Christ: The Way, the Truth, and the Life Part 32

_Obj._ 4. But the want of it in the mean time maketh me go heartlessly and discouragedly about commanded duties, and maketh that I cannot apply things distinctly to myself.

_Ans._ Yet the word of command is the same, the offer is the same, and the encouragement is the same. Why then should thou not be going on, leaning to Christ in the wilderness, even though thou want that comfortable sight?

_Obj._ 5. But it is one thing to want a clear sight of my state, it is another thing to judge myself, to be yet in the state of nature; and this is my case.

_Ans._ I grant, this is the worst of the two; yet, what if thou misjudge thyself without ground; should thou not suffer for thy own folly; and whom can thou blame but thyself? And if thou judge so, thou cannot but know that it is thy duty to do the thing that thou supposeth is not yet done, that is, run away to Christ for life and salvation, and rest on him and abide there; and if this were frequently renewed, the grounds of thy former mistake might be easily removed.

Yet further, I would add these few things:

1. Take no pleasure in debating against your own soul; for that is but to serve Satan's design.

2. Be not too rash or ready to drink in prejudices against the work of G.o.d in your own souls; for that is to conclude with Satan against yourselves.

3. Make much of any little light he is pleased to give, were it but of one mark, and be not ill to please; for one scriptural mark, as love to the brethren, may sufficiently evidence the thing.

4. See how thy soul would like the condition of such as are carnal, profane, careless in the matters of G.o.d; and if thy soul doth really abhor that, and thou would not upon any account choose to be in such a case, thou may gather something from that to thy comfort. But enough of this case here.

CHAPTER XXVI.

HOW IS CHRIST, AS THE LIFE, TO BE APPLIED BY A SOUL THAT MISSETH G.o.d'S FAVOUR AND COUNTENANCE.

The sixth case, that we shall speak a little to, is a deadness, occasioned by the Lord's hiding of himself, who is their life, and "the fountain of life," Ps. x.x.xvi. 9, and "whose loving-kindness is better than life," Ps. lxiii. 3, and "in whose favour is their life," Ps. x.x.x.

5. A case, which the frequent complaints of the saints manifest to be rife enough, concerning which we shall,

1. Shew some of the consequences of the Lord's hiding his face, whereby the soul's case will appear. 2. Shew the reasons of this dispensation.

3. Shew how Christ is life to the soul in this case; and, 4. Point out the soul's duty; or how he is to make use of Christ for a recovery.

As to the _first,_ we may take notice of those particulars:

1. They complain of G.o.d's hiding of himself, and forsaking them, Ps.

xxii. 1, "My G.o.d, my G.o.d, why hast thou forsaken me?" and Ps. xiii. 3, "How long wilt thou forsake me?" &c.

2. They cry out for a blink of his face, and get it not; for he hath withdrawn himself, Ps. xiii. 1, "how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?" Heman, Ps. lx.x.xviii., cried out night and day, but yet G.o.d's face was hid, ver. 1, 9, 14. The spouse seeketh long, Cant. v.; see Ps. xxii.

1, 2.

3. They are looking for an outgate, but get none. And "hope deferred maketh their heart sick," Prov. xiii. 12.

4. They are in the dark, and cannot tell' why the Lord dispenseth so towards them; "Why," said Heman, Ps. xviii. 14, "castest thou off my soul? why holdest thou thy face from me?" They cannot understand wherefore it is. So Job cried out, "shew me wherefore thou contendest with me," Job x. 2.

5. They may also be walking, in the mean while, without light or counsel, so as they shall not know what to do. "How long shall I take counsel in my soul," Ps. xiii. 2.

6. Moreover, they may have their heart filled with sorrow; as we see, Ps. xiii. 2, "having sorrow in my heart," said David. He also saith, Ps.

x.x.xviii. that his sorrow was continually before him, ver. 17; and Ps.

cxvi. 3, "I found trouble and sorrow."

7. They may be so, as the sweet experience of others may yield them no supply of comfort at present, Ps. xxii. 4-6, "Our fathers trusted in thee," said David, "and thou didst deliver them; they cried to thee, and were delivered; they trusted in thee, and were not confounded." But that gave him no present ease or comfort; for immediately he addeth, ver. 6, "but I am a worm and no man, a reproach of men," &c.

8. Yea, all their own former experiences may yield them little solace; as we see in the same place, Ps. xxii. 9, 10, compared with ver. 14,15, "Thou art he," says he, ver. 9, "that took me out of the womb," &c. And yet he complains, ver. 14, "that he was poured out like water, and his bones out of joint, that his heart was melted in the midst of his bowels," &c.

9. They may be brought near to a giving over all in despondency, and be brought, in their sense, to the very dust of death, Psal. xxii. 16.

If it be inquired, why the Lord dispenseth so with his own people?

We answer, and this is the _second_ particular, that he doeth it for holy and wise reasons, whereof we may name a few; as,

1. To punish their carelessness and negligence; as we see he did with the spouse, Cant. v.

2. To chastise them for their ill-improving of his favour and kindness when they had it; as the same pa.s.sage evidenceth.

3. To check them for their security and carnal confidence, as he did David, Psal. x.x.x. 6, 7, when he said his mountain stood strong, and he should never be moved. Then did the Lord hide his face, and he was troubled.

4. To try if their obedience to his commands be pure and conscientious, and not in a sort mercenary, because of his lifting up upon them the light of his countenance; and to see if conscience to a command driveth them to duty, when they are in the dark, and have no encouragement.

5. To put the graces of the Spirit to trial and to exercise; as their faith, patience, hope, love, &c. Psal. xiii. 5, 6, 22, 24.

6. To awaken them from their security, and to set them to a more diligent following of duty; as we see in the spouse, Cant. v.

7. To sharpen their desire and hunger after him, as this instance cleareth.

Even in such a case as this, Christ is life to the soul, which is the _third_ particular,

1. By taking away the sinful causes of such a distance, having laid down his life and shed his blood for the remission of their sins, so that such a dispensation is not flowing from pure wrath, but is rather an act of mercy and love.

2. By advocating the poor man's cause in heaven, where he is making intercession for his own, and thereby obtaining a delivery from that condition, in G.o.d's own time, even the s.h.i.+ning again of his countenance upon them.

3. By keeping life in, as to habitual grace, and by breathing thereupon, so that it becometh lively, and operative even in such a winter day.

4. By supporting the soul under that dispensation, and keeping it from fainting, through the secret influences of grace, which he conveyeth into the soul; as he did to the poor woman of Canaan, Matth. xv.

5. By setting the soul a-work, to use such means as G.o.d hath appointed for a recovery; as, to cry, to plead, to long, to wait, &c. "Their heart shall live that seek him."

6. By teaching the soul to submit to and acquiesce in what G.o.d doth, acknowledging his righteousness, greatness, and sovereignty; and this quietness of heart is its life.

7. By keeping the heart fast to the covenant of grace; so that whatever come, they will never quit that bargain, but they will trust in him though he should kill them; and they will adhere to the covenant of grace, though they should be dragged through h.e.l.l.

8. At length when he seeth it fit and convenient, he quickeneth by drawing back the veil, and filling the soul with joy, in the light of G.o.d's countenance; and causing it to sing, as having the heart lifted up in the ways of the Lord.

As to the _last_ particular, concerning the duty of a soul in such a case; we say,

1. He should humble himself under this dispensation, knowing that it is the great G.o.d with whom he hath to do; and that there is no contending with him; and that all flesh should stoop before him.

2. He should justify G.o.d in all that he doth, and say with David, Psal.

xxii. 3. "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel."