Front matter (continued, part 24)
All men will grant that these ten things are strong probabilities of grace. But give me leave to say that they are, without all controversy, most sure, sound, solid, and infallible evidences of true grace, and of a saving interest in Christ and salvation. And therefore all those poor doubting, staggering, and trembling Christians who find all these, or any of these ten things in their own souls—they ought forever to bless the Lord, and speak well of his name upon these accounts. And therefore, O my soul! be much in adoring and admiring of free and infinite grace, which has wrought all these things in you and for you.
But now, dear hearts, that this eleventh particular concerning probabilities of grace may the better stick upon you, and be the more seriously minded and weighed by you, I beseech you often to ponder upon these six following things:
[1.] First, That you have deserved hell, and therefore for you to have but a probability of going to heaven—is infinite grace and mercy. You have deserved to be shut up in chains of darkness with devils and damned spirits to all eternity, Jude 6, and therefore for you to have a probability of enjoying forever the presence of God, Christ, the glorious angels, and "the spirits of just men made perfect in heaven," Heb. 12:22-24—is a mercy more worth than ten thousand worlds. You have deserved to dwell with a "devouring fire," Isaiah 33:14, and to lie forever under those flames and torments which are easeless, endless, and remediless. And therefore
for you to have a probability of satiating and delighting your souls in that fullness of joy, and in these "everlasting pleasures that are at God's right hand," Psalm 16:11—is grace, yes, glorious grace upon the throne, etc. But,
[2.] Secondly, Consider that if you cast up a true and faithful account, you will certainly find that the comfort, the peace, the joy, the quiet, the rest, the satisfaction, the contentment that the generality of saints do enjoy, is more from probabilities of grace, than it is from any certainty or assurance that they have of grace being in their souls; it is more from probabilities of a saving interest in Christ, than from any assurance of a saving interest in Christ; it is more from probabilities of being saved, than it is from any special persuasions that they shall be saved; it is more from probabilities of going to heaven, than it is from any raised fixed confidence that they shall go to heaven. And therefore the people of God have very great cause to bow before the Lord, and to adore his grace, and forever to speak well of his name, for the very probabilities of grace, and of a saving interest in Christ, and of being saved and glorified.
[3.] Thirdly, Consider that there have been very many under such dreadful horrors and terrors of conscience, and under such wrath and displeasure of an angry God, and who have lain trembling upon their dying beds, and who have been even ready to be swallowed up in the gulf of despair—who would have given all the world, had it been in their power, for the very probabilities of grace. Spira, being in a deep despair for renouncing of those doctrines of the gospel which he had once stoutly professed, said, "That he would willingly suffer the most intense tortures of hell-fire for the space of ten thousand years, upon condition he might be well assured to be released afterward." He died desperately, with this desperate saying in his mouth, Farewell, life and hope together. Despair is Satan's masterpiece; it carries men headlong to hell, as the devils did the herd of swine into the deep. He further added, in that hellish and horrible fit, that his dear wife and children, for whose sake principally he turned away from the gospel, to embrace this present world, appeared now to him as hangmen and torturers.
A despairing soul is a terror to himself; his heart a hell of horror, his conscience an Aceldama, a field of black blood. So that as Augustine
describes such a one flying from the field to the city, from the city to his house, from his house to his chamber, from his chamber to his bed, etc., so that he can rest nowhere—but is as if infernal devils in fearful shapes were still following of him, and still terrifying and tormenting his distressed and perplexed soul. Now, doubtless such poor souls would have given ten thousand worlds, had they so many in their hands to give, and that for the very probabilities of grace. And how many tempted, deserted, clouded, wounded, and benighted souls are there, who would think it a heaven on this side heaven, if they could but see probabilities of grace in their souls! Oh, therefore, let not the probabilities of grace be a small thing in your eyes—but bow the knee, and let the high praises of God be found in your mouths, even for probabilities of grace! But,
[4.] Fourthly, Consider that Satan is a very deadly enemy to the least probabilities of grace, and will do all he can to cloud, darken, and obscure probabilities of grace, since divine vengeance has cut him off from the least hopes, from the least probabilities of ever obtaining the least grain of grace or mercy. [Let not any think, says Luther, the devil is now dead, nor even asleep; for as he who "keeps Israel," so he who hates Israel "never slumbers or sleeps."] Oh how does he storm and fight against every probability of grace and mercy that God gives to his people for their comfort and encouragement! Satan is an old experienced enemy, almost of six thousand years' standing, and he very well knows that probabilities of grace will certainly arm a Christian against many temptations, and sweetly support him under many afflictions, and exceedingly heighten and raise his resolutions. He knows that probabilities of grace will turn crosses into crowns, storms into calms, and winter nights into summer days. Satan knows that probabilities of grace will make every bitter sweet, and every sweet seven times more sweet. And therefore his spirit rises and swells against every probability of grace. Now the greater Satan's rage is against the probabilities of grace, the more thankful we should be for the probabilities of grace. It is good to move and act cross to him, who in all his actings loves to act cross to the glory of God and the good of our souls. But,
[5.] Fifthly, Consider that from probabilities in outward things, men commonly gather a great deal of comfort, support, quietness, and
satisfaction. When the physician tells the patient that it is probable, yes, very probable that he will recover, live and do well, oh what a support, comfort, and refreshing is this to the languishing patient! When there is but a probability of a good market, how does the market-man smile; when there is but a probability of good trading, how does the tradesman cheer up; when there is but a probability of a good voyage, how does the merchants' and the mariners' spirits rise; when there is but a probability of a good harvest, how does the farmer sing; when there is but some hopes, some probability of a pardon for a condemned man, how does his spirits revive, and how does his heart even leap and dance for joy. And so when a Christian has but some hopes, some probabilities of grace, of a saving interest in Christ, and of being saved—he may well cheer up and maintain his ground against all fears and doubts, objections and temptations. But,
[6.] Sixthly and lastly, Consider there is a great deal of grace and mercy in Scripture peradventures, as you may easily see by comparing these scriptures together. [Exod. 32:30; 1 Sam. 9:6; 1 Kings 20:21; 2 Tim. 2:25.] Scripture peradventures ought to keep down despair, and raise our hopes and our hearts. To know that God is favorable, and that sin is pardonable, and that mercy is attainable, and that hell is avoidable—is no small comfort to a poor doubting trembling Christian. And as there is a great deal of grace and mercy in Scripture peradventures, so there is a great deal of grace and favor in Scripture maybes, as you may see by comparing these scriptures together. [1 Sam. 14:6; 2 Sam. 16:12; 2 Kings 19:4; Asa. 37:4; Ezek. 14:11; Amos 5:15; Zeph. 2:3; Dan. 4:27.]
Now, if Scripture peradventures and Scripture maybes afford so much support, relief, and comfort to your souls, as indeed they do—then surely probabilities of grace, of a saving interest in Christ, of going to heaven, and of being saved, ought very much to support, relieve, cheer, and comfort the hearts of all those who have such probabilities. A gracious soul may say when he is lowest and weakest, Well, though I dare not say that I have grace—yet I have a possibility for it. And though I dare not, I cannot say I have a saving interest in Christ—yet if I have a possibility for it, I ought to bear up bravely and comfortably against all fears and doubts. Yes, and to take the comfort and the sweet of all those blessed
probabilities of grace, of a saving interest in Christ, and of being saved, and of all the perhapses and maybes which are scattered up and down in the book of God; and with Hannah to walk up and down with a cheerful countenance, 1 Sam. 1:18.
12. The twelfth maxim or consideration. Consider, that it is a Christian's greatest wisdom and highest concernment, to take the most commodious time for the casting up of his spiritual accounts. If I would know what I am worth for another world, and what I have to show for "the inheritance of the saints in light," then I am to take my heart when it is at best, and when I am most divinely prepared and fitted for this great service, then to enter upon it. It is no wisdom for a man to go to see his face in troubled waters, or to look for a pearl in a puddle. There are some particular times and seasons in which it is no way safe nor convenient for a Christian to enter upon the trial of his spiritual estate:
1. As when the body is greatly distempered.
2. When the soul is greatly tempted by Satan, or sadly deserted by God.
3. When the conscience is so deeply wounded by some great falls, as that the soul is filled with exceeding great fear, terror, and horror. [Times of desertion and temptation are rather times and seasons for mourning, watching, resting, and seeking of God—than for judging and determining of our conditions.] It is with many poor Christians in this case, as it has been with some who have been so struck with the fear and horror of death before the judge, that though they were good scholars, and able to read anything—yet fear and horror has so surprised them, that when their lives have been at stake, and the book has been given them to read, they have not been able to read one line, one word. So many of the precious servants of Christ, when they have been under wounds of conscience, and when they have been filled with fears, terrors, and horrors, they have not been able to look up to heaven, nor read their evidences, nor turn to the breasts of the promises, nor call to mind their former experiences, nor behold the least glimpse of heaven's glories, Psalm 40:12, 72, 88; Job 23:8-9.
No man in his wits, if he were to weigh gold, would weigh it in the midst
of high winds, great storms, and horrible tempests, which would so agitate the balance up and down, this way and that, that it would be impossible for him to weigh his gold exactly. Now the trial of our spiritual estates is like the weighing of gold, for we are all to weigh ourselves by the balance of the sanctuary, Job. 31:6; Dan. 5:27. God himself will one day weigh us by that balance, and if we hold weight when he comes to weigh us, we are safe and happy forever.
But when he comes to weigh us in the balance of the sanctuary—if we shall then be found too light—it would have been better for us, if we had never been born! When Belshazzar saw the handwriting upon the wall, his countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled, and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another, verses 5-6. But what was all this to an everlasting separation from God, and to those endless, ceaseless, and remediless torments that such must endure, who, when they are weighed in the balance, shall be found too light? 2 Thes. 1:7-10.
A man who would weigh grains of gold, must weigh it in a quiet still place. And so a man who would make an exact trial of his spiritual estate, he must take his soul when it is most serious, quiet, still, and composed; he must take his heart when it is in the best frame, and most disposed to solemn and weighty work. There are some times which are very unapt for a gracious person to sit as judge upon his spiritual estate, and to pass sentence upon his own soul. [Sin indulged in the conscience, is like Jonah in the ship, which causes such a tempest, that the conscience is like a troubled sea, whose waters cannot rest; or it is like a mote in the eye, which causes a perpetual trouble while it is there.]
The best Christians under heaven do meet with divers inward and outward changes; sometimes the light shines so clear that they can see things as they are—but at other times all is dark and cloudy, and tempestuous, and then they are apt to judge themselves by feelings, and not according to the truth. O sirs! remember this once for all—that times of inward or outward distresses are best for praying, and worst for judging. If a man will at such times pass sentence on himself or his estate as a judge, he will certainly judge improperly, for then the soul is not itself, and is very apt and prone to take Satan's work for his own, and
to side with him against itself, yes, and then usually it will see nothing, it will think of nothing, it will dwell upon nothing—but what makes against itself.
4. When God exercises a man with some exceeding severe and unusual providences, when God steps out of his ordinary way of dispensations in his dealings with a man; when God sets a man up before all the world as a mark to shoot at, as he did Job, Job 7:20, 16:12. Now a poor Christian is ready to doubt and conclude, Surely the Lord has no regard of me, he has no love for me, his heart is certainly not towards me—seeing all these sore trials make so much against me. But here the poor Christian is mistaken, as Jacob once was: Gen. 42:36, "And Jacob their father said unto them, I am bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and you will take Benjamin away. All these things are against me!" But Jacob was wrong, for all those things were for him, and for the preservation of the visible church of God in the world, Gen. 45:5-9.
Certainly all the afflictions which befall the people of God, are but his love-tokens. "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten," Rev. 3:19, Heb. 12:5-6, and therefore those Christians are miserably mistaken, who take them for testimonies of his wrath, and effects of his disfavor. O sirs! what can be more absurd, displeasing, and provoking, than for a Christian to make that an argument of God's hatred—which God intends for an instance of his love? And yet Christians are apt thus to act. It is observable the apostle reckons affliction among God's honoraries and tokens of respect, "For to you it is given," says he, "not only to believe— but also to suffer," Philip. 1:29, "which," says Latimer, "is the greatest promotion that God gives in this world." Job, when he was himself, could not but admire at it, Job 7:17-18, that God should take such an account of man, and that he should so magnify him, and dignify him—as to think him worthy of a rod, a whipping; as to think him worth a trying every morning, yes, every moment.
It is certain that great prosperity and worldly glory are no sure tokens of God's love, Proverbs 1:32, Psalm 73:5, Eccles. 9:1-2. And it is certain that great troubles and afflictions are no sure marks of God's hatred. And yet many poor Christians, when the waters of affliction rise high, and are ready to overflow them, oh how apt are they to conclude that God hates
them, and will revenge himself upon them, and that they have nothing of God or Christ, or the Spirit, or grace in them! Or,
5. When the Spirit, the Comforter, stands afar off, Lam. 1:16, and withholds those special influences, without which, in a common ordinary way, a Christian cannot divinely, candidly, clearly and impartially transact with God in order to his own peace, comfort and settlement. Or,
6. When either a Christian's evidences are not at hand, or else they are so soiled, darkened, blotted and obscured, as that he is not able to read them. Or
7. When a Christian is extremely oppressed with melancholy. Melancholy is a dark and dusky humor, which disturbs both soul and body, and the cure of it belongs rather to the physician than to the divine. It is a most pestilent humor where it abounds; one calls it the devil's bath; it is a humor that unfits a man for all sorts of services—but especially these that concern his soul, his spiritual estate, his everlasting condition. [Psalm 88; Job 33:10. In the German proverb—the melancholy head is the devil's bathing place.] The melancholy person tries the physician, grieves the minister, wounds relations, and makes sport for the devil. There are five kinds of people whom the devil makes his donkey to ride in triumph upon, namely—the ignorant person, the unbelieving person, the proud person, the hypocritical person, and the melancholy person.
