[Faith-talk] Sharing a lengthy devotion
Poppa Bear
heavens4real at gmail.com
Wed Oct 23 16:22:06 UTC 2013
Below is a lengthy devotion that I have been spending time with over the last few days, reading a hand full at a time. There are about 200 precepts from what I can tell. It may seem very formal to some, but it has been very foundational for me and I was led to share.
Divine MeditationsDivine Meditations
by Richard Sibbes
Affliction Sanctified | Brotherly Love | Conformity to Christ
Conscience | Conviction of Sin | Defence & Offence | Desertion
Effectual Calling | Evidence of Grace | Faith | God
Gifts & Their Use | Good Things | Grace | Growth in Grace
Heaven | Holy Desires | The Holy Spirit | Humility | Joy
Learning & Teaching | Love Toward God | Man's Cheif End
The Means of Grace | Mercy | Man by Nature | Obedience
Prayer | Sin | Temptation | Thankfulness | Watchfulness
Wisdom | The Word of God
Affliction Sanctified
1. Whatsoever is good for God's children they shall have it, for all is
theirs to further them to heaven; therefore, if poverty be good, they shall
have it; if disgrace be good, they shall have it; if crosses be good, they
shall have them; if misery be good, they shall have it; for all is ours, to
serve for our greatest good.
2. God's children have these outward things with God Himself; they are as
conduits to convey His favor to us, and the same love that moved God to give
us heaven and happiness, moves Him to give us our daily bread.
3. God pities our weakness in all our troubles and afflictions; He will not
stay too long, lest we put forth our hands to evil; He will not suffer the
rod of the wicked to rest upon the lot of the righteous (Psalm 125:3).
4. Is it not an unreasonable speech for a man at midnight to say, "It will
never be day?" So it is an unreasonable thing for a man that is in trouble
to say, "O Lord, I shall never get free of this; it will always be thus with
me."
5. God takes a safe course with His children, that they may not be condemned
with the world. He permits the world to condemn them, that they may not love
the world. The world hates them, that they may not love the world; that they
may be crucified to it, the world is to be crucified to them. Therefore they
meet with such crosses and abuses and wrongs in the world. Because He will
not suffer them to perish with the world, He sends them afflictions in and
by the world.
6. Glory follows afflictions, not as the day follows the night but as the
spring follows the winter; for the winter prepares the earth for the spring,
so do afflictions sanctified prepare the soul for glory.
7. When God visits with sickness, we should think (in the use of means) our
work is more in heaven with God than with men or with medicine. When David
dealt directly and plainly with God and confessed his sins, then God forgave
them and healed his body too.
8. Christ chiefly manifests Himself to the Christian in times of affliction
because then the soul unites itself most closely by faith to Christ. The
soul in time of prosperity, scatters its affections and loses itself in the
creature, but there is a uniting power in sanctified afflictions by which
the soul (as in rain the hen collects her brood) gathers his best affections
unto his Father and his God.
9. Though God deliver us not out of trouble yet He delivers us from the evil
of trouble, from despair in trouble, by supporting the spirit. Nay, He
delivers by trouble, for He sanctifies the trouble to cure the soul, and by
little troubles He delivers us from greater.
10. There are in the world many of the poor who yet are exceeding proud, but
God sanctifies outward poverty to His children so that it promotes true
poverty of spirit. As they are poor, so they have a mean esteem of
themselves; it makes them inwardly more humble and more tractable to God's
government. Therefore when we are under any cross let us observe how it
works, see whether we join with God or not. When He afflicts us outwardly,
whether inwardly we be more humble. When He humbles us and makes us poor,
whether we become also poor in spirit. When God designs to humble us we
should labor through grace to abase ourselves and mortify pride.
11. Whatsoever God takes away from His children, He either supplies it with
a much greater favor or else with strength to bear it; God gives charge to
others to take care of the fatherless and widow and will He neglect them
Himself?
12. It is a true rule in divinity that God never takes away any blessing
from His people but He gives them a better; when Elijah was taken from
Elisha into heaven, God doubled His Spirit upon Elisha; if God take away
wife or children, He gives better things for them. The disciples parted with
Christ's bodily presence, but He sent them the Holy Ghost.
13. The reason why the world sees not the happy condition of God's children
is because their bodies are subject to the same infirmities with the worst
of men, nor are they exempted from troubles; they are also subject to fall
into gross sins, and therefore worldly men think, "Are these the men that
are happier than we?" They see their crosses but not their crowns; they see
their infirmities but not their graces; they see their miseries but not
their inward joy and peace of conscience in the Holy Ghost.
14. It were a thousand times better for many persons to be cast on a bed of
sickness and to be God's prisoners, than so scandalously to abuse the health
that they have had continued so long.
15. God takes it unkindly if we weep too much and overgrieve for the loss of
a wife, child or friend, or for any cross in the things of this life, for it
is a sign we fetch not that comfort from Him which we should and may do.
Nay, though our weeping be for our sins, we must keep a moderation in that:
we must with one eye look upon our sins and with the other look upon God's
mercy in Christ, and therefore if the best grief must be moderated, much
more must the other.
16. He to whom this pilgrimage is over-sweet loves not heaven as he should;
yet the pleasures of this life are so suitable to our nature that we would
sit by them, only that God follows us with several crosses, therefore let us
take in good part any cross, because it is out of heavenly love that we are
exercised, lest we should surfeit upon things here below.
17. There is no condition but a Christian picks good matter of it, as a good
artist sometimes will make a good piece of work out of bad materials to show
his skill. A gracious man is not dejected over-much with abasement, nor
lifted up over-much with abundance, but by faith carries himself in a
uniform manner becoming a Christian in all conditions. Whereas those that
have not been brought up in Christ's school nor trained up in a variety of
conditions, they learn to do nothing. If they abound, they are proud; if
they be cast down, they murmur and fret and are dejected, as if there were
no divine providence that ruled the world.
18. A Christian will not do even common things but first he sanctifies them,
he dedicates himself, his person and his actions to God, and so sees God in
all things, whereas a carnal man sees reason only in all that he himself
does. But a Christian sees God in crosses to humble him, and everything he
makes spiritual; yet because there is a double principle in him, there will
be some stirring of the flesh in his actions, and sometimes evil will appear
most; but here is the excellency of a Christian's state, that the Spirit
will work it out at the last; He will never let his heart and conscience
alone till it be wrought out by little and little.
19. There is not only a mystery but a depth in the mystery, as of election
and reprobation, so of providence. There is no reason can be given why some
of God's children are in quiet and others are vexed, why one should be poor
and another rich. "Clouds and darkness are round about him" (Psalm 97:2);
you cannot see Him; He is hid in a cloud, but "righteousness and judgment
are the habitation of His throne." Howsoever He may wrap Himself up in a
thick cloud that none can see Him, yet He is just and righteous; therefore
when anything befalls us for which we can see no reason, yet we must
reverence the Lord and adore His counsels and submit to Him who is
infinitely wiser than we.
20. Gracious persons in times of peace and quiet often underprize themselves
and the graces of God in them, thinking that they lack faith, patience and
love, who yet when God calls them out to suffer crosses, eminently by His
grace shine forth in the eyes of others in the example of meek and quiet
subjection.
Brotherly Love
21. We should labor to agree mutually in love, for that wherein any
Christian differs from another is but in petty things. Grace knows no
difference. The worm knows no difference. The day of judgment knows no
difference. In the worst things we are all alike base, and in the best
things we are all alike happy. Only in this world God will have distinctions
for the sake of order, but otherwise there is no difference.
22. All love and associations that are not begun on good terms will end in
hatred. We should take heed with whom we join in league and amity. Before we
plant our affections, consider the persons what they are; if we see any
signs of grace, then it is good; but if not there will be a rent. Throughout
our whole life this ought to be our rule; we should labor in a company
either to do good or receive good; and where we can neither do nor receive
good we should avoid such acquaintance. Let men therefore consider and take
heed how they stand in combination with any wicked persons.
23. If any man be so ill-mannered when a friend shows him a spot on his
garment that he grows angry, do we not judge him an unreasonable man? So
when a man shall be told, "This will hinder your comfort another day," if
men were not spiritually stupid and proud, would they swell and be angry
with such a man? Therefore let us thankfully take the benefit of the
judgment of others among whom we live. This was David's disposition when he
was told of his danger from present temptation, as he was marching to slay
Nabal and his household. So we should bless God and bless our friends that
labor by their good counsel and advice to hinder us from any sinful course
whatsoever it may be.
24. There is no true Christian but has a public spirit to seek the good of
others, because as soon as he is a Christian he labors for self-denial. He
knows he must give up himself and all to God, so that his spirit is enlarged
in an increasing measure unto God and towards the church. Therefore the
greater portion a man has of the Spirit of Christ the more he seeks the good
of all men.
25. Those that are at peace in their own consciences will be peaceable
towards others. A busy, contentious, quarrelsome disposition, argues that it
never felt peace from God, and though many men think it commendable to
censure the infirmities of others, yet it argues their own weakness; for it
is a sign of strength, where we see in men anything good, to bear with their
weakness. Who was more indulgent than Christ? He bore with the infirmities
of His disciples from time to time; therefore we should labor to carry
ourselves lovingly towards them that are weak. Nothing should raise us so
high in our own esteem above others as to forget them to be our brethren,
inasmuch as those infirmities that we see, shall be buried with them.
Conformity to Christ
26. Christ took upon Him our nature, and in that nature suffered hunger and
was subject to all infirmities; therefore when we are put to difficulties in
our callings, to troubles for a good conscience, or to any hardship in the
world, we must labor for contentment, because we are only with hardness made
conformable unto Christ; we suffer, then reign with Him (Romans 8:17).
27. A child of God is the greatest freeman and the best servant, even as
Christ was the best Servant, yet none so free; and the greater portion any
man has of His Spirit the freer disposition he has to serve everyone in
love.
28. We ought daily to imitate Christ in our places, to be good to all as the
Apostle says, "Always abounding in the work of the Lord" (1 Cor. 15:58). Let
us labor to have large hearts that we may do it seasonably and abundantly
and unweariedly. The love of Christ will give to us the same impression
that was in Him.
29. Our happiness consists in due subordination and conformity to Christ,
and therefore let us labor to carry ourselves as He did to His Father, to
His friends, to His enemies. In the days of His flesh He prayed whole nights
to His Father. How holy and heavenly-minded was He, that took occasion from
vines, stones and sheep to be heavenly-minded, and when He rose from the
dead His talk was only of things concerning the kingdom of God, in His
converse to His friends. He would not quench the smoking flax, nor break the
bruised reed; He did not cast Peter in the teeth with his denial, He was of
a winning and gaining disposition to all; for His conduct to His enemies, He
did not call for fire from heaven to destroy them but shed many tears for
them that shed His blood. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the
prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have
gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under
her wings, and ye would not!" (Matt. 23:37), and upon the cross, "Father,
forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). So that if we
will be minded like unto Christ, consider how He carried Himself to His
Father, to His friends, to His enemies, yea to the devil himself. When He
comes to us in wife, children; friends, etc. we must do as Christ did, say
to Satan, "Get thee hence," and when we deal with those that have the spirit
of the devil in them, we must not render reproach, but answer them, "It is
written."
30. A wife when she marries a husband gives up her will to him; so does
every Christian when he is married to Christ; he gives up his will and all
that he has to Him, and says, "Lord, I have nothing, but if Thou callest for
it, Thou shalt have it again."
31. Consider Christ upon the cross as a public person, that when He was
crucified, and when He died, He died for your sins, and this knowledge of
Christ will be a crucifying knowledge. This will stir up your heart to use
your corruptions as your sins used Christ; as He hated your sin, so it will
work the same disposition in you, to hate this body of death, and to use it
as it used Christ. As we see this clearly, it will conform us to Christ.
32. With our contemplation let us join this kind of reasoning; God so hated
pride that He became humbled to the death of the cross to redeem us from it,
and shall we be proud? When we are stirred up to revenge, consider that
Christ prayed for His enemies; when we are tempted to disobedience, think
God in our nature was obedient unto death; and shall we stand upon terms?
And when we grow hard-hearted, consider Christ became Man that He might show
bowels of mercy; let us reason thus when we are tempted to any sin, and it
will be a means to transform us into the likeness of Christ.
33. When we see God blasphemed or the like, let us think how would Christ
stand affected if He were here; when He was here upon earth, how zealous He
was against profaneness; and shall we be cold? When He saw the multitude
wander as sheep without a shepherd His bowels yearned; and shall we see so
many poor souls live in darkness and our bowels not yearn over them?
34. We must look upon Christ not only for healing, but as a perfect pattern
to imitate; for wherefore else did He live so long upon the earth, but to
show us an example. And let us remember that we shall be accountable for
those good examples which we have from others. There is not an example of a
humble, holy and industrious life, but shall be laid to our charge; for God
purposely lets them shine in our eyes that we might take example by them.
Conscience
35. A man keeps a good conscience in relation to others when he makes it
appear that he can deny himself to do them good. The consciences of others
shall think thus; "Such a man regards my good more than his own; he seeks
not advantage to himself; he lives so that the world may see he is in good
earnest; he speaks well and then makes it good by his life." Now if our care
be so to walk, we shall then approve ourselves to the consciences of all
mankind.
36. Let a particular judgment come upon any man, presently his conscience
recalls back what sins long past have been committed by him, so that this
waking of conscience shows that we are all sinful creatures.
37. Natural men labor to quiet all checks of conscience by sensuality; men
are loath to know themselves as they are; they are of the devil's mind, they
would not be tormented before their time; such men when they are alone, are
afraid of themselves.
Conviction of Sin
38. That we may be convinced of sin, the Spirit must work a clear and
commanding demonstration of our condition by nature. He takes away therefore
all excuses, turnings "and windings; even as when we see the sun shine we
know it is day. The Spirit not only convinces us in general that we are
sinners, but in particular and that strongly, "Thou art the man." This
conviction is also universal, of sins of nature, of sins of life; sins of
the understanding, of the will and of the affections; of the misery of sin,
of the danger of sin, of the folly and madness of sin; of sins against so
many motives, so many favors. Proud nature arms itself with excuses, ready
evasions, many mitigations. It is necessary therefore that the Holy Ghost
should join with men's consciences to make them confess, "I am the man."
39. The convincing of the Spirit may be distinguished from common conviction
of conscience by this, that natural conviction is weak, like a little spark,
and convinces only of our sins against the second table and not the first,
especially of sins against the Gospel. Again, common conviction is against a
man's will, it makes him not the better man, only he is tortured and
tormented; but a man that is convinced by the Spirit, joins with the Spirit
against himself; he accuses himself; he takes God's part against himself; he
is willing to have his heart laid open, that he may seek and find the
greater mercy.
40. It is the policy of the devil to labor to make us slight the gracious
work of conviction, for he knows that whatsoever is built upon a false
foundation will come to nothing, and therefore he makes us slight the work
of self-examination and searching ourselves; but slight this and slight all,
for if you are careless in searching and examining yourself, you will also
be partial in your repentance and obedience.
41. There is a miserable camouflage in sin; naturally men will deny sin or
else diminish it as Adam did, and as Saul when Samuel came to convince him.
"I have," said he, "done the commandment of the Lord," and when he was
driven from that, then 'he did but spare them for sacrifice'; but when
nothing could satisfy, then "I pray thee honor me before the people." Things
we cannot justify we will excuse; unless God come by His Spirit we are ready
to shift them off, but when the Spirit comes and takes away all these fig
leaves, then He convinces each of his miserable condition, not only in
general, but the Spirit working together with the Word, brings him to
confess, "I am the man."
42. When once the Spirit fastens the wrath of God upon the conscience of one
whom He means to save, then there follow those afflicting affections of
grief and shame. From thence come a dislike and hatred of sin and a divorce
between the soul and the beloved sin, so that whereas there was before a
scepter of sin in the soul, now God begins to dispossess that strong man.
Then follows a strong desire to be better, and a holy desperation, so far,
as that if God in Christ be not merciful, then the soul says, "What shall
become of me?" As the Spirit lets in some terrors, so likewise He gives us
some hopes, such as, "What shall I do to be saved?" implying a resignation
of the will to take any course, if only he may be saved, and then all the
world for one drop of God's mercy in Christ.
Defence & Offence
43. A man ought not to commend himself, but in some special cases, first,
because pride and envy in others will not endure it; secondly, it touches
upon God's glory and therefore we should take heed; thirdly, it deprives us
of comfort and hinders the apology of others. The heathens could say that
the praising a man's self is very disagreeable. Let us take heed therefore
that we do not snatch our right out of God's hand. But now on the contrary,
in some cases we may praise and commend ourselves, as when we have a just
call to make an apology in a way of defense, and for the conviction of them
that unjustly speak evil of us. Secondly, we may speak well of ourselves in
a way of example to others, such as parents to children, and this well
becomes them, because it is not ours of pride or vainglory, for the motive
is discovered to be love to them.
44. It is the duty of those that are God's children when they have just
occasion to take the defense of others upon them. Thus did the blind man
(John 9:30), he defended Christ against the Pharisees, and Jonathan spoke to
his father in behalf of David, though he was called a rebel, yet he knew
that he owed this unto the truth. God has a cause in the world that must be
owned, and therefore when the cause of religion is brought upon the stage,
God seems to say as Jehu did, "Who is on my side," Who? God commends His
cause and His children to us. "Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord,
curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help
of the LORD, to the help of the LORD against the mighty" (Judges 5: 23). So
a curse lies upon those that when the truth suffers have not even a word to
defend it.
45. When Joshua cursed the man that should build the walls of Jericho, he
was not in any commotion or fury but in a peaceable temper. So when cursing
comes from such a one, he is only a declaratory instrument and the conveyer
of God's curse. Therefore every man must not take it upon him, for men often
curse when they should bless, which is an arrow shot upright that falls down
upon their own heads, but those that come in the Name of the Lord and are
qualified for that purpose, their curses or blessings are to be regarded,
for they are a means oftentimes to convey God's blessing or His curse.
Desertion
46. If God hides His face from us what shall become of our souls? We are
like the poor flower that opens and shuts with the sun. If God shines upon
the heart of a man it opens; but if He withdraws Himself we hang down our
heads; "Thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled" (Psalm 30:7).
47. Those that have had sweet communion with God, but have lost it, count
every day ten thousand till they have recovered it again. When Christ leaves
His spouse, He forsakes her not altogether but leaves something in the heart
that makes her long after Him. He absents Himself only that He may enlarge
and raise the desires of the soul, and after the soul has Him again it will
not let Him go. He comes for our good and leaves us for our good; we should
therefore judge rightly of our state and not think we are forsaken of God,
when we are under desertion.
Effectual Calling
48. As grace is not of our own getting, this should teach us patience and
hope towards others, waiting, if God at any time will give them repentance.
Though God work not effectually the first time of conviction, nor the
second, yet we must still wait, as the man that lay at the pool of Bethesda
for the moving of the water.
49. It is over-curious to be exact about the first beginnings of grace
because it falls by degrees like the dew undiscernably, and further, there
is a great deal of wisdom as well as power in the working of grace. God
offers no violence to the soul, but works sweetly yet strongly, and strongly
yet sweetly. He goes so far without nature that we shall freely delight in
grace. So that now the man sees great reason why he should alter his course.
God does not overthrow nature; the stream is but changed, the man is the
same.
50. The love of God in Christ is not barren kindness; it is a love that
reaches from everlasting to everlasting; from love in choosing to love in
glorifying us. In all the miseries of the world, one beam of this
lovingkindness of the Lord will scatter all.
Evidence of Grace
51. It is an evidence that we are partakers of God's grace, if we can look
upon the lives of others much better than ours, and love and esteem them
glorious. A man may see grace in others with a malignant eye, for natural
men are so vainglorious that when they see the lives of other men outshine
theirs, instead of imitation, they darken them; that grace they will not
imitate, they will defame; therefore when persons can see grace in others
and honor it in them, it is a sign they have grace themselves. Men can
endure good in books and to hear good of men that are dead, but they cannot
endure good in the lives of others to be in their eyes, especially when they
come to compare themselves with them, they love not to be out-shined.
52. Spiritual conviction is not total in this life, but always leaves in the
heart some dregs of doubting, though the soul be safe. As a ship that rides
at anchor is tossed and troubled, but the anchor holds it, so it is with the
soul that is somewhat convinced of its good state, it is sure of the main,
yet is tossed with many doubts and fears, but the anchor is in heaven.
53. In true conversion the soul is changed to be of the same mind with
Christ. As He is affected, so the soul of such an one is affected; and as He
loathes all evil, so upon this ground there must also be in us a loathing of
whatsoever is evil. But a carnal man is like a wolf driven from the sheep
that yet retains his ravenous nature; so those men that are driven from
their sins only by terrors of conscience, they are affrighted with sin's
desert but do not hate it; therefore a loathing of evil is required; as well
as our leaving it.
54. To discern our state in grace, let us chiefly look to our affections for
they are intrinsic and not subject to hypocrisy. Men of great parts know
much and so does the devil, but he lacks love. In fire all things may be
painted by the heat; so all good actions may be done by a hypocrite but
there is a heat of love which he has not. We should therefore chiefly
examine the truth and sincerity of our affections towards God.
Faith
55. A Christian has sense and experience of God's love, together with his
faith; it is not a naked faith without any relish, but that sense and
experience we have here is given to strengthen faith for time to come.
Therefore when we have any sweet feelings we must not rest in them, but
remember that they are given to encourage us in our way and to look for
fullness in another world.
56. Confidence arises from faith when troubles make it the stronger.
Therefore it is a true evidence of grace, when confidence increase with
opposition, great troubles breeding great confidence. Again, it is a sign a
man's confidence is well-grounded when he can carry himself equal in all
conditions, when he has learned to want and to abound. He needs a strong
brain that drinks much wine. When a man has an even spirit to be content in
all conditions, it argues a well-grounded confidence towards God.
57. To walk by faith is to be active in our walking, not to do as we like,
but it is an acting by rule. Since the fall we have lost our hold of God,
and we must be brought again to God by the same way we fell from Him. We
fell by infidelity, and we must be brought again by faith, and lead our
lives upon such grounds as faith affords. We must walk by faith, looking
upon God's promise and God's call and God's commandments, and not live by
opinion, example nor reason.
58. In the exercise of our callings, when we think we shall do no good, but
all things seem contrary, yet faith says, "God has set me here; I will cast
in my net at Thy commandment." Let us look upon God and see what He
commands, and then by faith cast ourselves upon Him and leave the success to
God.
59. Sight is the noblest sense; it is quick; it can see from earth to heaven
in a moment; it is large; it can see the hemisphere of the heavens with one
view; it is sure and certain, for in hearing we may be deceived. Lastly, it
is the most affecting sense; even so is faith the quickest, the largest, the
most certain, and most affecting.
60. Faith is like an eagle in the clouds; at one view it sees Christ in
heaven and looks down upon the world; it sees backwards and forwards; it
sees things past, present and to come, and therefore it is that this grace
is expressed by beholding.
61. True freedom is when the heart is enlarged and made subordinate to God
in Christ. A man is then is a sweet frame of soul when his heart is made
subject to God, and drawn out towards Him, for He having all grace sets it
at liberty. God will have us make His glory our aim that He may bestow
Himself upon us. True zeal and holy diligence therefore are usually attended
with the joys of faith.
God
62. God will be "as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast
forth his roots as Lebanon" (Hosea 14:5). These are not words wastefully
spent, for we have great need of such promises, especially in a distressed
estate, for then our spirits are apt to sink and our hearts to faint, and
therefore we have need to have the same comforts often repeated. Profane
persons think "What need of all this?" But if ever you have been touched in
conscience for your sins, you will then be far from finding fault when God
uses all the secrets in the book of nature and translates them to spiritual
things to assure us of His mercy and love.
63. God has not in vain taken upon Him the name of a Father; He fills it up
to the full. It is a name of indulgence, a name of hope, a name of
provision, a name of protection. It argues the mitigation of punishment; a
little is enough from a father, therefore, in all temptations, it should
teach us by prayer to fly under the wings of our heavenly Father and to
expect from Him all that a father should do for his child, as provision,
protection, indulgence, yea, and seasonable corrections also (which are as
necessary for us as our daily bread), and when we die we may expect our
inheritance, because He is our Father. But yet we must understand also that
the name of a father is a word of relation, something also He expects from
us. We must also reverence Him as a Father, which consists in fear and love.
He is a great God and therefore we ought to fear Him. He is also merciful,
yea has bowels of mercy, and therefore we ought to love Him. If we tremble
at Him we know not that He is loving, and if we be over-bold we forget that
He is a great God; therefore we should go boldly to Him with reverence and
godly fear.
64. The quintessence and spirit of the things we ask in prayer are in God,
as joy and peace and contentedness. Without this joy and peace, what are all
the things in the world? And in the want of these outward things, if we have
Him we have all, because the spirit of all is in Him and Him alone.
65. God is said to be our God, or to be a God unto us, when He applies for
the good of His creature that all-sufficiency that is in Himself. God is our
God by covenant because He has made over Himself unto us. Every believing
Christian has the title passed over to him so that God is his portion and
his inheritance. There is more comfort in this, that God is our God, than
the heart of man can conceive. It is larger than the desires of his heart
and therefore, though we cannot say that riches or honors or friends are
ours, yet, if able to say by the spirit of faith that God is ours, then we
have all in Him; His wisdom is ours to find out a way to do us good. If in
danger His power is ours to bring us out. If under the guilt of sin His
mercy is ours to forgive us. If in any want His all-sufficiency is ours to
supply us. If God be ours then, whatsoever God can do is ours, and all
things even whatsoever God has shall be ours.
66. We must take heed of coming to God in our own persons or worthiness but
in all things look to God in Christ. If we look to God as a Father we must
see Him to be Christ's Father first. If we see ourselves acquitted from our
sins let us look at Christ risen first. If we think of glorification in
heaven let us see Christ glorified first, and when we consider of any
spiritual blessing, consider of it in Christ first. All the promises are
made to Christ. He takes them first from God the Father and gives them to us
by His Spirit. The first fullness is in God and then He empties Himself into
Christ. "And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace"
(John 1:16).
67. God oftentimes makes wicked men friends to His children, without
changing their disposition, by only putting into their hearts some kind
thoughts for the time, which incline them to show favor, Nehemiah 2:8, "And
a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me
timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the
house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter
into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon
me." God put it into the king's heart to favor His people. So Genesis 33: 4,
"And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and
kissed him: and they wept." Esau was not changed, only God for the time
being changed his affections to favor Jacob; so God stirs up the hearts of
many who still remain notoriously wicked, signally to favor the best, the
holiest persons.
Gifts & Their Use
68. Gifts are for grace and grace for glory. Gifts are peculiar to some men
but grace is common to all true Christians. Gifts are peculiar to many, and
common to such as are not good. Gifts are found with great sinners, but
grace works love and humility, abases and sanctifies the soul. The devil has
lost little of his acuteness but yet he remains mischievous. So many men
have great parts, but they have also a devilish spirit. Grace comes from
more special love, and yet men had rather be reckoned devils than fools;
they desire to be accounted men of parts, herein they glory, not in Christ,
no, but reject the riches of His grace.
Good Things
69. We may use God's creatures without scruples or superstition, as singling
out one from another, but yet may we not use them just as we please. There
is a difference between our right and the use of that right. The magistrate
may restrain the use of that right, and so may our weak brother in case of
scandal; so that though all things be ours, yet in the use of them we must
be sober, not eating or drinking immoderately nor using anything
uncharitably, whereby others may take offence, for though we have a right to
God's bounty, yet our right and the exercise of it, must be sanctified by
the Word of God and prayer.
70. Whatsoever outward good things we have we should use them in a reverent
manner, knowing that the liberty we have to enjoy them is purchased with the
blood of Christ. As David when he thirsted for the waters of Bethlehem would
not drink, because it was the blood of the three worthies, so though we have
a free use of the created things, yet we must be careful to use them with
moderation and reverence and all to the glory of God.
71. When we receive any good to our souls or to our bodies, whoever is the
instrument, let us look to the Principal; as in the gifts we receive, we
look not to him that brings but to him who sent them.
Grace
72. Though Christ is a Head of influence from which rich grace flows into
every member, yet He is a voluntary Head, and gives grace according to His
own good pleasure, and the exigence of His members. Sometimes we have need
of more grace, then it flows plentifully and supplies all our wants.
Sometimes we have need to know our own weakness, and then the Lord our
strength and our guide leaves us to ourselves that we may know that without
Him we cannot stand; that we may know the necessity of His guidance to
heaven in the sense of our imperfections, and that we may see our weakness,
such corruptions which we thought were wholly subdued, as Moses by God's
permission was tempted to murmur - such a meek man; and David to cruelty -
such a mild man. They thought they had not had those corruptions so powerful
in their hearts.
73. Many men oppose the power of divine grace, and rest in common civil
things and mere outward performances. But when we do not duly regard the
manner, God regards not the matter of the service we do; therefore
oftentimes He punishes professors for the ill performance of good duties, as
we see in 1 Corinthians 11: 30-31. "For this cause many are weak and sickly
among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be
judged."
74. It is an ill time to get grace when we should use grace; therefore that
we may have less to do when it is enough to struggle with sickness, and that
we may have nothing else to do but to die and comfortably to yield up our
souls to God, oh, through grace let us be exact in our accounts every day!
75. It is the endeavor of an evil man to quench a great deal of good for a
little ill; but Christ cherishes a little grace though there be a great deal
of corruption, which yet is as offensive to Him as smoke to us, therefore we
should labor to gain all we can by love and meekness.
nathaniel Growth in Grace
76. As the sun is on its course though we cannot see it move, and as plants
and herbs grow though we cannot perceive them to grow, even so it does not
follow that a Christian grows not because he cannot see himself grow. Nay,
if believers decay in their first love, or in some other grace, yet another
grace may grow and increase, such as their humility, their
broken-heartedness; they sometimes seem not to grow in the branches when
they may grow at the root; upon a check grace breaks out more; as we say,
after a hard winter there usually follows a glorious spring.
77. It is not sufficient for a Christian to have habitual grace; there is no
vine can bring forth fruit without the fresh influences of heaven, though it
be planted and well rooted in a good soil; so we cannot bring forth fruit
unless God assists us; our former strength will not serve when a new
temptation comes.
78. As men cherish young plants at first and fence them about with hedges to
keep them from hurt, but when they are grown they remove these things and
leave them to the wind and weather, so God sustains His children at first
with props of inward comforts, but afterwards He ex poses them to storms and
winds because they are better able to bear them. Therefore let no man think
himself the better because he is more free from troubles than others; it is
because God sees him not fit to bear greater.
Heaven
79. If we will walk aright in God's ways, let us have heaven daily in our
eye, and the day of judgment, and times to come; so faith will steer the
course of our lives, and breed love in the use of the means, and patience to
pass under all conditions; let us have our eye with Moses upon Him that is
invisible.
80. Many men would be in Canaan as soon as they were out of Egypt, they
would be at the highest pitch presently; but God will lead us through the
wilderness of temptations and afflictions till we come to heaven, and it is
a part of our Christian meekness to submit to God and not to murmur because
we are not as we would be, but let us rather magnify the mercies of God that
work in us any love of good things, and that He vouchsafes us any of the
first-fruits of glory.
81. A Christian is now in his minority and therefore not fit to possess all
that he has a title to, but yet so much is allotted to him as will conduct
him through life and give him a passage to heaven. If therefore he be in
want, he has contentment, and in suffering he has patience. All things are
his needs as well what he wants as what he enjoys.
82. Wicked men depart out of this world like malefactors that are unwilling
to go out of prison, but God's children when they die, they die in
obedience, "Lord. now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to
thy Word" (Luke 2:29). To be in the body is a good condition because we live
by faith, but it is better to be with the Lord because then we shall live by
sight.
83. As children in the womb have eyes and ears, not for that place but for
community life afterwards among men, wherein they shall use all their
members; even so our life here is not for this world only but for another.
We have large capacities, large memories, large affections, large
expectations. God does not give us large capacities and large affections for
this world, but for heaven and heavenly things.
Holy Desires
84. Our desires are holy if they are exercised about spiritual things. David
desires not to be great, to be rich in the world, or to have power to be
revenged upon his enemies, but that he may dwell in the house of the Lord
and enjoy His ordinances there.
85. A sincere heart that is burdened with sin, desires not heaven so much as
the place where he shall be free from sin, but to have the image of God and
Christ perfected in his soul; and therefore a sincere spirit comes to hear
the Word, not so much because an eloquent man preaches as to hear divine
truths, because the evidence of the Spirit goes with it to work those
graces. You cannot still a child with anything but the breast, so you cannot
satisfy the desires of a Christian but with divine truths. "The desire of
our soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee" (Isaiah 26:8).
86. When the truth of grace is wrought in a Christian, his desires go beyond
his strength, and his prayers are answerable to his desires. Whereupon it is
that young Christians often call their state in question because they cannot
bring heaven upon earth, because they cannot be perfect, but God will have
us depend upon Him for increase of grace in a daily expectation.
87. Desires are the spiritual pulse of the soul, always beating to and fro
and showing the temper of it; they are therefore the characters of a
Christian and show more truly what he is than his actions do.
88. When the soul admires spiritual things it is then in a holy frame, and
so long it will not stoop to any base comfort. We should therefore labor to
keep our souls in a state of holy admiration.
89. It is a hard matter to find out the least measure of grace, and the
greatest degree of formality, for as the portrait oftentimes exceeds the
person, so does an hypocrite often make a greater show than the true
Christian. The lowest exercise of saving grace is in spiritual desires, and
these are known to be saving if they proceed from a taste of divine things,
and not merely from the object in the Word.
90. When the soul desires the forgiveness of sin and not grace to lead a new
life, that desire is hypocritical, for a true Christian desires power
against sin as well as pardon for it. If we have not sanctifying grace we
have not pardoning grace. Christ came by water to regenerate as well as by
blood to justify. It should therefore be our continual care and endeavor to
grow and increase in grace, because without it we shall never get to heaven;
without this endeavor our sacrifices are not accepted; without this, we
cannot withstand our enemies nor bear any cross. Without it we cannot go on
comfortably in our course. Without this we cannot do anything acceptable and
pleasing to God.
The Holy Spirit
91. As it was with Christ Himself, so it is with His members. He was
conceived by the Spirit, anointed by the Spirit, sealed by the Spirit. He
was led into the wilderness by the Spirit, and by the Spirit He was raised
from the dead; even so the members of Christ answer unto Christ Himself. All
is by the Spirit; we are conceived by the Spirit, the same Spirit that
sanctifies us; but first we receive the Spirit by way of Union, and then
unction follows after; when we are knit to Christ by the Spirit, then it
works the same in us as it did in Him.
92. The Spirit of God may be known to be in weak Christians, as the soul is
known to be in the body by the pulses; even so the Spirit discovers itself
in them by pulses, by groaning, sighing, complaining that it is so with them
and that they are no better, so that they are out of love with themselves.
This is a happy sign that the Spirit in some good measure dwells in such
souls.
93. In trouble we are prone to forget all that we have heard and read that
makes for our comfort. Now what is the reason that a man comes to think of
that which otherwise he should never have called to mind? The Holy Ghost
brings it to his remembrance; He is a Comforter, bringing to mind useful
things at such times when we have most need of them.
94. It is not enough to know by the Word that there is strength and
righteousness in Christ, but the Spirit must open the eyes of the soul to
see, else we shall only have a natural knowledge of supernatural things. I t
is necessary to have a supernatural light to see supernatural things, so as
to change the soul, and therefore the Spirit only works faith to see Christ
is mine. Further, only the Spirit can lead the conscience to rest, because
He is greater than the conscience, and can answer all inward objections and
quibbles of flesh and blood; unless therefore the Holy Ghost does
effectually apply what Christ has done, the conscience will not be
satisfied.
95. If we desire to have the Spirit we must wait in the way of duty, as the
Apostles waited many days before the Comforter came. We must also empty our
souls of self-love and the love of the things of the world, and willingly
entertain those crosses that bring our souls out of love with them. The
children of Israel in the wilderness had no manna till they had spent their
onions and garlic, so this world must be out of request with us before we
can be spiritual. Let us through grace therefore, labor to see the
excellency of spiritual things, and how cheap and poor must all the glory of
the world appear! These things duly thought of and considered will make our
desires more and more spiritual.
96. Those that care not for the Word are strangers to the Spirit, and those
that care not for the Spirit never make a right use of the Word. The Word is
nothing without the Spirit. It is animated and quickened by the Spirit. The
Spirit and the Word are like the veins and arteries in the body, that give
quickening and life to the whole body, and therefore, where the Word is most
revealed there is most of the Spirit, but where Christ is not opened in the
Gospel, there the Spirit is not at all visible in His saving power.
97. As we may know who dwells in a house by observing who go in and come
out, so we may know that the Spirit dwells in us by observing what
sanctified speech He sends forth and what delight He has wrought in us to
things that are spiritual, and what price we set upon them. Whereas a carnal
man lowers the price of spiritual things because his soul cleaves to
something that he rejoices in far more, and this is the cause why he slights
the directions and comforts of the Word; but those in whom the Spirit
dwells, will consult with it, and not I regard what flesh and blood will
dictate, but will follow the directions of the Word and Spirit of God.
98. As the Spirit is necessary to work faith at first, so is He necessary
also to every act of faith, for faith cannot act upon occasion but by the
Spirit; and therefore we should not attempt to do, or to suffer anything
rashly, but beg the Spirit of God and wait for His assistance, because
according to the increase of our troubles must our faith be increased. The
life of a Christian commences by the Spirit's working faith at first, but is
promoted upon all occasions by His animating our graces already received.
Faith stirs up all other graces and holds every grace to the Word, and so
long as faith continues active we keep all other graces in exercise.
99. There are three main parts of our salvation; first, a true knowledge of
our misery; and secondly, the knowledge of our deliverance; and then, a life
conformable to the Word. The Holy Ghost only can work these; He only
convinces of sin, and where He truly convinces of sin, there also of
righteousness, and then of judgment, and leads us by faith to heaven.
100. Where the Spirit dwells largely in any man, there is boldness in God's
cause, a contempt of the world. He can do all things through Christ that
strengthens him; his mind is content and settled. He can bear with the
infirmities of others and not be offended (for it is the weak in the Spirit
that are offended); he is ready in his desires to say, "Come, Lord Jesus,
come quickly." But where corruption bears too much sway there is, "O stay a
little that I may recover my strength;" that is, "Stay awhile that I may
repent;" for the soul in the present frame is not fit to appear before God,
but where the Spirit dwells in grace and divine comforts.
101. When we are young carnal delight leads us, and when we are old
covetousness drowns us, so that if our knowledge be not spiritual we shall
never hold out; and the reason why at the hour of death so many despair is
because they had knowledge without the Spirit.
Humility
102. Poverty of spirit should accompany us all our life long to let us see
that we have no righteousness nor strength of our own for sanctification;
that all the grace we have is out of ourselves, even for the performance of
every holy duty; for though we have grace, yet we cannot bring that grace
into act without new grace, even as there is a fitness in trees to bear
fruit, but without the influence of heaven they cannot be fruitful. That
which oftentimes makes us miscarry in the duties of our callings is this, we
think we have strength and wisdom sufficient, and then what is begun in
self-confidence is ended in shame. We set about duties in our own pride and
strength of parts, and find no better success; therefore it is always a good
sign that God will bless our endeavors, when out of a deep sense of our own
weakness, we in prayers and supplications like our Lord also water our
business with strong crying and tears: "Who in the days of his flesh, when
he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears
unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he
feared" (Heb. 5:7).
103. The hearts of men, yea of good men, are apt to be taken up with outward
things. When the weak disciples had cast out devils they were ready to be
proud, but Christ quickly spies it and admonishes them, not to rejoice that
the devils were subject to them, but that their names were written in heaven
(Luke 10:20). Therefore when we find the least inclination to glory in
anything we must check ourselves, and consider what grace we have to use
them, what love to men we have to turn these things to the common good. For,
whatsoever a man has, if he has not also humility and love to use it aright,
it will turn to his sorrow.
104. God's children are strengthened by their falls; they learn to stand by
their falls. Like tall cedars the more they are blown the deeper will they
be rooted. That which men think is the overthrow of God's children does but
root them the deeper, so that after all outward storms and inward
declensions this is the issue, "They take root downward and bear fruit
upward" for the Lord restoreth their souls.
