or weight, but as it relates to him, a thousand times above the value of it in itself. Now bring but the analogy of such things as these on to God, and his benefits or graces bestowed on you, and judge righteous judgment; and ask your hearts this question, For what it is you do affect them, and what is in them takes your hearts?
Run over those particular benefits celebrated (Eph. 1), all which the apostle pronounceth to be 'spiritual blessings' (ver. 3). And particularly observe wherein the lustre of their spiritualness lies.
1. What greater benefit or honour can be to us than to be the sons of God? ver. 5. Is it a small matter to be a son-in-law to a king? Oh, what honour is it to be a son to God! There you see is the benefit; well, but see what are the beams of spiritualness that irradiate this, and shine every way through it?
(1.) That the original of it was the good pleasure of his will.
(2.) That this is bestowed by Jesus Christ.
(3.) That it is bestowed to the praise of the glory of his grace. Take this benefit, as it is thus spiritualised, and there is no heart that can truly prize and affect it, as thus considered and circumstantiated, but it must be a spiritual heart.
(1.) That heart is spiritual which values it in respect of its original, viz., The good pleasure of his will. This took Christ's heart in God's saving of his people (which Christ is personally interested in as much
as we) more than the salvation itself of them: Mat. 11:25, 'Father, I thank thee. Even so, Father: it seemed good in thy sight.' Christ sets his seal, his own concurrency of will with God's, as that which above all pleased him also in it, namely, that 'so it seemed good in his sight.' What is it the beloved disciple in like manner calls up believers to behold and value their sonship by? Even this original of it, the love of God: 1 John 3:1, 'Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.' Herein lies the spiritualness of their value for the love of God, in respect of its fountain in God's heart; his love therein is valued more than the thing.
(2.) That heart is spiritual which values the privilege of sonship on the account of its being bestowed by Jesus Christ, and that it is possessed by virtue of a relation to him. This also holds forth spiritualness above what our sonship is otherwise in itself. Adam was a son of God's by creation, Luke 3:38. But to be a son of God by Christ, this is a higher thing, and puts the spiritualness upon it which a holy heart values. For it is to be a son-in-law by marriage unto, and union with, the natural Son of God. So then the spirituality of our sonship lies in that relation it hath unto Christ. Now bring a spiritual heart unto it, and though it cannot but infinitely rejoice that it is become a son of God, yet that this should be such a sonship as is founded upon relation to Jesus Christ as a husband, this makes his joy greater. To which of all the angels hath he said, My Son is thy husband, and thou art his spouse, and so thereby becomest my son?
'To as many as received him, he gave power to be the sons of God,'
John 1:13. This infinitely adds more unto it in a spiritual heart's esteem.
(3.) A spiritual heart rejoiceth that this should tend 'to the praise of the glory of his grace:' that God should take sons, who at best were such but by creation, and then by the fall were made sons of wrath, children of hell, sons of Satan, and make some persons sons, and sons by Christ. And this rebound that it hath unto the praise of the
glory of his grace, is the spiritualness of this benefit, the apostle being judge. How hath or doth thy soul close with it?
2. Then take the second benefit, instanced in ver. 6, which is, to be 'graciously accepted;' and still it holds of God and of Jesus Christ.
Therein lies the spiritualness of it. First, There was mention of the free grace of God in it just afore, and then follows, 'wherein he hath graciously accepted us.' This David valued above all, when he said
'Thy favour is better than life;' yea, even above the life he had by it, or through it, whether spiritual or temporal. God's grace and love ought to be more valued than the benefit that occurs thereby.
3. A spiritual heart considers that this acceptation is 'in the beloved.'
If God would profess to love one man immediately, as he is considered in himself alone (as some say he doth still the angels, or to be sure, as he did Adam at first), and to love another man in Christ, who is the primum amabile, his first and naturally beloved, his only begotten Son; Oh, how would the heart of a third man standing by, that is spiritual, say, O Lord, love me in the beloved with that love thou lovest thy Son! John 17:23. What love is it that Paul values and triumphs in? When, Rom. 8:37, 39, he had first said, 'In all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us;' what love was it he had in his eye, that he thus valued, and which caused him to triumph? He tells us, ver. 39, that it was 'the love of God which is in Jesus Christ our Lord.' Take this away, and all other love is but a common love, a providential love. But herein lieth the gospel spiritualness of God's love, that the favour of God is transmitted through Christ, who first hath contracted all the beams of God's love into himself, and so diffuseth them unto us. This takes and inflames the heart more than if in common, and immediately, the divine love was cast down upon us; as in a burning glass you see the beams of the sun to be more contracted and strengthened.
4. A spiritual heart considers the other benefit, ver. 7, 'redemption and forgiveness of sins.' This all men will readily and greedily listen after. Well, but a spiritual heart takes it in those rays of spiritualness
Paul hath set it in. (1.) In whom we have it, namely, Christ. (2.) Through his blood. (3.) According to the riches of his grace.
Justification and pardon of sin through Christ's righteousness is the glory of our religion. And take it in all that doth surround it, it is as spiritual a point as any other. And indeed it is too spiritual, not for papists only, but for many in these times, to cleave to. There are those among us who begin to be weary of it, though formerly, out of reverence to the Reformation of religion, even carnal hearts entertained it. But take it in its true spiritualness, and then to be sure only spiritualised souls will value it.
A spiritual heart regards justification by Christ's righteousness as it relates unto God's glory, that is, the glory of his grace. If ever God contrived anything for his glory, he did this. Inherent grace in us justified us once, but though it was the love of God the creator, and the due of innocent nature, yet God had no great liking to it; for as,
Rom. 4:2, 4, man had thereby whereof to glory; and the greatest reward was, by that way, reckoned of debt and not of grace; so man falling, God was willing to take that escheat and forfeiture, and for ever to despoil inherent grace (though he meant to bestow such grace still out of grace anew) of its first ancient privilege, and hath pronounced his sentence against it, that whatever it might avail and serve for in man's primitive innocent state, to be sure it should never justify him that hath it more. The glory of his own grace entered upon this, and hath sequestered it as his own prerogative for ever, to the glory of his grace. And he valued this one thing so much, as he hath given it away, and entitled his own Son to it, on purpose to magnify his blood, that this might be his eminent title, 'Jehovah, the Lord our righteousness.' And he hath put him into the possession of this honour, as won by his sword and his bow; as Jacob said of a plat of ground he gave to Joseph.
Use. Now to bring this home to our hearts by application. The news of forgiveness, justification, redemption, all men run away with. But,
I beseech you, consider wherein the spiritualness of this benefit lies,
and whether ever your hearts have been taken at all with it. Indeed, they should be most taken with it.
1. We ought to adore this way of our salvation, as it brings in so great a glory to God's grace, and to Jesus Christ; so as, were we to choose, we would have this way. This was the disposition of the heart of Abraham our father, as appears in Rom. 4. Compare but the beginning and the conclusion of the apostle's discourse about our father Abraham. Whereas, ver. 2, it is said, that 'if Abraham had been justified by works, he had whereof to glory' (which was contrary to God's design), and whereas he made Abraham's faith the subject of his discourse in the residue of that chapter, at last he concludes, ver.
20, that 'he staggered not at the promise through unbelief, but was strong in faith, and gave glory to God,' and 'therefore,' ver. 23, 'it was imputed to him for righteousness.' This his giving glory to God
(though withal he commends the strength of his faith he did it with) hath a respect to ver. 2. Where, in opposition to Abraham's glorying
(if he had been justified by works) he had had whereof to glory, but not afore God. So then, by comparing each, the meaning is, that Abraham fell down afore God upon the revelation of this way of justification, which he perceived much to tend to glorify God and his grace, that willingly upon that account he gave up all his own works
(a greater sacrifice than that which he intended, namely, the sacrifice of his son, which is celebrated as a noble work proceeding from faith,
James 2), and laid them upon the altar of God's glory. And he was glad that his heart had light upon such a way as did so highly glorify
God by the Spirit, being the more strengthened (as it is said) to seek salvation by this way, because it gave all to God, and nothing to man.
Hath this in justification taken thy heart, which took our father Abraham's? Perhaps thou wouldst serve thyself on God, and take the benefit of this his pardon; but hath it ever been done with giving the glory to him and to his grace?
2. Thus also when thou comest to have recourse to Christ's blood and righteousness for justification (which is the second thing Paul puts in to spiritualise this benefit unto us), is it the glorious relation to, and
the influence that Christ and his blood hath upon justification, that causeth thee to value it, looking upon it not only as a thing thou must have or thou art lost and damned, but Oh! dost thou desire to be clothed with it, to be found in it? For what doth a spiritual heart value it? What! is it only because their own righteousness is as filthy rags, therefore they throw it away? No. But that if it had the righteousness of Adam, yea, that which all the angels had at first, yea, all the inherent grace and glory which both angels and saints have now in heaven, it would gladly take the occasion to throw it away, and make a trophy and spoil of it to glorify this righteousness of Christ. It was the apostle's desire 'to be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness.' He speaks like a man afraid of being taken tardy in that place of residence, and runs away from it as far as ever he could. 'Unto me' (says Christ, Isa. 45:23, for it is spoken in his name, as appears by the apostle's citation, Rom. 14:11, Phil. 2:10)
'shall every knee bow.' And what special glory is it that the saints shall give to him? The 24th verse tells us, 'Surely one shall say' (as the greatest thing they could say, and they say it with the greatest asseveration, as if they were to utter but one thing they would say this), 'In the Lord (Christ) have I righteousness.' Ah, how feelingly is it spoken! And they give it to him as a matter of glory, for so it follows, ver. 24, 'In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.' And truly the conjunction of these two in that place,
'In the Lord I have righteousness' for justification (as it is interpreted, ver. 25), and 'in the Lord have I strength' for sanctification, makes me consider Augustine's interpretation of that passage in Ps. 71:16, which an hundred times he celebrates to this very sense (though our reformed interpreters reject it), 'I will go in the strength of the Lord God, I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.'
This relation that forgiveness of sins hath unto Christ's blood as the price, how doth it raise the price of it unto a holy heart! How do the apostles speak of it, and thereby teach believers how to esteem it, and the benefit by it, as it is by his blood, and that as having a relation to his person, that gives the value to it! 'We are redeemed' (says Peter),