Melancholy is a disease which works strange passions, strange imaginations, and strange conclusions. It unmans a man, it makes a man call good evil, and evil good; sweet bitter, and bitter sweet; light darkness, and darkness light. The distemper of the body oftentimes causes distemper of soul, for the soul follows the temper of the body. A melancholy spirit is a dumb spirit—you can get nothing out of him; and a deaf spirit—you can get nothing into him. Mat. 9:28-29. It is no more wonder to see a melancholy man doubt and question his spiritual condition, than it is to see a child cry when he is beaten, or to hear a sick man groan, or to hear a drowning man call out for help. You may silence a melancholy man, when you are not able to comfort him. While Nebuchadnezzar was under the power of a deep melancholy, he could not tell whether he was a man or a beast. Melancholy is the mother of fears,
doubts, disputes, and discomforts.
Now of all the evil spirits we read of in the Gospel, the dumb and the deaf were the worst. Darkness, sadness, solitariness, heaviness, mourning, etc., are the only desirable companions of melancholy people. Melancholy makes every sweet bitter, and every bitter seven times more bitter. The melancholy person is amazingly prone to bid sleep farewell, and joy farewell, and food farewell, and friends farewell, and ordinances farewell, and duties farewell, and promises farewell, and ministers farewell, and his employment farewell; and it is well if he is not even ready to bid God farewell too. Melancholy people are like idols—they have eyes but see not, and tongues but speak not, and ears but hear not. Melancholy turns truths into fables, and fables into truths; it turns fancies into realities, and realities into fancies. Melancholy is a fire which burns inwards and is hard to quench.
Now if a Christian is under the power of physical or emotional melancholy, his work is not now to be a-trying his estate, or a-casting up of his accounts to see what he is worth for the eternal world—but to use all such ways and means as God has prepared in a natural way for the cure of melancholy; for as the soul is not cured by natural remedies—so the body is not cured by spiritual remedies.
Now in the seven cases last mentioned, a Christian's work lies rather in mourning, self-judging, self-loathing, self-abhorring, and in repenting and reforming; and in fresh and frequent exercises of faith on the Lord Jesus, on his blood, on his promises, and on his free rich sovereign and glorious grace—which is displayed and offered in the gospel; and in a patient waiting upon the Lord in the use of all holy and heavenly helps for deliverance out of his present straits, trials and exercises—than in falling upon that great work of casting up his spiritual accounts, and of searching into the records of glory, to see whether or not his name be registered in the book of life. O sirs! when poor Christians are bewildered, their proper work is to cast themselves upon the promises, to trust in the name of the Lord, and to stay themselves upon their God, Isaiah 50:10. Job, in a cloudy stormy day, resolves to trust in the Lord, though he should slay him, Job 13:15; and so must you. And oh that this rule were more seriously minded, and effectually observed by all doubting,
trembling, and staggering Christians. But,
13. The thirteenth maxim or consideration. Consider—you must never judge yourselves unsound, or hypocrites, by those things which the Scripture never makes a character of an unsound Christian, or of a hypocrite, or of hypocrisy. [The grand rule by which we must try and judge of our spiritual and eternal estates, is the word of God, Isaiah 8:20. In this scripture the prophet plainly shows where we must go with our doubts, fears, scruples, questions—and with whom we must consult—and of whom we must take advice; and that is "the law and the testimony."]
Mark, as you are to receive no comfort—but what is backed with clear scripture, nor are you to receive any evidences for the goodness and happiness of your spiritual estate and condition—but such as are backed with clear scriptures; in like manner, you are to receive, you are to admit of no arguments, nor pleas, nor reasonings, to prove yourself a hypocrite, or unsound, or that you have no grace, or that your spiritual estate and condition is not good—but such arguments, pleas, and reasonings, as are backed with clear scriptures.
Now tell me, O weak, doubting, staggering, trembling Christian—if you can—where are those clear scriptures which prove that wandering thoughts in duty, or which prove that narrowness or straitness of spirit in a duty—to be characters of a hypocrite, or of hypocrisy, or of one who is unsound?
Tell me, O sighing Christian, if you can, where are those clear scriptures which prove that the lack of a good memory for holy things, or the lack of those gifts or abilities that many Christians have, to pray, to speak, to discourse, to open Scripture, or to dispute for the concerns of Christ and his kingdom—to be characters of a hypocrite or of hypocrisy, or of one who is unsound?
Tell me, O distressed Christian, if you can, where are those clear scriptures which will justify you to conclude that you are a hypocrite, because you are without the present evidence of your sincerity? Are there not many of the precious sons and daughters of Zion, comparable to fine gold, Lam. 4:2, who have true grace and sincerity in their hearts, though
for the present it is hidden from their eyes? Isaiah 50:10, 1 John 5:13. Joseph's brethren had their money in their sacks, though they did not see it, nor did they know it until they came to their inn and opened them, Gen. 44. Just so, many of the dear children of God have sincerity in their hearts, though for the present they do not see it nor know it.
O sirs! it is Christ's work to evidence itself so clearly and fully to our eyes, as to enable us to own it. It is one thing for the Spirit of God to work grace in the soul, and another thing for the Spirit to shine upon his own work. Now, until the Spirit shines upon his own work, the soul is in the dark. The graces of the Spirit are best seen in the light of the Spirit, as we see the sun best by his own light, 1 Cor. 2:12. It is good for doubting Christians when they are in the dark, to hold fast this conclusion, namely —that they may be upright, though at present they are not able to see their uprightness. Now, though this will not bring in a full tide of comfort into their souls—yet it will keep them from despair, and it will support and uphold their hearts, until the Spirit, shall show them their uprightness.
Tell me, O mourning Christian, if you can, where are those clear scriptures which prove that deadness, dullness, and indisposedness in duty—though it be sadly lamented, bewailed, and mourned over, and much striven against, yes, though it be the great grief and burden of the soul—to be characters of hypocrites, or of hypocrisy, or of one who is unsound?
Tell me, O disquieted Christian, if you can, where are those clear scriptures which prove that the lack of those enlargements, ravishments, joys, comforts, peace, or assurance which some others have, to be characters of hypocrites or hypocrisy, or of one that is unsound? And yet, upon the account of the above mentioned things on the one hand, and under a sensible lack of the things last cited on the other hand—how exceeding apt and prone are many poor weak, doubting, trembling Christians, confidently and insistently to conclude themselves to be hypocrites, and to be unsound, and that they have not a grain of grace, nor any saving saving interest in Christ at all!
