Chapter 3 (continued, part 14)
It was the pride of Saul that turned his heart into steel: "I have sinned," says he, "yet honor me before the people," 1 Sam. 15:30. God gave him many a blow, many a knock, and many a check, and yet, after all, "Honor me before the people." Oh how desperately was his heart hardened in pride!
In Dan. 5:18, Nebuchadnezzar's mind, says the text, "was hardened in pride." He saw the vengeance of the Almighty upon his predecessors, and God took him up, and lashed him until the blood came, and yet he made nothing of it, because his heart was hardened in pride. Pride sets a man in opposition against God. Other sins are aversions from God—but this sin is a coming against God. In other sins a man flies from God—but in this sin a man flies upon God: James 4:6, "God resists the proud." A man does
not resist another until he is set upon; the traveler does not resist until such time as the thief attacks him. Says the text, "God resists the proud." It intimates thus much to us, that the proud heart attacks God himself, and therefore God resists him. He places himself in battle array against the proud. God brings forth his battalia against the proud, and they bring forth their battalia against God. A proud heart resists, and is resisted; this is flint to flint, fire to fire; yet in the day of God's wrath the proud shall be burnt up as stubble, both branch and root, Mal. 4:1.
[3.] The third proposition concerning pride is this, Pride is a sin that shows itself not one way—but many ways. For instance,
First, Sometimes it shows itself in the LOOKS, Proverbs 6:17: he tells you of seven things that the Lord hates, and one is a proud look. The Hebrew word there is, "The haughty eye." The haughty eye God hates. Men's hearts usually show themselves in their eyes: Psalm 131:1, "My heart is not haughty, nor my eye lofty." There are such who show pride in their very looks—but the Lord looks aloof at them, Psalm 138:6.
Secondly, Sometimes pride shows itself in WORDS: Dan. 4:30, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" and in chapter 15, "Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?" It was a very proud saying of one,"We have not so lived and deserved of God that the enemy should vanquish us." These were the proud ones, that spoke loftily, and that set their mouths against the heavens, as the psalmist speaks, Psalm 73:6, 8, 9, compared. And such a one was Henry the Second. Hearing that his city Mentz was taken, he used this proud blasphemous speech, "I shall never love God any more, who allowed a city so dear to me to be taken away from me." Such a proud wretch, both in words and actions, was Sennacherib, as you may see in Isaiah 37, from ver. 8 to 18.
Thirdly, Sometimes pride shows itself in the CLOTHING of the body; so Herod's pride appeared: Acts 12:21, "Herod was arrayed in royal apparel." In cloth of silver, says Josephus, which, being beaten upon by the sunbeams, dazzled the people's eyes, and drew from them that blasphemous acclamation, "It is the voice of God, and not of man." The people being most commonly like the Bohemian curs, that used to fawn
upon a good suit. So the rich man, Luke 16:19, was clothed in purple, and in silk. He was commonly so clothed; it was his every-day's wear, as the Greek word implies.
Question. But here a question may be asked, May not people clothe themselves according to their dignities, ranks, and places that God has put them in in the world?
Answer. I answer, They may, and ought so to do. If God has lifted them up in the world above others, they may wear better apparel than others, Gen. 41:42, Esther 6:8, Psalm 45:13-14, 2 Sam. 13:18, Lam. 4:5, Mat. 11:8, Gen. 27:15, Isaiah 52:1, Hosea 2:13, Exod. 28:40. I cite these scriptures so much the rather, because some, through weakness and peevishness, stumble and are not satisfied herein. There is nothing in the law of God or nature against it.
Question. But you may say, May not people sin in their apparel?
Answer. I answer, Yes, and that in four cases.
[1.] When it is not modest—but carries with it provocation to lust and immorality: Proverbs 7:10, "A woman came to meet him, dressed like a harlot." The Hebrew word signifies a clothing finely set and fitted to the body; and says the text, "She was subtle of heart," or trussed up about the breasts, with her upper parts naked; so Levi-Ben-Gersom reads the words, "She met him with her naked breasts," at this day too commonly used by such as would not be held harlots. Oh what a horrid shame and reproach is it to religion, the ways of God, and the people of God, that professors should go so! One says "that superfluous apparel is worse than whoredom, because whoredom only corrupts chastity—but this corrupts nature." Another says, "If women adorn themselves so as to provoke men to lust after them, though no ill follow upon it—yet those women shall suffer eternal damnation, because they offered poison to others, though none would drink of it."
[2.] People sin in their apparel when they exceed their degree and rank in costly apparel, which is that which is condemned by the apostle, 1 Tim. 2:9, 1 Pet. 3:3. The apostle does not simply condemn the wearing of gold
—but he condemns it in those who go above their degree and rank. The words are rather an admonition than a prohibition.
[3.] It is sinful when it is so expensive as that it hinders works of mercy and charity. Oh how many proud souls are there in these days that lay so expense much upon their backs, that they can spare nothing to fill the poor's bellies. Silk clothing hinders works of charity and mercy. Surely those who put on such costly ornaments upon their backs as close up the hand of charity, will at last share with Dives in his misery.
[4.] When persons habit themselves in strange and foreign fashions, which is the sin, shame, and reproach of many among us in these days. Now that is strange apparel which is not peculiar to the nations where men live. The Lord threatens to punish such, Zeph. 1:8, that are clothed with strange apparel. There are too many women and men in our days that are like the Egyptian temples, very gypsies, painted without and spotted within; varnish without and vermin within.
Mercury being to make a garment for the moon, as one says, could never fit her—but either the garment would be too big or too little, by reason she was always increasing or decreasing. May not this be applied to the vain curiosity of too too many professors in these days, whose curiosity about their clothes can never be satisfied?
I shall conclude this head with this counsel: Clothe yourselves with the silk of piety, with the satin of sanctity, and with the purple of modesty— and God himself will be a suitor to you. Let not the ornaments upon your backs speak out the vanity of your hearts. "I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God." 1 Timothy 2:9-10
Fourthly, Sometimes pride shows itself by the gesture and DEMEANOR of the body. Isaiah 3:16, "The daughters of Zion were haughty, and walked with stretched out necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, making a tinkling with their feet." Oh earth! earth! do you not groan to bear such monsters as these?
Fifthly, And sometimes pride shows itself in contemptuous challenges of God; as Pharoah, "Who is the God of the Hebrews, that I should obey him?"
Sixthly, Sometimes pride shows itself by bragging promises, "I will arise, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, and my lusts shall be satisfied," Exod. 15:9.
[4.] The fourth proposition that I shall lay down is this: Pride is a sin which of all sins, makes a person most like Satan.