105. Many men that make a profession are like the hawk which ascends high
but looks low; but those that look high as they ascend high are risen with
Christ; for a Christian being once in a state of grace forgets what is
behind, and looks upon ascending higher and higher, till he be in his place
of happiness. As at Christ's rising there was an earthquake, so such as are
risen with Him find a commotion and conflict between the flesh and the
Spirit.
106. None can be truly confident but God's children. Other men's confidence
is like a madman's strength; he may have the strength of two or three for a
time, but it is a false strength, and it is when they are lifted up upon the
wings of ambition and favor of men; but these men in the time of trial sink.
The hope of the hypocrite shall perish (Job 8:13).
107. It is God's free love that has cast us into these happy times of the
Gospel, and it is further love that makes choice of some and leaves others.
This should therefore teach us sound humility, considering that God must
open the heart or else it will remain eternally shut.
Joy
108. The bitterest things in religion are sweet - there is a sweetness even
in reproofs, when God meets with our corruptions and whispers unto us such
and such things are dangerous, and that if we cherish them they will bring
us to hell. The Word of God is sweet to a Christian that has his heart under
its influence. Is not pardon sweet to a condemned man, and riches sweet to a
poor man, and favor sweet to a man in disgrace, and liberty sweet to a man
in captivity? So all that comes from God is sweet to a Christian that has
his heart touched with the sense of sin.
109. A Christian's joy is right when it proceeds from right principles, from
judgment and conscience, not from fancy and imagination; when judgment and
conscience will bear him out; when there is fellowship between them both,
for our joy must spring from peace, "Being justified by faith, we have peace
with God" (Romans 5:2). The Apostles began their Epistles with mercy, grace
and peace; mercy in forgiveness, grace to renew our natures, and peace of
conscience. These are things to be gloried in. If we find our sins pardoned,
our persons accepted, and our nature renewed; we may comfort ourselves in
health, in wealth, in wife, in children, in anything, because all come from
the favor of God. We may joy in afflictions because there is a blessing in
the worst things to further our eternal happiness. Though we cannot joy in
affliction itself as being contrary to our nature, yet we may in the
outcome; so that we rejoice aright when, having interest in God, we glory in
the testimony of a good conscience; when looking inward, we find all at
peace; when each of us can say upon good grounds that God is mine, and
therefore all is mine, both life and death and all things, so far as they
may serve for my truest good.
110. The religious affections of God's people are mixed, for they mingle
their joy with weeping, and their weeping with joy; whereas a carnal man's
are all simple; if he rejoices, he is mad; if he is sorrowful (unless it be
restrained) it sinks him; but grace always tempers the joy and sorrow of a
Christian, because he has always something to joy in, and something for
which to grieve. What a poorness of spirit is it to be over-joyful or
overmuch grieved, when all things are fading and vanish so soon away. Let us
therefore bear continually in our minds that all things here below are
subordinate to the upper world.
Learning & Teaching
111. When men can find no comfort and yet set themselves to teach and
encourage weaker Christians, by way of reflection they receive frequently
great comfort themselves. So does God reward the conscientious performance
of this duty of mutual discourse; that those things we did not so fully
understand before, by discourse we come to know and relish far better. This
should teach us to be in love with holy conference, for besides the good we
do to others we are much profited ourselves.
112. I t is much to be desired that there were that love in all men to teach
what they know, and that humility in others to be instructed in what they
know not. God humbles sometimes great persons to learn of others that are
meaner, and it is our duty to embrace the truth whoever brings it, and
oftentimes ordinary persons are instruments of knowledge and comfort to many
that are greater than themselves, as Aquila and Priscilla instructed
Apollos.
113. That a man may be fit to persuade others, he must have love to their
persons, a clear knowledge of the cause, and grace that he may be able to
speak in wisdom to their souls and consciences. As we are saved by love, so
we are persuaded by the arguments of love, which is most agreeable to the
nature of man that is led by persuasion not by compulsion. Men may be
compelled to the use of the means but not to faith. Many labor only to
unfold the Scriptures for the increase of their knowledge, that they may be
able to discourse, whereas the special intent of the ministry is to work
upon the heart and affections.
114. There are none that in sincerity do frequently promote holy conference
but are great gainers thereby. Many men ask questions and are inquisitive to
know, but not that they might put into practice. This is but a proud desire
to taste of the tree of knowledge. But the desire of well-affected
Christians is to know more that they might more diligently seek Christ. We
gain much oftentimes by discourse with those that are young in religion.
Paul desires to meet with the Romans though they were his converts, that he
might himself be strengthened and comforted by their mutual faith. "That is,
that I may be comforted together with you, by the mutual faith both of you
and me" (Rom. 1:12).
115. Those that measure lands are very exact in everything, but the poor man
whose it is knows the use of the ground better, and delights in it more
because it is his own; so it is with those ministers that can exactly speak
of heavenly truths yet have no share in them, but the poor soul that hears
them rejoices and says, "These things are mine."
Love Toward God
116. There are four things observable in the nature of love; first, an
esteem of the party beloved, secondly a desire to be joined to him, thirdly
a settled contentment, fourthly a desire to please the party in all things.
So there is first in every Christian a high estimation of God and of Christ;
he makes choice of Him above all things, and speaks largely in His
commendation. Secondly he desires to be united to Him, and where this desire
is, there is an intercourse; he will open his mind to Him by prayer and go
to Him in all his consultations for His counsel. Thirdly, he places
contentment in Him alone, because in his worst conditions he is in peace and
quiet if he may have His countenance shine upon him. Fourthly, he seeks to
please Him because he labors to be in such a condition that God may delight
in him. His love stirs up his soul to remove all things distasteful to Him.
He asks as David did, "Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul,
that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?" (2 Sam. 9:1).
117. We see by experience that there is a succession of love; he that loves
for beauty will despise when he sees a better. So it is in the soul
respecting heavenly and earthly things; when the soul sees more excellency
and a satisfying fullness in heavenly things, then the love of earthly
things like Dagon immediately falls down. So Paul says "I account all things
as dross and as dung in comparison of Christ."
118. When we love things baser than ourselves it is like a clear stream that
runs into a sink. As our love therefore is the best thing we have, and none
deserves it more than God, so let Him have our love, yea the strength of our
love, that we may love Him with all our souls and with all our mind and with
all our strength.
119. The love of a wife to her husband may begin from the supply of her
necessities, but afterwards she may love him also for the sweetness of his
person; so the soul first loves Christ for salvation but when she is brought
to Him and finds what sweetness there is in Him then she loves Him for
Himself.
120. God comforts us in the exercise and practice of grace; we must not
therefore snatch comforts before we be fit for them; when we perform
precepts then God will bestow comforts. If we will make it good indeed that
we love God, we must keep His commandments; we must not keep one but all; it
must be universal obedience fetched from the heart-root, and that out of
love.
121. When the love of Christ is manifested to us, and our love again to
Christ is quickened by the Spirit, this causes an admiration in the soul,
when it considers what wonderful love is in Christ, and the Spirit witnesses
that this love of Christ is set upon us; from hence it begins to admire,
"How is it that Thou wilt manifest Thyself unto us and not unto the world?
What is the reason Thou so lovest me, and not others?" When the soul has
been with God on the mount and is turned from earthly things, then it sees
nothing but love and mercy. Such grace constrains us to do all things out of
love to God and goodwill to men.
Man's Cheif End
122. The whole life of a Christian should be nothing but praises and thanks
to God; we should neither eat nor drink nor sleep, but eat to God and sleep
to God and work to God and talk to God, do all to His glory and praise.
123. We glorify God when we exalt Him in our souls above all creatures in
the world, when we give Him the highest places in our love and in our joy,
when all our affections are set upon Him as our greatest good. This is seen
also by opposition, when we will not offend God for any creature; when we
can ask our affections, "Whom have I in heaven but thee?" (Psalm 73:25).
124. In the covenant of grace God intends the glory of His grace above all.
Now faith is fit for it, because it has a uniting virtue to knit us to the
Mediator and to lay hold of a thing out of ourselves; it empties the soul of
all idea of worth or strength or excellence in the creature, and so it gives
all the glory to God and Christ.
125. To glory in any creature whatsoever is idolatry, first, because the
mind sets up something to glory in which is not God; secondly, it must be
spiritual adultery to cleave to anything more than to God; thirdly, it is
bearing false witness to ascribe excellency where there is none. We have a
prohibition, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man in
his strength, nor the rich man in his riches (Jeremiah 9:23). God will not
give His glory to another, and therefore when men will be meddling with that
glory which belongs to God alone He blasts them aside as broken vessels and
even disdains to use them.
126. All things out of God are only like the grass. When we rejoice in
anything out of God, it is a childish joy as if we rejoiced only in flowers;
after we have drawn out their sweetness we cast them away. All outward
things are common to sinners as well as to saints, and without grace they
will surely prove snares. At the hour of death what comfort can we have in
them any further than with humility and love to God we have used them well?
Therefore if we would have our hearts seasoned with true joy, let us labor
to be faithful in our several places, and endeavor according to the gifts we
have to glorify God.
127. This life is not a life for the body but for the soul, and therefore
the soul should speak to the body, "If you move me to fulfil your desires
now, you will lose me and yourself hereafter." But if the body be given up
to Christ, then the soul will speak a good word for it in heaven, "Lord,
there is a body of mine in the grave in yonder world that did fast for me
and pray with me:" it will speak for it as Pharaoh's butler to the king for
Joseph.
128. It is rebellion against God for a man to make away with himself; the
very heathens could say that we must not go out of our station till we be
called. It is the voice of Satan, "Cast thyself down," but what says Paul to
the jailer, "Do thyself no harm: for we are all here." We should so carry
ourselves that we may be content to stay here till God has done that work He
has to do in us and by us, and then He will call us hence in the best time.
The Means of Grace
129. That man has made good progress in religion that has high esteem of the
ordinances of God, and though perhaps he may find himself dead and dull, yet
the best things have left such a taste and relish in his soul that he cannot
be long without them.