O sirs! remember this once for all, that as you must never admit of any
arguments, pleas, or reasonings, for the comfort, peace, and refreshment of your souls—but such as are attended with the evidence of clear Scripture—but such as are backed with pregnant scriptures; in like manner, you must never admit of any pleas, arguments, or reasonings, to trouble, vex, perplex, and disquiet the peace of your souls—but such as are attended with clear Scripture evidence—but such as are well backed with Scripture.
[In all soul cases, God expects we should consult his word, and cleave to his word, without warping or turning aside either to the right hand or to the left. John 12:45. That book which shall try you at last, and which shall save you or damn you in the great day—is the only book by which you must make a judgment of your present and future estates. Clemens of Alexandria, speaking of the word, says, it is the touchstone of truth and falsehood.]
Now if this choice rule were but wisely observed, and carefully, frequently, and conscientiously practiced by many weak, doubting, trembling Christians—how would it set them at liberty from their fears, doubts, and misgivings of heart! How would it knock off all their chains, and wipe all tears from their eyes, and remove that sadness which lies like a load upon their hearts, and how soon would it bring them into a condition of peace, comfort, quietness, and settlement.
O sirs! every working and appearance of hypocrisy does not presently prove the person in whom it is to be a hypocrite. A man may be hypocritical, either:
1. Really; or,
2. In their own opinion and imagination.
Many of the dear children of God are very apt and prone many times both to suspect and falsely charge the true estate of their souls. A child in a distemper may question the inheritance which is entailed on him, etc. But, remember this—if your heart be upright, all comfort is your portion; for as our distrustful fears do not alter the reality of the state of grace—so our frequent suspicions that we are hypocrites, does not cut us off from
the title and right of promised comforts.
Christians must carefully distinguish between the presence of hypocrisy and the predominancy of hypocrisy. In the most upright hearts, there is more or less hypocrisy remaining in them. All the saints that ever were in the world have found more or less of this root of bitterness springing up in them, Romans 7:22-23, Heb. 12:15. It is not the presence of hypocrisy —but the reign of hypocrisy which damns the soul. That hypocrisy which is discerned, resisted, opposed, and mourned over—will never damn a Christian. Where the usual temper and general bent of a man's heart is upright, there the presence of hypocrisy cannot denominate a man a hypocrite. All men must stand and fall forever according to the usual temper and general bent of their hearts. If the usual temper and general bent of their hearts is sincere—they are happy forever. But if the usual temper and general bent of their hearts be hypocritical—they are miserable forever. But,
14. The fourteenth maxim or consideration. Consider—you must never judge yourselves unsound, or hypocrites, for such things, or from such considerations, or by such arguments or reasonings, which being admitted and granted to be true—will necessarily and unavoidably prove the whole generation of the faithful, the whole body of those who fear the Lord, to be unsound, and to be a pack of notorious hypocrites, Psalm 73:15. He who shall judge himself unsound, or a hypocrite, because his thoughts and imaginations are that he is not sincere, or because he is thus and thus tempted; or because he is at particular times, and in particular cases, thus and thus worsted and captivated by sin, Isaiah 55:7-9, notwithstanding all the resistance that he is able to make against it, and notwithstanding his hatred of it, and his loathing and judging of himself for it; or because he is thus and thus afflicted in his family, or in his relations, or in his own person; or because he is thus and thus distracted in prayer, and straitened in prayer; or because he is sometimes troubled with sad, hard, hideous, and blasphemous thoughts of God; he does in so judging judge and condemn the whole generation of the righteous, for there are none of them but more or less, have been exercised even as he is, or as he has been exercised. [Jacob, Joseph, Job, David, Heman, Paul, and those worthies in the 11th of the Hebrews, have been as much
afflicted as you have been. Now for you to conclude that you are not beloved by God, because you have been thus afflicted, this is to conclude against all those worthies, of whom this world was not worthy, Heb. 11:38.]
Who dare judge his neighbor, his brother, his friend—to be a hypocrite, because the hand of the Lord has been various ways lifted up against him, or because Satan has been let loose to play with his grand battery upon him? Now if you dare not judge your neighbor a hypocrite upon these accounts, how dare you to judge yourself a hypocrite upon the very same accounts? When your neighbor, your brother, your friend is thus and thus afflicted, tempted, distressed, etc., you can tell them that this has been the common lot of the people of God in all the ages of the world; you can tell them that no man knows God's love or hatred by these things, and that all things come alike to all; you can tell them that the choicest saints have been most afflicted, tempted, clouded, and distressed; you can tell them that all shall end well, that all shall outcome well. [Eccles. 9:1-3; Asa. 1:25, 27:9; Heb. 12:10-11; James 5:10-11.]
Remember the patience of Job, and consider the end that the Lord made with him. You can tell them that you have got that good by afflictions, temptations, cloudings, distresses—which you would not exchange for ten thousand worlds.
Now if Christians, when they are afflicted, tempted, clouded, distressed, would be but as kind, favorable, and merciful to themselves as they are to others in the same condition, how well would it be with them, how soon would they get out of the snare! O sirs! if this rule were but prudently considered, and seriously practiced, how would the fears, doubts, and darknesses of many poor weak, doubting, staggering, and trembling Christians vanish, and what peace, comfort, and settlement would they quickly find. O sirs! we must never stand to that judgment which we pass upon our spiritual estates, which is irrational, or without sufficient ground from Scripture, or which would be to condemn the generation of the just. We may safely appeal from that sentence of our judgment, which acts itself in times of passion or violent temptation. We must not unjustly vex our own hearts, and dash out our integrity, when the sentence that we pass upon ourselves is rather of imagination, than of reason.
When a man thinks, and thinks again and again that his heart is not sincere with God, though many, if not all, evidences of sincerity appear in him, and when he cannot produce any one inherently distinguishing ground of a hypocrite in himself, why this is but an imaginary judgment, and utterly unreasonable, for this is to condemn the innocent without cause. O sirs! that soul will never be settled in peace and comfort, which gives way to his own imaginations and passions, and which has a conceit that every sinful thought, or violent temptation, or conflict with an inward corruption, or the resurrection of some old sin, or frequent distractions in pious duties, or particular falls or slips into this or that sin —cannot be compatible with a state of grace, cannot be compatible with uprightness, cannot be compatible with singleness and soundness of heart. But,
15. The fifteenth maxim or consideration. Consider—in judging of yourselves and your spiritual estates and conditions, you must always have an eye to your natural tempers, complexions, constitutions, and inclinations, and the sins and temptations that these lay you most open to, and remember that as in some tempers a little grace makes a very great show, so in other tempers a great deal of grace makes but a very little show. A little water in a long narrow-mouthed glass seems to be a great deal, when ten times, yes, twenty times as much in a large cistern is hardly discernible; the application is easy. [A little gold ring upon an alabaster hand makes a more glorious show than a very great ring upon a leprous hand; the application is easy.] A little sugar will serve well enough for sweet wines—but much more is requisite to sweeten that wine that is sour and harsh. A little grace will make a very glorious show in such men and women whose very natural tempers are sweet, soft, gentle, meek, affable, courteous; when a great deal of grace is hardly discernible in those men and women whose very natural tempers are cross, crooked, choleric, fierce, passionate, rough, and unhewn.
As a godly man said of an eminent saint now in heaven, "That he had grace enough for ten men—but scarce enough for himself," his natural temper was so bad, which he would himself often lament and bewail, saying to his friends, "That he had such a cross, crooked nature, that if
God had not given him grace, none would have been able to have lived one day quietly with him." A sincere Christian may have more roughness of nature, and more sturdiness of passions—than is in many a moral man. He who has more Christianity may have less morality, as there is more perfection of animal and sensitive faculties in some brutes than in some men. It is an old experienced truth, that those sins are with the greatest pains, labor, travail, and difficulty subdued and mortified, which our natural tempers, complexions, and constitutions do most strongly incline and dispose us to; and were but those lusts subdued and brought under control, it would be no difficult thing to bring all other things to under control.
When Goliath was slain, the Philistines fled, 1 Sam. 17:51-52; when a general in an army falls, the common soldiers are quickly routed. So it is here; get but the sins of your natural tempers, complexions, and constitutions under your feet—and you will quickly ride in a holy triumph over the rest. When justice is effectually done upon your constitutionsins, other sins will not be long lived; thrust but a dart through the heart of Absalom, and a complete conquest will follow, 2 Sam. 18:14, seq.
Now before I close up this particular, let me advise you frequently to consider, that you can never make a true, a right, a serious judgment of yourselves, or of your spiritual estates and conditions, without a prudent eye upon your natural tempers, complexions, and constitutions; granting to yourselves such allowance upon the account of your natural tempers, as will stand with sincerity and the covenant of grace. But,
16. The sixteenth maxim or consideration. Consider, if you cannot, if you dare not say that you have grace—yet do not say that you have no grace, for the being of grace in the soul is one thing—and the seeing of grace in the soul is another thing. Mark 4:26-28: A man may have grace— and yet not know that he has grace; he may have a seed of God in him— and yet not see it. 1 John 5:13, He may believe—and yet not believe that he does believe; the child lives before it knows that it lives. If you cannot say that your graces are true—yet do not say they are counterfeit, lest you bear false witness against the real work of the Spirit in you. There are none so apt to question the truth of their grace—as those are who are truly gracious. Though Satan cannot hinder the Holy Spirit from working
true grace in the soul—yet he will do all he can to fill the soul with fears and doubts and jealousies about the truth of that grace that the Holy Spirit has wrought in it, 1 John 4:4; Psalm 77. When did you ever know the devil to tempt a hypocrite to believe that his graces were not true, and that certainly he had not the root of the matter in him?
If you cannot say that you have a saving interest in Christ—yet do not say that you have no saving interest in Christ; for a man may have a saving interest in Christ, and yet not see his saving interest in Christ, not know his saving interest in Christ. There are many precious Christians who walk in darkness—who yet have a saving interest in that Jesus that is all light, life, and love, Isaiah 50:10. If you cannot say that your pardon is sealed in the court of your own conscience—yet do not say that it is not sealed in the court of heaven; for many a Christian has his pardon sealed in the court of heaven, before it is sealed in the court of his own conscience, Psalm 51. A pardon sealed in the court of conscience, is that new name and white stone which God does not give to everyone at first conversion, Rev. 2:17. God will take his own time to seal up every Christian's pardon in his bosom.
If you cannot say that your name is written in the book of life—yet do not say that it is not written in the book of life. The disciples' names were first written in heaven before Christ bid them rejoice because their names were written in heaven, Luke 10:20. A man may have his name written in heaven, and yet it may be a long while before God may tell him, that his name is written in heaven. You cannot say that the precious promises are yours—yet do not say that they are children's bread, and such dainties that your soul shall never taste of. It is not every precious Christian, that has a saving interest in the promises—who can run and read his saving interest in the promises, Psalm 77, 88; 1 Pet. 1:4. If you cannot say that the heavenly inheritance is yours—yet do not say that it is not yours. A Christian may have a good title to the heavenly inheritance, and yet not be able to make good his title, to clear up his title; as a child in the cradle may be heir to a crown, a kingdom—and yet he is not able to make good his title. If you cannot say that you have assurance—yet do not say that you shall never have assurance, for a man may lack assurance one year, and have it the next; one month, and have it another; one week, and have
it another; one day, and have it another; yes, one hour, and have it another, Luke 19:1-10; Acts 16:29-35; Romans 11:33. If you cannot say that you shall certainly go to heaven—yet do not say that you shall undoubtedly go to hell; for who made you one of the privy-councilors of heaven? Who acquainted you with the secret decrees of God? etc. Now were this rule but thoroughly minded, and conscientiously practiced, oh how well would it go with many tempted, troubled, bewildered, and clouded Christians! Oh how would Satan be disappointed, and poor souls quieted, composed, and refreshed. But,
17. The seventeenth maxim or consideration. Whenever you cast your eye upon your gracious evidences, it highly concerns you seriously to remember that you have to deal with God in a covenant of grace, and not in a covenant of works. Every breach of peace with God is not a breach of covenant with God. Though the wife has many weaknesses and infirmities hanging upon her, and though she may often grieve, provoke, and displease her husband—yet as long as she remains faithful, and truly loving, and in the main obedient to him, though he may alter his demeanor towards her—yet he will not withdraw his love from her, or deny his relation to her. No more will God towards his weak, failing ones, as you may evidently see by comparing these scriptures. [Jer. 3:12, 14, 22; Hosea. 14:4; Isaiah 63:22-26; 57:16-18.]
Doubtless there are many dear Christians whose troubles of conscience about their spiritual and eternal estates arise from their looking upon God and dealing with God in a covenant of works. [Everything which is a ground of grief or sorrow to the people of God, is not a sufficient ground of questioning their integrity, or the goodness and happiness of their spiritual estates and conditions. If, upon every slip, failing, and infirmity, a Christian should question all that ever was wrought in him, and done by God upon him—his life will certainly be made up of fears and doubts, and he will never attain to any settled peace, comfort, or assurance, or be able to live that life of joy, praise, and thankfulness that the gospel calls for.]