Pride is Satan's disease. Pride is so base a disease, that God had rather see his dearest children to be buffeted by Satan, than that in pride they should be like Satan. When Paul, 2 Cor. 12:7, under the abundance of revelations, was in danger of being puffed up, the Lord, rather than he would have him proud like to Satan, suffers him to be buffeted by Satan. Humility makes a man like to angels, and pride makes an angel a devil. Pride is worse than the devil, for the devil cannot hurt you until pride has possessed you. If you would see the devil portrayed to the life—look upon a proud soul; for as face answers to face, so does a proud soul answer to Satan. Proud souls are Satan's apes, and none imitate him to the life like these. And oh that they were sensible of it, before it be too late, before the door of darkness be shut upon them!
[5.] A fifth proposition is this: Pride cannot climb so high—but justice will sit above her.
One asked a philosopher what God was a-doing? He answered, That his whole work was to exalt the humble and pull down the proud. It was pride which turned angels into devils; they would be above others in heaven, and therefore God cast them down to hell. The first man would know as God, and the Babel-builders would dwell as God—but justice set above them all. This truth you see verified in the justice of God upon Pharaoh, Haman, Herod, Belshazzar, and Nebuchadnezzar; all these would be very high—but justice takes the right hand of them all, and brings them down to the dust.
Yes, pride cannot climb so high in the hearts of saints—but divine justice
will be above it. Uzziah his heart was lifted up, 2 Chron. 26:16—but justice smites him with a leprosy, and so he died, out of grief and sorrow, says Josephus. David glories in his own greatness, 2 Sam. 24:1, seq., and for this, seventy thousand fall by the hand of justice. Hezekiah's heart was lifted up—but wrath was upon him, and upon all Judah and Jerusalem for it, 2 Chron. 32:25, seq. Pride sets itself against the honor, being, and sovereignty of God, and therefore justice will in spite of all sit above her. Other sins strike at the word of God, the people of God, and the creatures of God—but pride strikes directly at the very being of God, and therefore justice will be above her.
Nebuchadnezzar was proud, and God smites his reason, and turns him into a beast. Oh! how many young professors are there in our days, who have been proud of their notions, and proud of their parts and gifts—and justice has so smitten them, that they have lost that life, that sweetness, that spiritualness, which quickness what once they had, and are dried and shriveled up by a hand of justice. They are like the apples of Sodom, splendid on the outside—but rotten and worthless within. Some there are who have been very shining—yet by reason of pride have fallen from a seeming excellency to be naught, and from naught to be very naught, and from very naught to be stark naught. Isaiah 23:9, "The Lord Almighty has purposed it to destroy your pride and show his contempt for all human greatness." The Hebrew word that is here rendered purposed, signifies to consult, or take counsel. It is consulted and agreed upon in counsel, that he will destroy your pride and show his contempt for all human greatness; and the counsel of the Lord shall stand, Psalm 33:11; Isaiah 2:11-12, "The day is coming when your pride will be brought low and the Lord alone will be exalted. In that day the Lord Almighty will punish the proud, bringing them down to the dust!" Isaiah 2:11-12
Divine justice will take the right hand of all proud ones on the earth. God bears, as I may say, a special hatred against pride. His heart hates it, Proverbs 6:16-17; his mouth curses it, Psalm 119:21; and his hand plagues it, as you have seen in the former instances, and as you may see further in these following instances:
The king of Egypt, which Jeremiah prophesied against, in his forty-fourth chapter, was so puffed up with pride, that he boasted his kingdom was so
surely settled, that it could not be taken from him either by God or man. Not long after he was taken in battle by Amasis, one of his own subjects, and hanged.
Dionysius the tyrant said in the pride of his heart, that his kingdom was bound to him with chains of adamant; but time soon confuted him, for he was driven out, and forced to teach a school at Corinth for a poor living.
Cares, a soldier, being proud of his valor, because he had given Cyrus a great wound, shortly after he ran mad. In all ages there are notable instances to prove that pride has not got so high—but justice has set above her.
[6.] The sixth proposition is this, Of all sins, spiritual pride is most dangerous, and must be most resisted.
Spiritual pride is the lifting up of the mind against God; it is a tumor and swelling in the mind, and lies in despising and slighting of God, his word, promises, and ordinances, and in the lifting up of a man's self, by reason of birth, breeding, wealth, honor, place, relation, gifts or graces, and in despising of others. Of this spiritual pride Habakkuk speaks, chapter 2:4, "His heart that is lifted up in him, is not upright." Proverbs 16:5, "The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished." or, who "lifts up his heart against God," or his decrees; as Lewis the Eleventh did, in that proud speech of his, "If I shall be saved, I shall be saved; and if I shall be damned, I shall be damned; and there is all the care that I shall take." Like to this, was that proud and wretched speech of one Rufus, who painted God on the one side of his shield, and the devil on the other, with this mad motto: "If you will not have me, here is one will." Spiritual pride is a white devil, as one calls it, a gilded poison, by which God is robbed of his honor, a man's own soul of his comfort and peace, and others of that benefit and fruit which otherwise they might receive from us.
Satan is subtle; he will make a man proud of his very graces; he will make him proud that he is not proud. Pride grows with the decrease of other sins, and thrives by their decay. Other sins are nourished by poisonous roots, as adultery is nourished by idleness, and gluttony and murder by
malice and envy; but this white devil, spiritual pride, springs from good duties and good actions towards God and man. Spiritual pride is a very great enemy to the good and salvation of man. Pride is like a very great swelling, which unfits men for any service.
Again, spiritual pride is a very great enemy to the good and salvation of men. The Greek word signifies swelling, for pride is like a great swelling in the body, which unfits it for any good service. John 5:40, "You will not come to me, that you may have life;" and ver. 44, "How can you believe in me, who seek honor one of another?" Christ blesses his Father, Mat. 11:25, that he had "hidden those things from the wise and prudent, and had revealed them unto babes and sucklings." It is the pride of men's hearts that makes them throw off ordinances, as poor and low things, when, alas! in their practices they live below the power, beauty, glory, and holiness of the least and lowest ordinance. There is more holiness, purity, and glory manifested in the lowest administrations of Christ—than is held forth by them, in their highest practices.
[7.] The seventh proposition is this, Pride un-mans a man; it makes him do acts which are below a man.
As you may see in Pharaoh, Haman, Herod, Nebuchadnezzar, etc. It makes men bedlams. It was pride which made Hildebrand to cause Henry the Fourth to stand three days at his gate, with his wife and his child, barefooted. It was pride that made Adonibezek cause seventy kings, with their thumbs and great toes cut off, Judges 1:5-7, to gather their food under his table. Oh! what wretched unmanly acts has the pride of many persons put them upon.
[8.] The eighth proposition is this, The poorest are oftentimes the proudest.