130. If we do not find ourselves the people of God's delight, let us attend
upon the means of salvation and wait God's good time, and not stand
disputing, "Perhaps God hath not a purpose to save me", but zealous in
obedience, cast ourselves into the arms of Christ and say, "If I perish, I
will perish here."
131. In the ark there was manna, which was a type of our sacraments; and the
testaments, which was a type of the Word preached; and the rod of Aaron, a
type of government. Wheresoever therefore there is spiritual manna and the
Word preached and the rod of Aaron in the government, there is a true church
though there be many personal corruptions.
132. In times of calamity God will take care of His fruitful trees, as in
Deuteronomy 20:19. The Israelites were commanded not to destroy the trees
that bear fruit; so though God's judgments come amongst us, yet God will
take special care of His children that be fruitful; but the judgments of God
will light heavy upon barren trees; though God may long endure barrenness in
the want of means, yet He will not in the use of means. It were better for a
bramble to be in the wilderness than in an orchard; nothing will keep the
axe from the root but fruitfulness in God's vineyard.
Mercy
133. If God's mercy might be overcome with our sins we should overcome it
every day. It must be rich mercy that can fully and forever satisfy the
soul, and therefore the Apostle never speaks of it without the extensions of
love, the height and depth. We Jack words; we lack thoughts to form any idea
of it. We should therefore labor through grace to frame and raise our souls
to rich and large conceptions and apprehensions of mercy that is sovereign
and divine.
134. God is rich in mercy, not only to our souls but in providing all things
we stand in need of. He keeps us from evil and so He is called a Buckler. He
gives us all good things and so He is called a Sun. He keeps us now in a
good condition, and will advance us still higher, even so far as our nature
shall be capable in the heavenly world.
135. No sin is so great but the satisfaction of Christ and His mercies are
greater; it is beyond comparison. Fathers and mothers in tenderest
affections are but beams and trains to lead us upwards to the infinite mercy
of God in Christ.
136. He that seeks us before we sought Him, will He refuse us when we seek
after Him? Let no man therefore despair or even be discouraged; if there be
in you the height and depth, and length and breadth of sin, there is also
much more the height and depth and length and breadth of mercy in God, and
though we have played the harlot with many lovers, yet let us return again.
For His thoughts are not as ours, and His mercies are the mercies of a
reconciled God.
Man by Nature
137. Every man naturally is a god unto himself, not only in reflecting all
upon himself, but in setting about divine things in his own strength, as if
he were principal in his own actions, coming to them in the strength of his
own wit, and in the strength of his own reason. This seed is in all men by
nature, until God shall have turned a man out of carnal self by the power of
the Holy Ghost.
138. The righteousness of works leaves, the soul in perplexity; that
righteousness which comes by any other means than by Christ leaves the soul
unsettled, because the law of God promises life only upon absolute and
personal performance. Now the heart of man tells him that this he has not
done, such and such duties he has omitted, and this breeds perplexity
because he has not any support.
139. No man is a true divine but the child of God; he only knows holy things
by a holy light and life. Other men though they speak of these things, yet
practically they know them not. Take the most mystical points in religion
such as justification, adoption, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost,
the sweet benefit of communion of saints, the excellent state of a Christian
in extremity, to know what is to be done upon all occasions, inward sight
and sorrow for sin; they know not what these things mean, for however aptly
they may discourse of them, yet the things themselves are mysteries.
Repentance is a mystery; joy in the Holy Ghost is a mystery; no natural man
though he be never so great a scholar knows these things experimentally. He
knows them only as physicians know physic by their books, but not as a sick
man by his own experience.
140. Whatsoever is good in a natural man is depraved by a self-end;
self-love rules all his actions. He keeps within himself and makes his chief
end himself, and he is a god to himself. God is but his idol. This is true
of all natural men in this world; they make themselves their last end, and
where the end is depraved, the whole course is corrupted.
141. A man may know that he loves the world if he be more careful to get
than to use it; we are but stewards, and should consider, "I must be as
careful in distributing as in getting," for when we are all in getting, and
nothing in distributing, this man is a worldling; though he be moderate in
getting without wronging any man, yet the world has got his heart because he
makes not that use of it he should.
142. It has been an old imputation to charge distraction upon men of the
greatest wisdom and sobriety. John the Baptist was accused of having a
devil, and Christ to be beside Himself and the Apostles to be full of new
wine, and Paul to be mad. The reason is because as religion is a mystical
and spiritual thing, so the tenets of it seem paradoxes to carnal men; as
first, that a Christian is the only freeman, and other men are slaves; that
he is the only rich man, though never so poor in the world; that he is the
only beautiful man, though outwardly never so deformed; that he is the only
happy man in the midst of all his miseries. Now these things though true
seem strange to natural men, and therefore when they see men earnest against
sin, or making conscience of sin, they wonder at this commotion for trifles.
But these men go on in a course of their own and make that the measure of
all; those that are below them are profane, and those that are above them
are indiscreet. By fanciful affections, they create idols, and then cry down
spiritual things as folly. They have principles of their own, to love
themselves and to love others only for themselves, and to hold on the
strongest side and by no means expose themselves to danger. But when men
begin to be religious, they deny all their own aims, and that makes their
course seem madness to the world, and therefore they labor to breed an ill
opinion of them, as if they were madmen and fools.
143. Those that lay the imputation of folly and madness on God's children,
will be found to be fools and madmen themselves. First, is not he a fool
that cannot make a right choice of things? And how do carnal men make their
choice when they embrace perishing things for the best? Secondly, a carnal
man has not a spiritual capacity to apprehend spiritual things aright; he
cannot see things invisible. Thirdly, his heart accounts it a vain thing to
serve the Lord. Fourthly, he judges his enemies to be his best friends, and
his best friends to be his worst enemies. Fifthly, the principles of all his
actions are unsound, because they are not directed to the right object,
therefore all his affections are mad, such as his joy, his love, his
delight. His love is but lust; his anger vexation. For his confidence, he
calls God's love into question, but if a false suggestion comes from the
devil, that he embraces; and therefore is he not mad? And this is the
condition of all natural men in the world.
Obedience
144. Partial obedience is not obedience at all; to single out easy things
that do not oppose our lusts, which are not against our reputation, therein
some will do more than they need; but our obedience must be universal to all
God's commandments, and that because He commands it. Empty relationships are
nothing; if we profess ourselves God's servants and do not honor Him by our
obedience, we take but an empty title. Let us seek grace to make our
professed relationship good, at least in our affections, that we may be able
to say, I desire to fear Thy Name; yea with my spirit within me will I seek
thee early (Isaiah 26: 8-9).
145. All the contention between the flesh and the Spirit lies in this,
whether God shall have His will or we have ours. Now God's will is straight
but ours is crooked, and therefore if God will have us offer up our Isaac we
must submit to Him, and even acquiesce in the whole will of God. The more
(through grace) emptied of self, the more free and happy we shall be by
being more subject to God, for in what measure we part with anything for Him
we shall receive even in this world an hundredfold in joy and peace.
146. Sincerity is the perfection of Christians. Let not Satan therefore
abuse us. We do all things when we endeavor to do all things and purpose to
do all things and are grieved when we cannot do better; then in some measure
we do all things.
147. There are many that will give some way to divine truths, but they have
a reservation of some sin. When Herodias is once touched, John Baptist must
lose his head. Such truths as come near, make transgressors fret because
their consciences tell them they will not yield obedience to all. Some sin
has got the dominion over their affections, but conscience says, "I warn
thee against this sin," and then that hatred which should be turned upon the
sin is turned upon the Word and the minister. Some vermin when they are
driven to a stand will fly in a man's face, so these men, when they see they
must yield, grow malicious, so that what they will not follow, that they
will reproach. Therefore it should be our care at all times to yield
obedience according to what we know of the divine will.
Prayer
148. Prayer exercises all the graces of the Spirit; we cannot pray, but our
faith is exercised, our love, our patience, which makes us set a high price
upon that we seek after and to use it well.
149. It is not so easy a matter to pray as men think, and that in regard of
the unspiritualness of our nature compared with the duty itself which is to
draw near to a holy God; we cannot endure to sever ourselves from our lusts.
There is also a great rebellion in our hearts against anything that is good.
Satan also is a special enemy. When we go to God by prayer, the devil knows
we go to fetch help and strength against him, and therefore he opposes all
he can; but though many men mumble over a few prayers, yet indeed no man can
pray as he ought but he that is within the covenant of grace and by the Holy
Ghost.
150. A child of God may pray and not be heard, because at that time he may
be a child under displeasure. If any sin lie unrepented of we are not in a
fit state to pray. Will a king regard the petition of a traitor that
purposes to go on in his rebellion, or a father hear a disobedient child?
Therefore when we come to God, we should renew our repentance, faith and
purposes of better pleasing Him, and then remember the Scripture and search
all the promises as part of our best riches, and when we have them, we
should humbly challenge God with His own promises. This will make us strong
and faithful in our prayers when we know we never pray to Him in vain.
151. In prayer we tempt God if we ask that which we labor not for; our
faithful endeavors must second our devotion, for to ask maintenance and not
put our hands to the work is only to knock at the door and yet pull the door
to us that it might not open. In this case, if we pray for grace and neglect
the spring from whence it comes, how can we speed? It was a rule in ancient
time, "Lay your hand to the plough and then pray." No man should pray
without ploughing, nor plough without prayer.
152. When we pray God oftentimes refuses to give us comfort because we are
not on good terms with Him; therefore we should still look back to our past
life. Perhaps God sees you running to this or that sin, and before He will
hear you, you must renew your repentance for that sin, for our nature is
such that it will knock at every door and seek every corner before we will
come to God, like the woman in the Gospel - she sold all before she came to
Christ - so that God will not hear before we forsake all helps and all false
dependence upon the creature, and then He gets the greatest glory and we
have the greatest sweetness to our souls. That water which comes from the
fountain is the sweetest, and so divine comfort is the sweetest when we see
nothing in the creature, and God is the best discerner of the fittest time
to bestow His own consolations.
153. When God means to bestow any blessing on His church or children He will
pour out upon them the spirit of prayer and, as all pray for everyone, so
everyone prays for all; this is a great comfort to weak Christians when they
cannot pray, that the prayers of others shall prevail for them.