Are there not many precious Christians, who, when they fall before temptations, and are worsted by their corruptions, who are ready to question all, and throw up all as lost and instantly to conclude against their own souls, that all is bad, very bad—and that they are hypocrites,
and that God will never own such as they are, nor ever accept of such as they are, nor ever delight in such as they are, nor ever have anything to do with such as they are. And all this because they do not aright understand the covenant of grace, and think that they have to deal with God in a covenant of works. Though many Christians do freely and readily acknowledge that there is a covenant of grace—yet upon the least stirring of any corruption, or the least conquest that is made upon them by the violence of any temptation, they are so full of fears, faintings, reasonings, diffidences, and despondencies, etc., and they behave so weakly and unworthily towards the Lord, as if there were no covenant of grace at all, or as if they had wholly and only to deal with God in a covenant of works.
Now what a high dishonor is this to the free, rich, infinite, sovereign, and glorious grace of God, which so sparkles and shines in the covenant of grace, and which tells us that our eternal estates shall never be judged by a covenant of works, and that the lack of an absolute perfection shall never damn a believing soul, and that the obedience that God requires at our hands is not a legal obedience—but an evangelical obedience! Oh that all those dear Christians who are so apt to be dejected and overwhelmed upon the account of the prevalency of such and such corruptions, and because they fail in keeping covenant with God, and in walking in a covenant-relation with God; I say, oh that all these would frequently and seriously consider of these three things.
[1.] First, That so long as a Christian does not renounce his covenant with God, so long as he does not willfully and wickedly break the bond of the covenant, the substance of the covenant is not yet broken, though some articles of the covenant may be violated, Psalm 89:30-35, 2 Sam. 23:5. While Christ lies at the bottom of the covenant, it cannot be utterly broken. As among men there be some trespasses against some particular clauses in covenants, which, though they be violated—yet the whole covenant is not forfeited; it is so here. Every jar, every miscarriage does not break the marriage covenant; no more does every sin, every miscarriage break the covenant between God and the soul. But,
[2.] Secondly, Seriously consider that many weak Christians are much mistaken about the terms and condition of the covenant of grace; they think that the condition of the covenant is perfect and unsinning
obedience, whereas it is only sincere obedience. Mark, that man sincerely obeys and sincerely walks in covenant with God, who sincerely, who heartily, who ordinarily desires, labors, and endeavors to obey the law of God, the will of God, and to walk in covenant with God. [Isaiah 54; 7:810; Jer. 31:33-37.] Mark, particular actions do not denominate any estate; it is the course of actions which does denominate a man's walking in covenant with God, or his not walking in covenant with God. If his course of actions be sinful, he walks not in covenant with God. But if his course of actions be holy and gracious, he walks in covenant with God. Though the needle of the seaman's compass may jog this way and that way—yet the bent of the needle will still be northward; so though a Christian in covenant with God may have his particular sinful joggings this way or that way—yet the bent of his heart will still be to walk in covenant with God. But,
[3.] Thirdly, Consider that infirmities, aberrations of weakness, do not nullify or void our covenant with God; nor hinder our walking in covenant with God; for if they should, then no man could possibly keep covenant with God, or walk in covenant with God. God passes by and pardons the infirmities of his children, and will never put them into the account, and therefore they cannot hinder our walking in covenant with God. Breaches made in the first covenant were irreparable—but breaches made in the covenant of grace are not so, because this covenant is established in Christ, who is still a-making up all breaches.
Mark, there are five things which show that the deviations of God's people are only infirmities and not enormities, weaknesses and not wickednesses. And the first is this, namely,
(1.) That they do frequently and principally arise from the subtlety and sudden power of Satan's temptations. 1 Chron. 21:1.
(2.) That the bent of their lives and hearts is against the evil that they do, Romans 7:15-16, 19, 23-24.
(3.) Their daily cries, tears, and complaints, speak it out to be an infirmity. They are in this particular like a lost sheep, or a lost child, or a lost friend.
(4.) Though they fall—yet they rise again; though they step or wander out of the way—yet they do return into the right way again.
(5.) When they do fall, there is a vast difference, a mighty difference between their falls, and the falls of wicked men who are not in covenant with God, and that
[1.] first, in respect of willingness;
[2.] in respect of choice;
[3.] in respect of desire;
[4.] in respect of course;
[5.] in respect of quietness;
[6.] in respect of continuance.
Mark, when wicked men fall, when men out of covenant with God fall, then they fall willingly, they fall out of choice, they fall out of desire to fall, they fall in a course, they fall, and they are quiet under their falls; they fall, and continue to fall, "tomorrow shall be as today," Isaiah 56:12.
But people in covenant with God, though they do fall—yet they do not fall, nor cannot fall, as they do who are out of covenant with God. For
[1.] first, there is in all such people a habitual purpose to keep covenant with God;
[2.] a habitual desire to keep covenant with God;
[3.] a habitual resolution to keep covenant with God;
[4.] a habitual endeavor to keep covenant with God.
Now, where it is thus, that man is certainly in covenant with God, and that man walks in covenant with God; he is under a covenant of grace; his sins are pardoned, and therefore they shall never be his ruin. Doubtless
many precious Christians have charged and condemned themselves for those things that the great God will never charge them with, nor condemn them for, Isaiah 63:17. Blessed Bradford wrote himself a hypocrite, a painted sepulcher. But doubtless God will never bring in such a charge against him. O sirs! the stirrings of sin, and the workings of sin, and the prevalency of sin for particular acts will stand with the covenant of grace, though not with the covenant of works. You may not by any means conclude that you are not in a covenant of grace, because such and such corruptions stirs in you, or because such or such weaknesses now and then breaks forth and discovers themselves, either in your lips or lives. Did Christians but study the covenant of grace more, and understand better than they do the difference between the covenant of grace and the covenant of works, how would their fears and doubts about their spiritual and eternal estates vanish, as the clouds before the sun when it shines in its greatest strength and glory! etc.
It was the saying of an eminent minister on his deathbed, that he had much peace and quietness, not so much from a greater measure of grace than other Christians had, or from any immediate witness of the Spirit— but because he had a more clear understanding of the covenant of grace than many others, having studied it and preached it so many years as he had done. Doubtless, had Christians a more clear and a more full understanding of the covenant of grace, they would live more holily, serviceably, humbly, fruitfully, comfortably, and sweetly than they do. And they would die more willingly, readily, and cheerfully than many (may I not say than most?) Christians use to do. But,
18. The eighteenth maxim or consideration. Consider—that trouble, grief, and sorrow for sin, which drives a man from God, is sinful, and must one day be repented of and wept over. All true trouble, grief and sorrow, drives to God, as is evident by these scriptures. [Hosea 5:1415. 6:1-3; Jer. 31:18-20; Psalm 51; Hosea 14:1-2; Psalm 25:11.] Suppose you have so and so sinned—yet it is a false inference that therefore you should be discouraged, and let your hopes sink, and your heart faint, as if there were no help, no hope, no comfort for you in your God.
Question. But when is a man's trouble or sorrow for sin, sinful?
Answer.
[1.] When it keeps Christ and the soul asunder.
[2.] When it keeps the soul and the promises asunder.