Interesting is the parable of Jotham: the best trees refused to be king— but the bramble wanted it; and did hope and aspire to it, Judges 9:15. So in 2 Kings 14:9, "The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give your daughter to my son to wife." Hagar the kitchen-maid will be proud, and insult over her mistress Sarah, Gen. 21. The poor sons of Zebedee desired to sit at Christ's right hand and left,
Mat. 20:20-21. And those who Job disdains to set with the dogs of his flock—despise him in the day of his sorrow, Job 30:1. The foot strives to be equal with the head, the servant as the master, the cobbler as the councillor, and the peasant as the prince, etc.
[9.] The ninth proposition is this, Pride is a sure forerunner of a fall.
"Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty mind before a fall," Proverbs 16:18, 18:12. Herod fell from a throne of gold—to a bed of dust. Nebuchadnezzar fell from the state of a mighty king—to be a beast. Adam fell from innocency to mortality. The angels fell from heaven to hell— from felicity to misery.
[10.] The tenth and last proposition is this: God will by an invincible power, conquer proud souls.
You haughty ones, who think to escape—and battle it out, remember this —God will by an almighty and invincible power conquer you; when you think not of it, he will eat you like a moth. Isaiah 47:10-11, "You have trusted in your wickedness and have said, 'No one sees me.' Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you when you say to yourself, 'I am, and there is none besides me.' Disaster will come upon you, and you will not know how to conjure it away. A calamity will fall upon you that you cannot ward off with a ransom; a catastrophe you cannot foresee will suddenly come upon you."
Impunity oftentimes causes impudency—but God's forbearance is no acquittance. The longer the hand is lifted up, the heavier will be the blow at last. Of all metals, lead is the coldest—but being melted, it becomes the hottest. Humble souls know how to apply this, and proud souls shall sooner or later experience this. [Pope Innocent the Fourth, as he was walking securely in his palace, heard that sorrowful and dreadful summons, Come, you wretch, receive your judgment! and soon after he was found dead. Eccles. 8:11.]
II. I shall now proceed to a second doctrine, namely, That all saints are not of an equal size and growth in grace and holiness.
"Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ!" Ephesians 3:8
Some are higher, and some are lower; some are stronger and some are weaker—in spiritual graces and heavenly excellencies. "Unto me who am less than the least," etc.
Among true believers, some may be found to be but weak believers. This point flows as natural from the words as the stream does from the fountain, and no point more clear in all the Scripture than this.
In Romans 14:1, you read of some who are weak in the faith; "Those who are weak in the faith receive," says the apostle. None are to be rejected in whom is anything of Christ is to be found. And so Mat. 14:31, there is mention made of "little faith." 1 Cor. 9:22, "To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak." You read of babes in grace: 1 Pet. 2:2, 3, "As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if so be that you have tasted that the Lord is gracious." 1 John 2:12-14, there is mention made of "little children, of young men, and of fathers." All are not fathers in grace, nor all are not young men in grace; there are some children in grace. A Christian in this life has his degrees of growth; he is first a child in grace, and then a young man in grace, and then a father in grace. [It is with Christians as it is with planets: the moon goes her course once a month, the sun once a year, the rest not in many years; yet at length they finish their course.]
For the further opening of this point, I shall endeavor these four things.
I. I shall endeavor to decipher to you souls weak in grace.
II. I shall endeavor to lay down those things which may encourage, support, and comfort souls who are weak in grace.
III. I shall speak to the duties which lie upon those who are weak in grace.
IV. I shall speak to the duties which lie upon those who are strong in grace, towards those who are weak in grace.
Of these four we shall speak, as the Lord shall assist.
I. I shall begin with the first, To decipher souls weak in grace.
The first thing by which I shall describe, discover and decipher souls weak in grace is this:
[1.] Weak Christians are usually much concerned and taken up with the poor low things of this world.
They are much in carking and caring for them, and in pursuing and hunting greedily after them. That is a clear text for this: Mat. 6:25, to the end. Christ labors by several weighty arguments to fence and fortify his disciples against those uncertain, doubtful, carking worldly cares—which divide, distract, distemper, torture, and tear the heart in a thousand pieces. And yet neither these arguments, nor yet the presence of him who was the great landlord of heaven and earth, and whose love and affections were still yearning towards them, and whose special eye of providence was still over them—could rid their heads and hearts of these worldly cares that do but vex and perplex the souls of men. And it is very observable, that after this stinging lecture which Christ gave them, they did argue three different times, as to who should be greatest and highest in worldly enjoyments. Their hearts should have been only in heaven, and yet they strive for earth, as if there were no heaven, or as if earth were better than heaven. All which does clearly evidence, that their graces were very weak, and their corruptions very strong.
Men who have little of the upper springs within, are much concerned after the springs below. Baruch was godly—but weak in grace; he had but some sips and tastes of the glory of the eternal world, and that made him, when God was a-pulling down all worldly glory, to seek for earth as if there were no heaven, Jer. 45:1-5. Certainly there is but little of Christ and grace within—where the heart is so strongly concerned about earthly
things. Where there is such strong love and workings of heart after these poor things, it shows our soul's enjoyment of God to be but poor and low.
In the Old Testament, the Jews, being babes and infants in grace and holiness, had a world of temporal promises, and very few spiritual promises. But now in the days of the gospel, the Lord is pleased to double and treble his Spirit upon his people, and now you meet with very few temporal promises in the gospel—but the gospel is filled with spiritual promises. The gospel drops nothing but marrow and fatness, love and sweetness; and therefore God looks in these days that men should grow up to a greater height of holiness, heavenliness, and spiritualness, than what they attained to in those dark days, wherein the sun shined but dimly. Those who are rich and strong in grace, look upon the world with a holy scorn and disdain. As Themistocles, when he saw in the dark a thing like a pearl, he scorned to stoop for it himself, saying to another, "You scoop it up—for you are not Themistocles."
Abraham, a man strong in grace, looked with a holy scorn and with an eye of disdain upon these poor things. When Melchisedec had made him heir of all things, he refused the riches that the king of Sodom offered him, because God was his shield and his exceeding great reward, Gen. 14:21, 15:1. The greatest bargain which a soul rich in grace will make with God for himself is this, "Give me but bread to eat and clothes to wear--and you shall be my God." So it was with that brave soul, Gen. 28:21. Jacob desires but bread and clothing. Mark, he asks bread—not dainties; clothing—not ornaments. A little of this world will satisfy a man who is strong in grace; much will not satisfy a man who is weak in grace; nothing will satisfy a man who is void of grace.