154. When we shoot an arrow, we look to the fall of it; when we send a ship
to sea, we look for its return; and when we sow seed, we look for a harvest;
so likewise when we sow our prayers, through Christ, in God's bosom, shall
we not look for an answer and observe how we speed? It is a seed of atheism
to pray and not to look how we speed. But a sincere Christian will pray and
wait, and strengthen his heart with promises out of the Word, and never
leave praying and looking up till God gives him a gracious answer.
nathaniel Sin
155. If we would make it evident that our conversion is sound we must loathe
and hate sin from the heart; now a man shall know his hatred of evil to be
true, first if it be universal. He that hates sin truly hates all sin.
Secondly, where there is true hatred it is fixed; there is no appeasing it,
but by abolishing the thing it hates. Thirdly, hatred is a more rooted
affection than anger; anger may be appeased, but hatred is against the whole
kind. Fourthly, if our hatred be true, we hate all evil in ourselves first,
and then in others. He that hates a toad would hate it most in his own
bosom. Many like Judah are severe in censuring others but are partial to
themselves (Genesis 38:24). Fifthly, he that hates sin truly, hates the
greatest sin in the greatest measure; he hates all evil in a just
proportion. Sixthly, our hatred is right if we can endure admonition and
reproof for sin and not be enraged with him that tells us of it; therefore
those that swell against reproof, hate not sin; only with this caution, it
may be done with such indiscretion and self-love that a man may hate the
reprover's proud manner. In disclosing our hatred of sin in others, we must
consider our calling; it must be done in a sweet temper, reserving due
respect to those to whom reproof is offered, that it may be done out of true
zeal, and not out of anger nor pride.
156. There are some sins that let Satan loose upon us. Such as first, pride.
We see it in Paul, "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the
abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh,
the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure"
(2 Cor. 12:7). Secondly, conceitedness and presumption, as we may see in
Peter. "Peter answered and said unto Him, Though all men shall be offended
because of thee, yet will I never be offended" (Matt. 26:33). Thirdly,
security, which is always the forerunner of some great punishment or great
sin (which also is a punishment) as we see in David. Fourthly, idleness: it
is the hour of temptation when a man is out of God's business. Fifthly,
intemperance, either in diet or otherwise. Therefore Christ commands us to
pray and watch, and keep to sobriety in the use of created things. Sixthly,
there is a more subtle intemperance of passion. In whatever degree we give
way to wrath and revenge and covetousness, in that degree Satan has
advantage against us. Seventhly, when a man will not believe and submit to
truths revealed, though likewise natural truths. Therefore "God gave them up
unto vile affections" (Rom. 1:26), because they would not cherish the light
of nature, much more when we do not cherish the light of His grace.
157. Christians find their corruptions more offensive to them than when they
were in the state of nature, and therefore it is that they think their state
is not good, but corruption boils more because it is restrained.
158. As the woman in the law, when she was forced by any man, if she cried
out was then blameless; so if we unfeignedly cry unto Christ and complain of
our corruptions that they are too strong for us, this will witness to our
hearts that we are not hypocrites.
159. After a gracious pardon for sin, there are two things remaining in us,
infirmities and weaknesses. Infirmities are corruptions stirred up, which
hinder us from good and excite us to evil, but yet they are so far resisted
and subdued that they do not break forth into action. Weakness, this appears
when we suffer an infirmity to break out into act for want of watchfulness,
as if a man be subject to an angry temper; when this is working disturbance
in the mind it is infirmity; but when for want of watchfulness it breaks
forth into action then it is weakness. These diseases are suffered to attend
us to remind us frequently of the bitter root of sin, for if sin did not
sometimes break forth we should think our nature perfectly cured. Who would
have thought that Moses, so meek a man, could have broken out into passion?
We see it also in David and Peter and others, and this is to show that the
corruption of nature in them was not fully healed. But there is this
difference between the slips and falls of God's children and of other men,
when other men fall, they settle in the mire, but when God's children fall,
they see their weakness, they see the bitter root of sin, and hate it the
more, and are never at rest till it be cast out by the strength of grace and
repentance.
160. There is through sin venom and vanity in everything (without grace)
wherewith we are tainted, but when grace comes it removes the curse and
takes out the sting of all evil, and then we find a good even in the worst.
Temptation
161. In every evil work that we are tempted to, we always need delivering
grace, as to every good work God's assisting grace.
162. It is hard to discern the working of Satan from our own corruptions,
because for the most part he goes secretly along with them; he is like a
pirate at sea who fires upon us under our own colors. Like Judas to Christ,
he comes as a friend, therefore it is hard to discern; but it is partly seen
by the eagerness of our lusts, when they are sudden, strong and strange, so
strange sometimes that even nature itself abhors them. The Spirit of God
leads sweetly on, but the devil hurries a man like a tempest, as we see in
Amnon for his sister Tamar. Again, when we resist the motions of God's good
Spirit, dislike His government, and give way to passion, then the devil
enters. Let a man be unadvisedly angry, and the devil will make him envious
and seek revenge; when passions are let loose they are chariots in which the
devil rides; some by nature are prone to distrust and some to be too
confident; now the devil joins with them and so draws them on further; he
broods upon our corruptions; he sits as it were upon the souls of men, and
there broods and hatches all sin. All the devils in hell cannot force us to
sin. Satan works by suggestions, stirring up humors and fancies, but he
cannot work upon the will; we betray ourselves by yielding before he can do
us any harm; yet he ripens sin when cherished in the heart and brings it
forth into actual transgression.
163. Take heed of Satan's policy, that God has forgotten me because I am now
in extremity; nay rather, God will then show mercy, for now is the special
time of mercy; therefore beat back Satan with his own weapons.
164. Temptations at first are like Elijah's cloud, no bigger than a man's
hand, but if we give way to them they will soon overspread the whole soul.
Satan nestles himself when we dwell upon the thoughts of sin; we cannot
prevent the sudden risings of sin, but by grace we may keep them down, and
they should never long remain without opposition. Let us labor therefore as
much as we can to be in good company, and run in a good course, for as the
Holy Ghost works by these advantages, so we should wisely observe and
improve them.
Thankfulness
165. It is the peculiar wisdom of a Christian to pick arguments out of his
worst condition to make him thankful; and if he be thankful he will be
joyful; and so long as he is joyful he cannot be miserable, but happy.
166. We have oftentimes occasion to bless God more for crosses than for our
comforts. There is a blessing hidden in the worst things to God's children,
as there is a cross in the best things to the wicked; to the saints there is
a blessing in death, a blessing in sickness, a blessing in the hatred of our
enemies, a blessing in all losses whatsoever. Therefore in our afflictions
we should not only justify God but glorify and magnify Him for His mercies,
that rather than we should be condemned with the world, He will graciously
take this course.
167. Our whole life under the Gospel should be nothing but thankfulness and
fruitfulness. But oh! take heed therefore of turning the grace of God into
wantonness. The honor, grace and authority of the Gospel all require that we
should deny all ungodliness, and worldly lust, and live righteously, and
soberly, and godly in the present world. Therefore, when we find ourselves
tempted to act otherwise, instantly we should think - oh! this is not the
life of a Christian under the gospel. The gospel requires a more fruitful, a
more zealous conduct, more love to Christ.
Watchfulness
168. For want of watchfulness, God often gives us up for a time to such a
perplexed state that we shall not know that we have any grace, and though we
may have a principle of grace in us, yet we shall not know it, but may even
go out of the world in darkness.
169. This is a common rule, that we cannot converse with company that are
not spiritual, but if they vex us not they will taint us, unless we are put
upon them in our callings; we should therefore make special choice of our
company, and walk in continual watchfulness.
170. We should labor to judge ourselves before God for those things that the
world takes no notice of, for spiritual, for inward things, e.g. for the
motions of pride, of worldliness, of revenge, of security, unthankfulness
and such-like unkindness towards God, and for our barrenness in all good
duties, that we owe to God and men. Such sins the world cannot see, yet
these should humble our hearts, for when we do not make conscience of
spiritual sins, God gives us up to some open abominations that stain and
publicly disgrace our holy profession.
171. Watchfulness is an exercise of all the graces of the Spirit, and these
are given to keep our souls awake. We have enemies about us that are never
asleep, and our worst enemy is within us, and so much the worse because so
near. We live also in a world full of temptations, and wicked men are full
of malice; we are passing through our enemy's country and therefore have
need to be ever vigilant. The devil also watches us to spoil every good
action, therefore we have need to pray always and watch that all our graces
be in perpetual exercise. We should constantly watch with a fear of
jealousy, taking heed of a spirit of drowsiness and laboring also to keep
ourselves unspotted from such a defiling world.
172. Though we be sure of victory over our spiritual enemies yet we must
fight. The devoted kings of Canaan must be fought with and all be slain.
Christ that fights for us fights with us, and crowns us when He has given us
the victory. The time will come before long when we shall say of our enemies
as Moses said of the Egyptians, "For the Egyptians whom ye have seen today,
ye shall see them again no more for ever" (Exodus 14:13). "Finally, my
brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might" (Ephesians
6:10).
173. However diligent we may be in our callings yet the ability and the
blessing can only come from God. We pray for daily bread and He gives it
though we labor for it. There is a gift of success and unless it be given us
from above, we shall then with the disciples only toil but catch nothing all
the day.
174. Christianity is a busy trade; if we look up to God, what a multitude of
things are required in a Christian to carry himself as he should do - a
spirit of faith, a spirit of love, a spirit of joy and delight in Him above
all - and if we look to men, there are duties for a Christian to his
superiors, a spirit of subjection; to equals he must show a spirit of love,
and to inferiors a spirit of pity and bounty. If we look to Satan, we have a
commandment to resist him and watch against the tempter. If we look to the
world, it is full of snares. There must be a great deal of spiritual
watchfulness, that we be not surprised. If we look to ourselves, there are
required many duties to carry our vessels in honor, and to walk within the
compass of the Holy Ghost, to preserve the peace of our consciences, to walk
answerably to our worth, as being the sons of God and joint coheirs with
Christ. The Christian must dispense with himself in no sin; he must be. a
vessel prepared for every good work, he must refrain from no service that
God calls him to. Therefore the life of a Christian abounds with honorable
and profitable employment.