[3.] When it unfits a man for the duties of his place and calling, wherein the providence of God has placed him.
[4.] When it unfits a man for the duties of religion, either private or public.
[5.] When it takes off the sweet and comfort of all outward comforts and enjoyments, and renders all our mercies like the white of an egg, which has no taste or savor in it.
[6.] When it weakens, wastes, or destroys the outward man; all godly sorrow is a friend to the soul, and not an enemy to the body.
And thus much for these divine maxims, considerations, and rules which are seriously to be minded and observed in order to the clearing up a man's saving interest in Christ, and his title to all the glory of the eternal world. Certainly these eighteen maxims, considerations, or rules—if God shall please powerfully to set in with them—are of singular use for the clearing up of the saving work of God upon poor souls. And therefore it highly concerns Christians seriously to ponder upon them, as Mary did upon the sayings of the angel in her heart, Luke 2:19.
Now these things being premised, I shall come in the next chapter to lay down some infallible evidences of saving grace.
CHAPTER II. Containing many choice, precious, and infallible evidences of true saving grace, upon which a Christian may safely and securely, comfortably and confidently, rest and lean the weight of his precious and immortal soul, and by which he may certainly know that it
shall go well with him forever; and that he has a real saving interest in Christ, and shall be everlastingly happy, when he shall be here no more, etc.
I. First, There are some things in regard of SIN, and a Christian's actings about it—which manifests a gracious estate, and which discovers a saving principle of grace to be in the soul. I shall instance in these eleven particulars.
[1.] First, A universal willingness to be rid of all sin—is an infallible evidence of the truth of grace in a man's soul. [Isaiah 28:15, 18, 30:22; Hoses 14:8; Romans 7:22-24.] "When He comes, He will convict the world about sin." John 16:8. The first saving work of the Spirit upon the soul is the dividing between sin and the soul; it is a making an utter breach between sin and the soul; it is a dissolving of that old league that has been between the sinner and his sin. The first work of the Spirit is to make a man look upon sin as an enemy, and to deal with sin as an enemy, to hate it as an enemy, to loathe it as an enemy, to fear it as an enemy, and to arm against it as an enemy.
When the Holy Spirit takes possession of a soul, from that day forward the soul looks upon sin with as evil and as envious an eye as Saul looked on David when the evil spirit was upon him. Oh, says Saul, that I were but once well rid of this David. And oh, says the gracious soul, that I were but once well rid of this proud heart, this hard heart, this unbelieving heart, this unclean heart, this froward heart, this earthly heart of mine, etc. Look! as the daughters of Heth even made Rebekah weary of her life, Gen. 26:35, so corruptions within makes the gracious soul even weary of his life. "Many a day have I sought death with tears," said blessed Cowper, "not out of impatience, distrust, or perturbation—but because I am weary of sin, and fearful to fall into it."
Look! as when Christ has won the will, he has won the man; so when sin has lost the will, it has lost the man. The will is the heart; "My son, give me your heart," is, My son, give me your will. The will is the fort-royal of the soul; it is that stronghold which stands out stoutest and longest
against all the assaults of heaven. When the will is won—all is won—the castle is won—the heart is won. The man is won when the will is won. [Restraining grace does only suppress and abate the acts of sin; it never alters the disposition and will of a man as to sin. You may chain up a lion —but you cannot change the nature of a lion.] A man's judgment and reason may say, I ought to turn from sin; and his conscience may say, I must turn from sin, or it will be bitterness in the end, and yet the work not done, nor the soul won. But when the heart says, the will says, I will turn from sin—then the work is done, and the man is won.
Where reason says these lusts ought to be subdued, and the conscience says these lusts must be subdued, and the will says these lusts shall be subdued—Psalm 65:3, "As for our transgressions, you shall purge them away,"—there is a saving work upon the soul. When the will says to sin, as Ephraim said to his idols, "Get you hence, what have I any more to do with you?" Hosea 14:8, then the work of God is begun in power upon the soul.
A universal willingness to be rid of all sin, speaks the heart to be sound and sincere with God. The enmity which grace works in the heart against sin—is against the whole kind; it is against all sin, as well profitable and pleasurable sins as disparaging and disgracing sins; and as well against small sins as against great sins. True grace strikes at root and branch, at head and members, at father and son. A true Israelite would not have one Canaanite left in the holy land; he would have every Egyptian drowned in the red sea of Christ's blood; Psalm 119:104, "I hate every false way": Psalm 139:24, "Search me, O Lord! and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
Saving grace makes a man as willing to leave his lusts, as a slave is willing to leave his galley, or a prisoner his dungeon, or a thief his bolts, or a beggar his rags.
But now take a man who is in his natural condition, and he is as unwilling to part with his sins, as Abraham was to turn Hagar and Ishmael out of doors. Ambrose reports of one Theotimus, that having a disease upon his body, the physician told him, That except he did abstain from intemperance, drunkenness, uncleanness, etc., he was likely to lose his
eyes; his heart was so desperately set upon his lusts, that he answered, Farewell, sweet light then! He had rather lose his eyes—than leave his sins. So they in Micah 6:6-7, do make very large offers for a dispensation to live in their sins; they offer calves of a year old; they offer thousands of rams, and ten thousand rivers of oil; yes, they offer their firstborn for their transgressions, the fruit of their bodies for the sin of their souls.
Sinners' hearts are so glued to their lusts, that they will rather part with their nearest, dearest, and choicest enjoyments, than part with their sins; yes, when they are put hard to it, they will rather part with God, Christ, and all the glory of heaven, than they will part with some base bosom lust. Witness that young man in the Gospel, who went away sorrowful, because he had great possessions, Mat. 19:21-22. Look! as a man leaves his wife and children, his country, estate, and trade, with tears in his eyes and sorrow in his heart; so does an unregenerate man leave his lusts, with tears in his eyes and sorrow in his heart.
Very observable is the story of Phaltiel: David had married Michal; Saul injuriously gave her to another. When David came to the crown, and was able to speak a word of command, he sends for his wife Michal; her husband dares not but obey; he brings her on her journey, and then, not without great reluctancy of spirit, takes his leave of her. But what, was Phaltiel weary of his wife that he now forsakes her? Oh no! he was forced to it, and though she was gone—yet he cast many a sad thought after her, and never leaves looking until he sees her as far as Bahurim, weeping and bemoaning her absence, 2 Sam. 3:15-16. And just thus it is with carnal and unregenerate men, who, though for fear, or some other reasons, they part with their sins—yet they have many a longing heart after them; they part—but because they are forced; they part, and yet they are very loath to part asunder.
Look! as the merchant throws away his goods in a storm, because he cannot keep them—just so, carnal men, in times of sickness and distress, or in times of horror and terror of conscience, or when death, the king of terrors, knocks at their doors, or when they see hell gaping to devour them, and God as a solemn judge standing ready to pass an eternal doom upon them—only then they are willing to cast overboard their pleasures,
their drunkenness, their swearing, their cursing, their lying, their fleshpleasing, etc. But not out of any hatred to their lusts—but out of love to themselves, and out of fear of being damned, etc.; for could they but enjoy their sins and heaven too, sin and they would never part.