Souls weak in grace, have their hearts much working after these poor base things; as you may see, Mat. 18:1, "Who shall be greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" The question is stated by the disciples, whom one would have thought should have had their hearts and thoughts in heaven; but they dreamed of an earthly kingdom, where honors and offices would be distributed, as in the days of David and Solomon. And it is observable in Mark 9:33-34, that they are at it again: "And he came to Capernaum; and being in the house, he asked them, What was it that you disputed among yourselves by the way? But they remained silent" (they were
ashamed to tell him); "for by the way they had disputed among themselves who should be greatest." Says one, I'll have this, and says another, I'll have that, etc.; or as it is in the Greek, "they disputed who was greatest;" so in Luke 9:46. Says one, I am greater than you; No, says another, I am greatest.
It is an argument of a childish disposition—to be concerned more with rattles and baubles, than with jewels and pearls. That Christian has little of the power of grace within him, whose heart is so strongly carried out to these vanities below. Grown men prefer one piece of gold above a thousand new pennies. A soul who is strong in grace, that is high in its spiritual enjoyments, prefers one good word from God, one good look from Christ, above all the dainties of this world. "Lord," he prays, "lift up the light of your countenance upon me." Warm my heart with the beams of your love, and then a little of these things will suffice.
You see Moses and all those worthies in the 11th of the Hebrews, who were men strong in grace—how bravely they trample upon all things below God. They left their families and their countries,where they lived like princes—to wander in a wilderness, upon the bare command of God. So Luther, a man strong in grace, when he had a gown and money given him by the elector, he turned himself about, and said, "I shall not put me off with these poor base things." Souls who know by experience what the bosom of Christ is, what spiritual communion is, what the glory of heaven is, will not be put off by with things which are mixed, mutable, and momentary. And to shame many professors in these days, I might bring in a cloud of witnesses; even from among the very heathen, who never heard of a crucified Christ, and yet were more crucified to things below Christ than many of those who pretend much to Christ. But I shall forbear, only desiring that those who think and speak so scornfully and contemptuously of heathens may not at last be found worse than heathens; yes, be judged and condemned by heathens in the great and solemn day of the Lord.
Secondly, In order to a further deciphering of weak Christians, I shall lay down this:
[2.] That weak saints do usually over-fear troubles before
they come; yes, those future evils that, forty to one, may never come to pass.
The very empty thoughts and fears of possible trouble is very terrible and perplexing to a weak saint. When it was told the house of David, saying, "Syria is confederate with Ephraim, the hearts of Ahaz and his people were shaken, as the trees of the forest are shaken by the wind," Isaiah 7:2. Their heart quaked and quivered, as we say, like an aspen leaf. It is an elegant expression, showing, in their extremity, the baseness of their fears, arguing no courage or spirit at all in them. The very news and conceit of trouble or calamities, oh how does it perplex, and vex, and grieve, and overwhelm weak Christians! [The chameleon, says Pliny, is the most fearful of all creatures, and does therefore turns into all colors to save itself; and so it is often with weak Christians..... Pray for me, said Latimer in his letter to Ridley; for I am sometimes so fearful, that I would creep into a mouse-hole.]
The very hearing of trouble at a distance makes them to stagger and reel, and ready to say, Will God now save? Will he now deliver? It puts them into those shaking fits, that they know not what to do with themselves, nor how to perform the service they owe to God or man. Now tell me, can you call that a stout spirit, a strong spirit—who is daunted with the very report and thoughts of calamity? Or who has immoderate fear of a thousand things that perhaps shall never happen; as fears of foreign invasions, or fears of home-bred confusions, fears of change of religion, or being surprised with such or such diseases, or being ruined in their outward estate by such and such devices or disadvantages, or by falling under the frowns of such a great man, or under the anger and revenge of such and such a man, and a thousand such like things. Now, this speaks out much weakness in grace. Souls strong in grace are carried above these fears; yes, with the leviathan in Job, they can laugh at the shaking of a spear, chapter 41:29. They can say with David, "Though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil; for you are with us, your rod and your staff do comfort us," Psalm 23:4. But weak souls are afraid of their own shadow. The very shadow of trouble will exceedingly trouble such souls, and oftentimes make their lives a very hell. [Bucephalus was not afraid of his burden; the shadow only frightened
him. So weak Christians are afraid of the shadow of the cross.]
[3.] Thirdly, Fainting in the day of adversity speaks of a soul to be but weak in grace.
Weak Christians are overcome with little crosses. The least cross does not only startle them—but it sinks them, and makes them ready to sit down and to cry out with the church, "Behold you who pass by, see whether there be any sorrow like my sorrow," Lam. 1:12. Before trouble comes, weak Christians are apt to think that they can bear much and endure much; but, alas! when the day of trial comes upon them, when they are put to it, they prove but men of poor and impotent spirits, and then they roar, and complain, and lie down in the dust—allowing crosses and losses to bind them hand and foot, and to rob them of all their comforts. And now though they have many comforts, compared to their one cross—yet their one cross does so damp and daunt their hearts, that joy and comfort flies away from them, and they sit down overwhelmed. Certainly this speaks out little of Christ within. All Rachel's comforts were no comforts, because her children were not. This speaks out much weakness within.
Proverbs 24:10, "If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small;" if you shrink, if you abate and slacken, in the day of adversity, your strength is small. Man has no trial of his strength until he is in trouble; faintness then reveals the weakness. Afflictions test what strength we have—as hard weather tries what health we have. A weak Christian sinks under a little burden; every frown, every sour word, every puff of wind blows him down, and makes him sink under his burden. But now a soul strong in grace bears up bravely against all winds and weather. That is a wonderful text, and worthy to be written in letters of gold, which you have in Gen. 49:23-24, "Joseph's bow abode in strength, though the archers sorely grieved him, shot at him, and hated him. And the arms of his hands were made strong, by the mighty God of Jacob." The archers that sorely grieved him were his barbarous brethren who sold him; his adulterous mistress who, harlot-like, hunted for his precious life; his injurious master, who without any desert of his, imprisoned him; the tumultuating Hebrews, who perhaps spoke of stoning him; and the envious courtiers and enchanters spoke evilly of him before Pharaoh, to bring him out of favor. All these shot sorely at him. The word that is
rendered archers in the Hebrew, is arrow-masters, which term implies skillfulness in shooting. They were cunning and skillful to hit the mark, and they shot at him, as at a mark; but yet "his bow abode in strength."
When God in the midst of weakness makes a soul strong, that soul will not only face enemies and difficulties—but triumph over them. Those who are strong in grace seldom lack courage or counsel when they are in the worst battle. They always find their hope to be an anchor at sea, and their faith a shield upon land; and therefore they triumph in all storms and dangers. They stand firm when they are under the greatest pressures: 2 Cor. 11:23, "In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often," etc. And yet he triumphs in 2 Cor. 1:12, "Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to God's grace." Strong Paul rejoiced in his sufferings for Christ, and therefore often sings it out: "I, Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ;" not "I Paul, enrapt up in the third heaven." He preferred his crown of thorns before a crown of gold, his prison rags above all royal robes. [If we perish, Christ perishes with us, said Luther.]
[4.] Fourthly, A weak Christian thinks that little to be much, which he suffers for Christ.
In Mat. 19:27, then "answered Peter, and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed you; what shall we have?" Their worldly case in following Christ, was little worse than when they only traded in fishing; and yet, "we have forsaken all, and followed you; what shall we have?" This their all was not worth a speaking of, and yet, for this they look for some great worldly reward and recompense. "We have forsaken all."—A few broken boats, and a few tattered and torn nets, and a little old household stuff, and Christ maintained them too, upon his own cost and charge; and yet say they, "We have forsaken all, and followed you." Neither is it without an emphasis, that they begin with a Behold; "Behold we have forsaken all," as if Christ were greatly beholding to them. Let their wills be but crossed a little, by servants, children, friends, etc, or let them but suffer a little in their names or estates, etc., and presently you shall have them a-sighing it out, "No sorrow like our sorrow, no loss to
our loss, no cross to our cross," etc. [Weak Christians are like children; they look for a great reward for a little work.] Whereas souls strong in grace suffer much, and yet count that much but little. A soul strong in grace can suffer much, and yet make nothing of it. I am heartily angry, says Luther, who suffered very much, with those who speak of my sufferings, which if compared with that which Christ suffered for me, are not once to be mentioned in the same day, etc.
[5.] Fifthly, Those who are weak in grace dwell more upon what may discourage them in the ways of grace and holiness, than they do upon what may encourage them.
They dwell more upon their sins—than upon a Savior; more upon their misery—than upon free grace and mercy; more upon that which may feed their fears—than upon that that may strengthen their faith; more upon the cross—than upon the crown; more upon those who are against them— than those who are for them: Isaiah 51:12-13, "I, even I, am the one who comforts you. So why are you afraid of mere humans, who wither like the grass and disappear? Yet you have forgotten the Lord, your Creator, the one who put the stars in the sky and established the earth. Will you remain in constant dread of human oppression? Will you continue to fear the anger of your enemies from morning till night?"
The same is intimated Romans 4:19-20, "Abraham, being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body being dead, nor yet the deadness of Sarah's womb." Mark, "being not weak in faith." Souls weak in faith are very apt to dwell upon discouragements—but strong Christians look above all discouragements. "He considered not." The Greek is, he cared not for his own body, he did not mind that; but in the 20th verse, "he considered him who had promised." Souls strong in grace dwell more upon their encouragements to holiness and believing, than upon their discouragements. "He considered him who had promised." He had an eye fixed upon the faithfulness of God, and the sufficiency and almightiness of God—and this bore up his heart above all discouragements.
So in 2 Cor. 4:16-18, "Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding, and eternal weight of glory; while we look not (mark, they are not doating upon their discouragements) upon
things which are seen—but upon things which are not seen: the things which are seen are temporal—but the things which are not seen are eternal." An eye fixed upon encouragements makes heavy afflictions light, long afflictions short, and bitter afflictions sweet. Those blessed martyrs found it so—who were cast out all night, in a cold frosty night, naked, and were to be burnt the next day, who thus comforted themselves, The winter is sharp—but paradise is sweet; here we shiver for cold—but the bosom of Abraham will make amends for all.
Weak Christians have eyes to behold their discouragements—but none to see their encouragements; they look more upon their corruption than upon their sanctification; upon their disobedience than their obedience; upon their distrust than upon their faith; upon the old man than upon the new—and this keeps them low and weak in spirituals, it causes a leanness in their souls.
[6.] Sixthly, The zeal of weak Christians usually outstrips their wisdom and knowledge.
Weak Christians are very zealous—but not according to knowledge: Romans 10:2, "For I bear them record, that they have a zeal of God—but not according to knowledge." They were very zealous—but not true zealots, they are very peevish and pettish and censorious; but they lack wisdom and knowledge to manage their zeal, to God's glory and their brethren's good. Such zeal had those two Rabbis who set upon Charles the Fifth, to persuade him to turn Jew, as judging their religion to be the only religion in the world, and for which they were put to a cruel death, in the year 1530. A great zeal they had to the winning over of him to Judaism—but this zeal was their ruin. Zeal without knowledge is as wild-fire in a fool's hand; it is like the devil in the demoniac, that sometimes cast him into the fire, and sometimes into the water. So the disciples of Christ were weak in their light, and furious in their zeal: Luke 9:54, "Let fire come down from heaven, and consume them," say they. But mark what Christ says, ver. 55: "You know not what manner of spirits you are of;" that is, you know not what spirit acts you. You think that you are acted by such a spirit as Elijah of old was acted by—but you err, says Christ; "you have a zeal—but not according to knowledge," therefore it is a human fervidness and not a divine motion.
Zeal is like fire: in the chimney it is one of the best servants—but out of the chimney it is one of the worst masters. Zeal kept by knowledge and wisdom, in its proper place, is a choice servant to Christ and saints; but zeal not bounded by wisdom and knowledge, is the high way to undo all, and to make a hell for many at once. [Josephus, tells of some who imposed the name of Zelote upon themselves, as if they were zealous for the honor and service of God, and under this pretense committed all riots and imaginable wickedness. It were well if we had no such monsters among us in these days.]
Weak Christians are usually most zealous about circumstances and things that have least of God and Christ and the power of holiness in them; and most cold about things of value and substance—as woeful experience does evidence in these days. Zeal ordered by wisdom, feeds upon the faults of offenders, not on their persons. It spends itself and its greatest heat principally upon those things that concern a man's self. It is most exercised about substantials: Tit. 2:14—but that which is rash, is most exercised about circumstantials; Gal. 1:14, Paul was, in the days of his ignorance, very zealous for the traditions of his fathers, etc.
[7.] Seventhly, Among all saints, the weakest saints act most like carnal sinners.
No saint is so like a sinner—as a weak saint. "Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as carnal (worldly)--mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?" 1 Corinthians 3:1-3. They were advanced but very little above the imperfections and passions and sins of mere men, of such who had nothing of the Spirit in them, etc. Do wicked men quarrel with their teachers—when they themselves are in fault? So did these babes here. Do wicked men impute their not profiting to the minister, as he who, having a thorn in his foot, complains of the roughness of the way as the cause of his limping, whereas it was the thorn and not the roughness of the way which hurt him. Or as she, that, being struck with a sudden blindness, bid open the window, whereas it was not the lack of light—but lack of sight,
which troubled her. So did these babes in the text lay the fault of their non-proficiency upon their teachers, when the fault was wholly in themselves. [In many things, weak Christians are carnal men's apes.]