175. Take a circumspect Christian and whatsoever he does, he does it in
fear; if he calls God, Father, it is with filial fear, and he eats and
drinks with cautious fear. Jude speaks of them that eat without fear; but
the true servant of God has a holy fear accompanying him in all his actions,
in his words, and even in his recreations, in his meat and drink, and
throughout his life. He that has not this fear, how bold is he in wicked
courses and loose in all his conduct! But mark a true Christian and you
shall always see in him some happy expressions of a holy fear.
176. Though our salvation be sure and we shall not be condemned with the
world, yet the knowledge of this does not make us secure, for though God
will not banish us with sinners yet He will sharply correct us here. By a
careful and sober life we might obtain from His mercy in Christ many
blessings and prevent many judgments, and make our pilgrimage more
comfortable; therefore it argues neither grace nor wit, that because God
will save me therefore I will take sinful liberties. No, though God will
save you, yet He will take such a course with you, you shall endure such
sharp anguish for your sin, that thereby sin shall become far more bitter
that the sweetest fruit of it was ever pleasant.
Wisdom
177. God's children are neither madmen nor fools; it is but a scandal cast
upon them by the madmen of the world. They are the only wise men if it be
well considered. First, they make the highest end their aim, which is to be
children of God here, and saints hereafter in heaven. Secondly, they aim to
be found wise men at their death, and therefore are always making their
accounts ready. Thirdly, they labor to live answerable to the rule; they
observe the rule of the Word to be governed continually by it. Fourthly,
they improve all advantages to advance their grand end; they labor to grow
better by blessings and crosses, and to make a sanctified use of all things.
Fifthly, they swim against the stream of the times and though they eat and
drink and sleep as other men, yet (like the stars) they have a secret
settled course of their own which the world cannot discern; therefore a man
must be changed and set in a higher rank before he can have a sanctified
judgment of the ways of God.
178. We ought not at any time to deny the truth nor yet at all times to
confess it, for good actions and graces are like princes that only appear
abroad on some special occasions, and so if some circumstances in our
confession be wanting the action is marred. It is true of actions as of
words, "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver"
(Proverbs 25:11), therefore wisdom must be our guide, for speech is then
only good when it is better than silence.
179. We must not only stand for the truth, but we must stand for it in a
holy manner, and not as proud persons do; we must observe that rule, "Be
ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the
hope that is in you with meekness and fear" (I Peter 3:15). We must not
bring passion into God's cause nor must our lives give our tongues the lie.
The Word of God
180. The Word from the mouth of God is more ancient than the Scripture, for
the first word of Scripture was the promise, "I will put enmity between thee
and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head,
and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Genesis 3:15). The Scripture is but the
mode, the manner of conveying the Word of God. This Scripture is the rule
whereby we must walk and the judge also of all controversies of religion,
and in spite of the church of Rome it will judge them. Augustine has an
excellent remark;
"When there is contention betwixt brethren, witnesses are brought, but in
the end, the words, the will of the dead man is brought forth, and these
words determine. Now shall the words of a dead man be of force, and shall
not the word of Christ determine? Therefore look to the Scripture."
181. Those that care not for the Word of God reject their comfort; all
comfort must be drawn out of the Scriptures, which are the breasts of
consolation; many are bred up by education to know the truth and are able to
discourse of it, but they lack the Spirit of truth, arid that is the reason
why all their knowledge vanishes away in time of trial and temptation.
182. A man may know that the Word has wrought upon his conscience when he
comes to hear and learn and reform. A man that has an heart without guile is
glad to hear the sharpest reproofs because he knows that sin is his greatest
enemy. But if we live in a course that we are loath should be reproved it is
a sign our hearts are full of guile. Corrupt men mould their teachers and
fashion them to their lusts, but a good and upright heart is willing that
divine truths should have their full authority in the soul, and continues in
the way of duty, though never so contrary to flesh and blood.
183. He that attends to the Word of God, not only knows the words (which are
but the shell) but he knows the things. He has spiritual light to know what
faith and repentance are. There is at that time a spiritual echo in the
soul. "When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face,
LORD, will I seek" (Psalm 27. 8). Therefore must men judge of their
profiting by the Word, not by carrying it in their memories, but by being
made able by it to bear crosses and to resist temptations.
184. It may be asked, how shall we know the Scriptures to be the Word of
God? For answer, grant first, that there is a God, it will follow then that
He must be worshipped and served, and that this service must be discovered
to us, that we may know what He requires; and then let it be considered what
Word of God can be different from this. Besides, God has blessed the
superstition of the Jews (who were very strict to every letter) to preserve
it for us; and the heretics, since the primitive church, have so observed
one another that there can be no other than this Word. But we must further
know that we must have something in our souls suitable to the truths
contained in it before we can truly and savingly believe it to be the Word
of God, so that we find it has a power in working upon our hearts and
affections: "Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by
the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?" (Luke 24:32). Again, it
has a divine operation to warm and pacify the soul, and power to make a I
Felix tremble; it has a searching quality to divide between the marrow and
the bone. We do not therefore only believe the Scriptures to be the Word of
God because any man says so, or because the church says so, but also and
principally, because we find it by experience working the same effects in
us, that it speaks of itself. Therefore let us never rest till when we hear
a promise, we may find something in us by the sanctifying Spirit that may be
suitable to it, and so assuring us, that it is this Word alone that informs
us of the good pleasure of God to us and of our duty towards Him.
185. The Word of God dwells in our hearts when it rules in the soul, when it
directs our thoughts, affections and conversations, so that we dare not do
anything contrary thereunto. but we shall be checked. Who shall get out that
which God's finger has written in our hearts? No fire nor faggot, no
temptation whatever.
86. When the Word dwells as a familiar friend in the heart to direct,
counsel and comfort us, then it is a sign it abides there. The devil knows
good and hates it, therefore knowledge alone is nothing; but when the
promise alters the temper of the heart itself, then it is engrafted there.
187. Those that have eyes dazzled with the false luster of the world lack
spiritual light; Christ Himself when here on earth lived a concealed life;
only at certain times some beams broke out. So let it comfort us that our
glory is hid in Christ; now it is clouded with the malice of wicked men and
with our own infirmities, but let us comfort ourselves that we are glorious
in the eyes of God and His holy angels.
188. Nature cannot work above its own powers, as vapors cannot ascend higher
than the sun draws them. Our hearts are naturally shut, and God opens them
by His Spirit in the use of means. The children of Israel in the wilderness
saw wonders upon wonders, and yet when they came to be proved, they would
not believe.
189. There should not be intimate familiarities except where we judge men
true Christians; and towards those whom upon good grounds we judge to be
such, we must be gentle and easy to be entreated. We therefore wrong them if
we show ourselves strange to them.
190. There are many things to hinder the grace of waiting.
There is a great deal of tedious time and many crosses to meet with, such as
the scorn and reproach of this world, and many other trials. God seems also
to do nothing less than to perform His promise; but let us comfort ourselves
that He waits to do them good that wait upon Him.
191. In a combat a man indeed is never overcome (let him be never so vexed
in the world) till his conscience be cracked; if his conscience be good and
his cause stand upright, he conquers, and shall be more than a conqueror in
Christ's strength.
192. A Christian in his right temper is compared to the best of everything;
if to a lily, the fairest; if to a cedar, the tallest; if to an olive tree,
the most fruitful; "And his smell shall be as Lebanon." We should therefore
make use of natural things and apply them to spiritual things. If we see a
lily, think of God's promise and our duty, then we shall grow as lilies;
when we see a tall tree, then think "I must grow higher in grace," and when
we see a vine, think "I must grow in fruitfulness;" when we go into our
orchards or gardens, let a sight of these things raise our thoughts higher,
to a consideration of what is required and of what is promised.
193. When we come to be religious, we lose not our pleasure, but transform
it; perhaps before we fed upon profane authors, now we feed upon holy
truths. A Christian never knows what comfort is in religion till he comes to
say with Augustine, "Lord, I have long lacked the true manna, all my former
food was nothing but husks."
194. God takes care of poor weak Christians that are struggling with
temptations and corruptions; Christ carries them in His arms. All Christ's
sheep are diseased, and therefore He will have a tender care of them (Isaiah
40:11).
195. As we receive all from God, so we should lay all at His feet and say, I
will not live in a course of sin, that will not stand with the favor of my
God; for He will not lodge in the heart that has a purpose to sin.
196. There is no true zeal for God's glory unless it is joined with true
love to men: therefore let men that are violent, injurious and insolent,
never talk of glorifying God so long as they despise the lowest of men.
197. What is the reason that God's children sink not to hell when troubles
are upon them? Because they have an inward presence strengthening them; for
the Holy Ghost helps our infirmities, not only to pray, but to bear crosses,
lightening them with some views of God's gracious countenance; for what
supports our faith in prayer but inward strength from God?
198. It is as foolish an idea to think that we can fit ourselves for grace
as if a child in the womb could forward its natural birth: if God has made
us men, let us not make ourselves gods.
199. What we are afraid to speak before men, and to do for fear of danger,
let us be much more afraid to think before God;
therefore we should stifle all evil ideas in the very conception, in their
very rising: let them be used as rebels and traitors, be smothered at the
very first.
200. God's children are hindered in good duties by an inevitable weakness in
nature, as after labor with drowsiness; therefore the spirit may be willing
when the flesh is weak. If we strive therefore against this deadness and
dullness, Christ is ready to make excuse for us (if the heart be right) as
He did for His disciples.
201. That which we drew from the first Adam was the displeasure of God; but
we draw from the second Adam the favor of God; from the first Adam we drew
corruption, from the second Adam we draw grace; from the first Adam we
derive misery and death, and all the miseries that follow death; we draw
from the second Adam life and happiness; whatsoever we had from the first
Adam we have it repaired more abundantly in the second.
202. Grace makes us glorious because it puts glory upon the soul, carries
the soul above all earthly things, tramples the world under her feet; it
prevails against corruptions that foil ordinary men.
203. Christ is our pattern whom we must strive to imitate; it is necessary
that our pattern should be exact so that we might see our imperfections and
be humbled for them, and live by faith for our sanctification.
204. This life is a life of faith, for God will try the truth of our faith,
so that the world may see that God has such servants as will depend upon His
bare word; it were nothing to be a Christian if we should see all here; but
God will have His children to live by faith, and take the promise upon His
word.
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