But now, were there no danger, no wrath, no hell, no damnation, no separation from God attending sin—yet a gracious soul would be heartily willing to part with all sin, and to be rid of all sin, upon the account of the vile nature of sin, upon the account of the defiling and polluting nature of sin. Of all the vile things in the world, sin is the most defiling thing; it makes us red with guilt and black with filth; it is compared to a menstruous cloth, Isaiah 30:22, which of all unclean things in the law was the most unclean, as some observe; and upon this very account a gracious soul would be willingly rid of it.
[2.] Secondly, A constant habitual willingness to be rid of all sin—is an infallible evidence of the truth of grace in the soul. It is not a transient willingness to be rid of sin, when a man is either under some outward trouble, or some inward distress—which speaks out the truth of saving grace—but a permanent, lasting, and abiding willingness to be rid of sin. Pharaoh in a fit, in a fright, when thunder and hail and frogs and flies were upon him, was then willing to let Israel go. But when his fright was over, and the judgments removed, he grew prouder and harder than before.
So many men, when they are a troubled by a sermon, or under some smart pangs of conscience, or under some startling or amazing judgments, oh! Then they will be willing to let Israel go, then they will be willing to let drunkenness go, and pride go, and uncleanness go, and worldliness go, etc. But when their sickness is over, and the pangs of conscience abated, and judgments removed, oh! then they return with the dog to his vomit, and with the sow to the wallowing in the mire again!
There was a man well known to a minister in this city, who, in the time of his sickness, was so terrified in his conscience for his sins, that he made the very bed to shake upon which he lay, and cried out all night long, "I am damned! I am damned! I am damned!" and this man, in the days of his outward and inward distresses, made many and great protestations of
amendment of life if God would be pleased to recover him. In a little while he did recover, and being recovered he was as bad and as wicked, if not worse, than he was before, 2 Pet. 2:20-22.
So in the time of the great plague in king Edward's days, as long as the heat of the plague lasted, all sorts and ranks of people were still a-crying out, "Mercy, good Lord, mercy, mercy, mercy!" Then lords and ladies, and other people of nobility, cried out to the ministers, "For God's sake tell us what we shall do to avoid the wrath of God; take these bags of money; pay so much to such a one whom I have deceived, and so much restore unto another, whom in bargaining I robbed; oh! give so much to the poor, and give so much to such and such pious uses." But after the sickness was over, they were just the same men that they were before!
Men in time of trouble are very ready to cry out, "Arise and save us!" Jer. 2:27. And with them, "Deliver us this time!" Judges 10:15. And with the Samaritans, who when God had sent lions among them, inquired after the manner of his worship, 2 Kings 17:25-26; and yet after all this, remained as vile and wicked as ever! Jer. 2:20, "Long ago I broke your yoke and tore away the chains of your slavery, but still you would not obey me. On every hill and under every green tree, you have prostituted yourselves by bowing down to idols."
A wicked man's willingness to be rid of his sins is transient, not constant; it is like the morning cloud and the early dew—which passes away, Hosea 6:4. The Jews were a very unstable people, a people bent to backsliding, a people who would often start aside like a deceitful bow, Hosea 11:7; Psalm 78:34, 37, 57; Hosea 7:16. Sometimes when the judgments of God were heavy upon them, or when they were under the reign of some good kings —then down went their groves, their altars, their idols, and their high places! But soon after, they are as much set upon idolatry as before. Sometimes they were willing to be rid of their idols, and at other times they were mad to go a-whoring after their idols. But now a godly man, when he is himself, he is never unwilling to be rid of his sins, yes, to be rid of all his sins. The fixed, standing, and abiding disposition and bent of a godly man's soul, of a godly man's will, is to be rid of every sin. And thrice happy is that man who is habitually under such a choice and blessed frame.
[3.] Thirdly, A transcendent willingness, a superlative willingness, an overtopping willingness to be rid of sin—is an infallible evidence of the truth of grace in the soul. When a man's willingness to be rid of his sins overtops his unwillingness; when a man is more willing to be rid of his sins than he is to continue in sin—then his spiritual state is certainly good. A gracious heart had much rather, if it were put to his choice, live without all sin, than to have allowance to wallow in any sin; he had rather live without the least sin, than to have liberty to live in the greatest, or the most flesh-pleasing sin. It is certain that sin is more afflictive to a gracious soul than all the losses, crosses, troubles, and trials that he meets with in the world.
David cries, not "I am undone!" but "I have done foolishly!" 2 Sam. 24:10. He does not cry, "Take away the pestilence!" but, "Take away the iniquity of your servant!"
Daniel does not cry, "Oh we are sadly reproached, we are greatly distressed, we are woefully oppressed!" but, "We have rebelled!" Dan. 9:5. And the church does not cry out, "Take away our captivity!" but, "Take away all iniquity!" It is not, "Take away our chains" but, "Take away our sins!" It is not, "Take away our afflictions!" but, "Take away our pollutions!" It is not, "Take away all our enemies' lives!" but, "Take away the lives of all our lusts!" Hosea 14:2.
And so Paul does not cry out because of his reproaches, or persecutors, or bonds, or chains, or stripes, or perils, or prisons; he rather glories in these. But he cries out of a law of sin in his members, rebelling against the law of his mind, and bringing of him into captivity to the law of sin, which is in his members, 2 Cor. 11:16; Romans 7:23. Paul does not cry out, "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from all my sorrows and sufferings?" but "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death?" verse 24.
A sincere heart, when he is himself, had much rather be rid of his sins than of his sufferings, yes, of the least sins than of the greatest sufferings. It was a sweet saying of Bernard: "I had rather," says he, "that God should better my heart than remove his hand; I had rather that God should
continue my strokes than my sins." And the same noble spirit was working bravely in Job when he was under the heavy hand of God: Job 34:32, "Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do so again." (See Job 7:20, 21.)
But now graceless men are much more willing to be rid of their afflictions than to be rid of their sins. Witness Pharaoh, who cries out, Take away the frogs! see Exod. 10:17: Exod. 8:8, "Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Entreat the Lord, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people. And I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the Lord." It is not, Entreat the Lord, that he would take away this proud heart, or this hard heart, or this besotted heart, or this blind mind, or this perverse will, or this benumbed conscience—that is in me and my people. But Entreat the Lord, that he may take away the frogs from me and my people. A graceless heart is more abundantly willing to be freed from punishment--the effect of sin; than it is willing to be freed from sin--the cause of punishment. A gracious heart sees more filthiness in sin than in frogs, and had rather be rid of his sins than of all the frogs or toads that are in the world.