Now he calls them carnal, partly because the flesh was strong in them, and partly because they followed and relished the things of the flesh, and partly because they did in their actions resemble carnal men. Do carnal and wicked men cry up one godly man, and cry down another? Do they lift up one, and abase another? So did they. Are wicked men full of envy, strife, and divisions? So were they. And these overflowings of the gall and spleen, come from a fullness of bad humours, from that abundance of carnality that was in them.
But now souls strong in grace are higher than carnal men, as Saul was higher than the people by head and shoulders. Souls strong in grace have their feet where carnal men's heads are—they have their feet on the world. Proverbs 15:24, "The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath." Souls who are strong in grace, do act rather like angels than like carnal men; they do as much resemble the Father of spirits, as carnal men do the Father of lies.
[8.] Eighthly, Souls weak in grace are easily drawn aside out of the ways of holiness.
You know a man who has but a little bodily strength, is easily thrust out of the way; so it is with souls weak in grace: 1 John 3:7, "Little children, let no man deceive you; he who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous." Says the apostle, "Little children, let no man deceive you." Many in these days, under pretenses of high and glorious enjoyments of God, neglect and despise righteousness and holiness, crying up visions and manifestations, when their visions are only the visions of their own hearts and their manifestations are plain delusions. Ah! but says the apostle, "Little children, let none of these deceive you." I tell you he, and only he, who does righteousness, is righteous, as God is righteous. Children, you know, may be easily deceived, and made to take shiny pennies for gold, because they are prettier and brighter. Children in grace are soon deceived, hence is it that they are so deluded.
Heb. 12:12-13, "Therefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees." Some think that the apostle alludes to those combats of the heathens, wherein it was a token of yielding, when a man hung down his hands. You are weak, says the apostle, and by reason of trials you are apt to hang down your hands, and to give up all as lost; therefore, says he, lift up your hands to fight, and your feet to run, take heart and courage, faint not, give not over, turn not aside because of the sharpness of afflictions. But souls strong in grace will hold on in the ways of grace and holiness, in the face of all dangers and deaths, Psalm 44.
[9.] Ninthly, Weak Christians are apt to make sense and feeling, the judge of their spiritual estates and conditions.
And, therefore, upon every turn they are apt to judge themselves miserable, and to conclude that they have no grace, because they cannot feel it, nor discern it, nor believe it; and so making sense, feeling, and reason, the judge of their estates—they wrong, and perplex, and vex their precious souls, and make their lives a very hell.
The Canaanite woman had strong faith—but no assurance that we read of, Mat. 15:22, seq. Gal. 4:6, "And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." Mark, they are first the sons of God, and then the Spirit cries, Abba, Father. 1 John 5:13, "These things have I written unto you who believe on the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life." Mark, they did believe, and they had eternal life, in respect of Christ their head, who, as a public person, was gone to heaven, to represent all his saints. And they had eternal life in respect of the promises, and they had eternal life in respect of the beginnings of it—and yet they did not know it, they did not believe it. "Therefore these things write I unto you who believe on the name of the Son of God," says he, "that you may know that you have eternal life, and that this life is in his Son." Ponder on Micah 7:7-9.
The word shall judge us at last, John 12:48; and therefore strong saints make only the word of God the judge of their spiritual condition now.
[10.] Tenthly, Their thoughts and hearts of weak Christians are more taken up with the love-tokens, and the good things
they have from Christ—than with Christ himself.
Oh their graces, their comforts, their enlargements, their meltings, and their warmings, etc., are the things which most absorb them. Their thoughts and hearts are so exercised about these things, that Christ himself is much neglected by them. The child is so absorbed with dolls and rattles, etc., that the mother is not thought of. And such is the behavior of weak Christians towards Christ.
But now souls who are strong in grace are more taken with the person of Christ than they are with the love-tokens of Christ. They bless Christ indeed for every grain of grace, and for every good word from heaven, and for every good look from heaven; ay—but Christ himself is more to them than all these. [Christ is the most sparkling diamond in the ring of glory, etc.] This is remarkable in the church, Cant. 5:9-10, "What is your beloved more than another beloved, O you fairest among women? etc. "My beloved is dark and dazzling, better than ten thousand others!" etc. She does not say, My beloved is one that I have got so many thousands by, and heaven by, and pardon of sin by, and peace of conscience by. Oh no! but he dazzling. Her soul was taken most with the person of Christ.
It is an argument of weakness of grace, when the heart is more exercised about the bracelets, and the kisses, and the love-tokens of Christ—than it is about Christ himself. [That wife is but weak in her love, who is more taken up with her husband's presents than with his person.] But now says one strong in grace, My bracelets are precious—but Christ is more precious; the streams of grace are sweet—but the fountain of grace is most sweet; the beams of the sun are glorious—but the sun itself is most glorious. A naked Christ, a despised Christ, a persecuted Christ, is more valued by a strong Christian, than heaven and earth are by a weak Christian. [Christ's himself, to a strong Christian, is the greatest cordial in all the world.]
[11.] Eleventhly, Souls weak in grace are easily stopped and taken off from acting graciously and holily, when discouragements face them.
This you may see in that remarkable instance concerning Peter, in that
26th of Matthew, from the 69th to the end. A silly wench outfaces him; she daunts this self-confident champion; she easily stops and turns him by saying, "You were one of those with Jesus the Galilean," v. 70. "But Peter denied it in front of everyone—I don't know what you are talking about." He makes as if he did neither understand her words or her meaning; and this false dissembling was a true denying of Christ. Now Mark says, chapter 14:68, that upon the very first denial of Christ, the rooster crowed, and yet this fair warning could not secure him—but when another maid saw him, and said, "This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth," ver. 72, he denied it with an oath, saying, "I do not know the man!" This was fearful and dreadful, and the worse because his Master, whom he forsware, was now upon his trial, and might say with wounded Caesar, "What! and you my son Brutus!" Is this your kindness to your friend, to him who has loved you, and saved you, and owned you? etc. Then ver. 73, "Surely you are one of them, for your speech betrays you." And ver. 74. "He began to curse and to swear, I know not the man!" The Greek word that is rendered curse, imports a cursing and a damning of himself, an imprecation of God's wrath, and a separation from the presence and glory of God, if he knew the man." Some writers say, that he cursed Christ. "I know not the man," says he.
Though it were ten thousand times better to bear than to swear, and to die than to lie—yet when discouragement faces him, he is so amazed and daunted, that he tells the most incredible lie that almost could be uttered by the mouth of man. For there was no one more than Peter, who knew Christ. Neither could Peter allege any cause why he came there, if he had not known Christ.
But, ver. 75, "He went out, and wept bitterly." One sweet look of love breaks his heart in pieces, he melts under the beamings forth of divine favor upon him. Once he leapt into a sea of waters to come to Christ, and now he leaps into a sea of tears, because he had so shamefully denied Christ. Clement notes, that Peter so repented, that all his life-time after, every night when he heard the rooster crow, he would fall upon his knees and weep bitterly, begging pardon for this dreadful sin. Others say, that after his lying, cursing, and denying of Christ, he was ever and anon weeping, and that his face was furrowed with continual tears. He had no
sooner taken in poison—but he vomits it up again, before it got to the vitals. He had no sooner handled a serpent—but he turns it into a rod to scourge his soul with remorse.
This truth is further confirmed by the speech and carriage of the disciples: Luke 24:21, seq., "We had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel." Here their hope hangs the wing extremely. Weak souls find it as hard to wait for God, as it is to bear evil. This weakness Christ checks, ver. 25, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken," etc. And John 16:5, the first news Christ tells them, is of their sufferings and of his leaving of them; and upon the thoughts hereof their hearts were so filled with sorrow, that they could not so much as say, "Master, where are you going?" ver. 6. But now, souls strong in grace will hold on in holy and gracious actings in the very face of the greatest discouragements. And so the three Hebrew children, they hold up in the face of all discouragements. And so those brave worthies, of whom this world was not worthy, Heb. 11, their hearts were strong, notwithstanding all discouragements, to hold on in ways of holiness, and in their actings of faith upon God, in the face of all dangers and deaths which did attend them. Such a spirit shined in Chrysostom when he bid them tell the enraged empress, I fear nothing but sin!
When Henry the Eighth had spoken and written bitterly against Luther, says Luther, Tell the Henries, the bishops, the Turks, and the devil himself—do what they can—we are children of the kingdom, worshiping of the true God, whom they, and such as they, spit upon and crucified. And of the same spirit and metal were many martyrs. Basil affirms of the primitive saints, that they had so much courage and confidence in their sufferings, that many of the heathens, seeing their heroic zeal and constancy, turned Christians.
[12.] Twelfthly, Weak saints mind their wages more than their work.
Their wages are joy, peace, comfort, and assurance, etc.; and their work is waiting on God, believing in God, walking with God, acting for God, etc. Now, weak saints' minds are more carried out, and taken up about their wages, than they are about their work, as experience does abundantly
evidence. [Children mind more play-days than they do working-days, or school-days.] Ah! Christians, if you don't mind your wages more than your work, what means the bleating of the sheep, and the lowing of the oxen? 1 Sam. 15:14. What means those earnest and vehement cryings out and wrestlings for joy, peace, comfort, and assurance—when the great work of believing, of waiting, and of walking with God—is so much neglected and disregarded?
But now strong saints are more mindful of their work than they are of their wages. Lord! says a strong saint, do but uphold me in a way of believing, in a way of working, in a way of holy walking, etc., and it shall be enough, though I should never have assurance, comfort, peace, or joy, until my dying day. If you will carry me forth so as you may have honor, though I have no comfort; so you may have glory, though I have no peace, I will bless you, Romans 4:18-20. I know, says such a soul, though a life of comfort be most pleasing to me—yet a life of believing, abstracted from comfort, is most honorable to you, and therefore I will be silent before you. Lord! do but help me in my work, and take your own time to give me my wages—to give me comfort, joy, peace, assurance. They are not the best servants, who mind their wages more than their work, nor they are none of the best Christians that mind their comforts and their in-comings of the Spirit of graces—more than that homage and duty that they owe to God.
Before I come to the second thing premised, give me permission to give you this hint; namely, that there is no such way to joy, peace, and assurance, as this—to mind your work more than your wages. Ah! had many mourning, complaining Christians done thus—their mourning before this had been turned into rejoicing, and their complaining into singings. Christians, the high way to comfort is to mind comfort less, and duty more; it is to mind more what you should do, than what you would have, as you may see in Eph. 1:13, "In whom you also trusted, after you heard the word of faith, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also, after that you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise." The original runs thus—in whom believing, you were sealed. While faith is busied and exercised about Christ, and those varieties of glories and excellencies which are in him—the Lord comes, and by his Spirit seals up
the life, and love, and glory of them.
Thus by divine assistance I have dispatched the first thing, namely, the deciphering of weak Christians.
II. The second thing that I propounded for the further opening and clearing of this point was, to hold forth to you those things which tend to support, comfort, and uphold weak Christians. And truly I must needs say, that if ever there was a time wherein weak Christians had need of support, I truly believe this is the time wherein we live, for by the horrid profaneness of men on the one hand, and the abominable, loose, and rotten principles of others on the other hand—the hearts of many weak Christians especially are saddened, which God would not have saddened; and their spirits wounded and grieved, which God would have comforted and healed; and therefore I shall dwell the longer upon this second thing,
And the first thing that I shall lay down by way of support is this.
Support 1. That the weakest Christians have as much interest and property in Christ, and all the fundamental good which comes by Christ—as the strongest saints have. [He who looked upon the brazen serpent, though with a weak sight—was healed as thoroughly as he who looked upon it with a stronger sight. A weak faith is a joint possessor of Christ; though no faith can be a joint purchaser of Christ.]
Weak saints are as much united to Christ, as much justified by Christ, as much reconciled by Christ, and as much pardoned by Christ—as the strongest saints. It is true, weak Christians cannot make so much improvement and advantage of their interest in Christ, as strong saints can; they have not that power, that wisdom, that spiritual skill to make that advantage of their interest and property in Christ as strong saints have; yet have they as much interest and property in the Lord Jesus, and all the fundamental good that comes by him—as the strongest saint who breathes. The sucking child has as much interest and property in the
father, and in what belongs to the father—as the child that is grown up to adulthood; though the young child has not that skill, nor that power, nor wisdom to improve that interest to his advantage, as he who is grown up has. It is just so here; a soul weak in grace has as much interest in the Lord as the strongest saint has—though he has not that skill to improve that interest. And is not this a singular comfort and support? Truly, were there no more to bear up a poor weak saint from fainting under all their sins, and sorrows, and sufferings—yet this alone might do it, etc.
The second support and comfort to weak saints is this:
Support 2. That God does with an eye of love, reflect upon the least good that is in them, or done by them. [The least star gives light; the least drop moistens.]
And is not this a glorious comfort and support, that the Lord looks with an eye of love upon the least good that is in you, or done by you? You cannot have a good thought—but God looks upon that thought with an eye of love: Psalm 32:5, "I said I would confess my sin, and you forgave my iniquity." I said it in my thoughts, that I would confess my sin, and you presently meeting me with pardoning mercy, forgave my iniquity. So in Mal. 3:16, "And there was a book of remembrance written for those who feared the Lord, and who thought upon his name." They had but some thoughts of God—and God reflects upon those thoughts with an eye of love.
Isaiah 38:5, "I have heard your prayers, I have seen your tears." Tears we look upon but as poor things, and yet God looks upon them as pearls, and therefore he puts them into his bottle, as the psalmist speaks. So in Psalm 6:8, one observes that there are two strong things in tears: (1.) They drop downward, and fall to the earth; yet they reach upwards, and pierce the heavens. (2.) They are silent—yet cry very loud. There is not a bit of bread, not a drop of drink which you give—but God casts an eye of love upon it, Mat. 25:35-36.
There is not a desire that arises in your soul—but the Lord takes notice of it: Proverbs 10:17, "You have heard the desire of the humble." Weak saints are full of desires, their whole life is a life of desires, they are still a-
breathing out holy desires: Lord, pardon such a sin; and give me power against such a sin; and strength, Lord, to withstand such a temptation; and grace, Lord, to uphold me under such an affliction, etc.; and the Lord hears and answers such gracious breathings and longings.
It was holy Jewel's desire, that he might die preaching; and God looked with an eye of love upon his desire, and he had it.
It was Latimer's desire, that he might shed his heart's blood for Christ; and God looked with an eye of love upon the breathings of his heart, and he had it.
The Israelites did but groan, and God looked upon their groans with an eye of love; he comes down, he makes his arm bare, he tramples upon their proud enemies, and by miracles he saved them. O weak Christian! is not this a singular comfort, that the Lord reflects with an eye of love upon your thoughts, upon your desires, upon your tears, and upon your groanings, etc. What though others slight you! what though others take no notice of you! yet the Lord casts an eye of love upon you!
Some think it very strange that God should set down in Scripture the story of Jacob, a poor countryman, Gen. 31, that he had a few ewes and lambs, streaked and spotted; and yet take no notice of the great emperors and kings of the earth, nor of their great actions and warlike designs in the world. But this is to show that tender love and respect which God bears to his children, above what he does to the great ones of this world. God is more taken with Lazarus's patched coat, than with Dives's silken robe, etc.
A third thing that I shall propound for the support and comfort of weak saints is this:
Support 3. Consider, the Lord looks more upon your graces, than he does upon your weaknesses. Or thus—The Lord will not cast away weak saints, by reason of the weaknesses which cleaves to their persons or services.
In 2 Chron. 30:18-20, there came a multitude of people to eat the
Passover—but they were not prepared according to the preparation of the sanctuary; therefore Hezekiah puts up a prayer for them, and the text says, that the "Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people." The Lord looked upon their uprightness, and so passed over all their other weaknesses. He did not cast off Peter for his horrid sins—but rather looks upon him with an eye of love and pity: Mark 16:7, "Now go and give this message to his disciples, including Peter: Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died!" O admirable love! O matchless mercy! where sin abounds, grace does superabound. This is the glory of Christ, that he behaves sweetly towards his people, when they behave unworthily towards him. Christ looks more upon Peter's sorrow than upon his sin, upon his tears than upon his cursings, etc.
The Lord will not cast away weak saints for their great unbelief, because there is a little faith in them. He will not throw them away for that hypocrisy that is in them, because of that little sincerity which is in them. He will not cast away weak saints for that pride that is in them, because of those rays of humility which shine in them. He will not despise his people for their passions, because of those grains of meekness which are in them. We will not throw away a little gold because of a great deal of dross which cleaves to it, nor a little wheat because mixed with much chaff—and will God? will God?
We will not cast away our garments because of some spots, nor our books because of some blots, nor our jewels because of some flaws—and do we think that the Lord will cast away his dearest ones, because of their spots, and blots, and flaws? Surely not! God looks more upon the bright side of the cloud—than the dark: James 5:11, "Remember the patience of Job." It is not, remember the murmuring of Job, the cursing of Job, the complainings of Job, the impatience of Job; but, "Remember the patience of Job." God looks upon the pearl, and not upon the spot which is in it. So in Heb. 11:30-31, there is mention made of Rahab's faith, love, and peaceable behavior towards the spies—but no mention made of her lie. The Lord overlooks her weakness, and keeps his eye upon her virtues.
Where God sees but a little grace, he does as it were hide his eyes from those circumstances that might seem to deface the glory of it. So in 1 Pet.
3:6, "Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him Lord." Mark there was but one good word in Sarah's speech to Abraham, she called her husband Lord; the speech otherwise was a speech of unbelief—yet the Holy Spirit speaking of her in reference to that speech, conceals all the evil in it, and mentions only the reverent title she gave to her husband, commending her for it.
He who drew Alexander, while he had a scar upon his face, drew him with his finger upon the scar. So when the Lord comes to look upon a poor soul, he lays his finger upon the scar—upon the infirmity—that he may see nothing but grace, which is the beauty and the glory of the soul.
Ah! but weak Christians are more apt to look upon their infirmities than on their graces, and because their little gold is mixed with a great deal of dross, they are ready to throw away all as dross. Well, remember this, the Lord Jesus has as great and as large an interest in the weakest saints, as he has in the strongest. He has the interest of a friend, and the interest of a father, and the interest of a head, and the interest of a husband; and, therefore, though saints are weak, yes, though they are very weak—yet having as great and as large an interest in them as in the strongest saints —he cannot but overlook their weakness, and keep a fixed eye upon their graces.
A fourth support is this:
Support 4. That the Lord will graciously preserve and strengthen those weak graces which are in you. [The tallest oak was once an acorn; the most learned doctor was once in his alphabet book.]
Though your graces be as a spark of fire in the midst of an ocean of corruption—yet the Lord will preserve and blow up that spark of fire into a flame. It was the priest's office in the time of the law, to keep the fire in the sanctuary from going out; and it is the office of our Lord Jesus, as he is our high priest, our head, our husband, our mediator—to keep alive that heavenly fire which he has kindled in any of our souls. His honor, his faithfulness, and his goodness is engaged in it, and therefore he cannot but do it—else he would lose much love and many prayers and praises—
did he not nourish, preserve, and strengthen his own work in his own people.
The faith of the disciples was generally weak, as I have formerly showed you, and yet how sweetly does the Lord Jesus react towards them! John 16, Acts 2. He was still a-breathing out light, life, and love upon them; he was still a-turning their water into wine, their bitter into sweet, and their discouragements into encouragements—and all to raise and keep up their spirits. His heart was much in this thing, therefore says he, "It is necessary that I leave you, that I may send the Comforter to be a comfort and guide unto you." I will pour out my Spirit upon you, that a little one may become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation, and that the feeble may be as David, and the house of David as God, as the angel of the Lord, Zech. 12:8.